Sunday 28th February

 All 50x counted. All seem absolutely fine. No concerns.

They were on good form today - really friendly and rushed over to say hello. The Shetlands have an especially nice temperament. Ollie even smiled for the camera..!

Saturday 27th Feb

 What a stunning morning! All 50x accounted for, all look fine. They were spread out across the eastern enclosure, moving freely, no limping seen, all were grazing contentedly in the morning sun.

There were lots of skylark displays during this week. Four lapwing, flying in two pairs, were seen by a neighbour on Monday. Hello Spring!

Friday February 26th

 Really great morning today in Barton meadow . Sheep all in the eastern section,  widely distributed across both the north and south facing slopes . All fifty accounted for . No one limping that I could see and all eating well . Troughs fine and gates and fences ok. 

Good weekend

Julian bevis 

Thursday 25th Feb

As this may be the last lookering for a while the sheep decided to spread themselves across the valley floor over both fields and in the hedge making counting a challenge. However, all 50 are present and well. Plenty of scratching this morning & lounging around although all moved when approached. A pair of skylarks were courting overhead and 6 roe deer present.

Wednesday 24th February

 50 counted.The brown shetland was sitting down and wouldnt get up even with a gentle shove,but finally decided to move and seems ok-see previous entry.All looking good.

looking well

All sheep looking well, slight concern over the brown one looking a little lethargic but once I got some feed out he perked right up and came running.

Tuesday February 23rd

 The sheep were spread out across the lower part of the south facing slope in the eastern section when I arrived. Most lying down . They gravitated up to and some  through the median hedge while I was there . All 50 accounted for . All seemed ok . I couldnt see any evidence of the limper reported yesterday.  Both troughs working properly. All gates and fences ok. The contractors were working in the field while I was there but left shortly after 1100 hours . One roe deer seen. 

Julian bevis 

Monday 22nd Feb

- Troughs fine.

- All sheep present

- One limper: 0291096 (I think?), curly horns, already has green mark 

Monday 22nd February

I went up to Barton Meadows this morning to let a contractor in to start fencing off the education area. The sheep were all having a morning scratch on the gates by Worthy Rd. All looked well, spotted one with a slight limp but nothing of concern. 

Saturday 20th February

 They were a little friendly today, which made counting more tricky, but I counted all 50x twice. No limpers seen, no concerns. 

Friday February 19th

 Today the sheep were in the western section of the meadow, initially on the south facing slope.  Subsequently they moved across to the north facing slope and as far up as the trough with many percolating through the median hedge . By the time I left the majority  had moved across to the western section . All 50 accounted for and no obvious limpers . All feeding well, between bouts of energetic scratching on the hedge and fence posts . The troughs are working properly  and all gates and fences fine. Saw three roe deer . 

Good weekend 

Julian bevis 

Thursday 18th Feb

All sheep present, spread out across the north slope of the west field, grazing happily. No obvious limpers this morning and no concerns. Troughs and gates all good. Quiet on the wildlife front. Roe deer present and a kestrel on the overhead lines.

Wednesday 16th February

50 sheep counted.One was sitting down away from the others and had a limp(front right) when they got up,but joined the other sheep.Otherwise looking good.

Tuesday February 16th

 Sheep all in the eastern section spread out across the south facing slope . All 50 accounted for. I couldn’t spot any limpers today so guess the issues identified yesterday, including the snagged bramble,  have been overcome. Both troughs fine and unsurprisingly the water supply in both is running freely . Four roe  deer crossed the eastern section to cover in the rough grass and later crossed back to the median hedge . 

Julian bevis 

Monday 15/02

-All 50 accounted for and in the eastern field. 

-Limpers:

--00023, has a green mark, horns, slight limp.

--00001 (I think?), green mark agan, slight limp, 2m of clematis (maybe bramble) attached, but I couldn't get close enough remove it.

Sunday 14th

All 50 sheep together and grazing contentedly. No limpers. 

Troughs de-iced but thawing anyway with the warmer temperatures. 

20 lapwing counted foraging in the meadow.

Chris C

Friday February 12th

 The sheep were once again in the rough grass in the eastern section of the field, close up to the gate . All 50 accounted for. No one limping and all appeared to be eating well. 

Both troughs were frozen hard particularly the one in the eastern section which is more exposed to the easterly wind . I cleared the ice but the water supply remains frozen in both . 

Three roe deer in the western section near the median fence on the south facing slope

Have a good weekend 

Julian bevis 

Thursday 11th Feb

Coldest morning yet. Even with my hammer, clearing the ice from the troughs took 20 minutes. Top tip, don’t drop your hammer in the trough! All the sheep are present and located in the rough grasses in the Eastern field near the main gate. Quite closely together. All trotted over thinking there may be food I suspect. One limper observed. Front left leg but couldn’t get close enough to read the tag. Not too bad & wasn’t concerned. 5 deer present.

Sparse bird activity but there was a beautiful buzzard on the fence and about 20m further along a kestrel. Quite a number of starlings and half a dozen red wings.

Tuesday February 9th

 The sheep were in the eastern section of the meadow when I arrived . Initially on the north facing slope, but they fairly quickly moved down the slope and into the rough grass near the road . All 50 accounted for . All grazing happily despite the frigid weather and no one limping . Both troughs had frozen again overnight . I broke up the ice in both . The water flows freely in the trough in the eastern section but I couldn’t check the other one . 

Julian bevis 

Monday 8th Feb

- All 50 sheep accounted for and no obvious limpers. 

- I've de-iced the water troughs (very thick but with nice crystals underneath), but neither trough was refilling when I held the float down.

- If anyone knows a decent way of removing ice without dipping your hands in that would be greatly appreciated. 

Tom G

Friday February 5th

 A foggy start to the day in Barton meadow made for sone difficulties in counting all the sheep there but as the mist cleared so I was able to account for all 50 . They were spread out on the south facing slope of the eastern section of the field in a loose group from the fence line to the centre of the field. All eating happily and no one obviously limping . Both troughs fine and fences sound.. saw five  roe deer crossing the eastern section of the field to lie in the rough grass area near the road . Also saw a pair of buzzards circling over the trees around Barton mark . 

Have a good weekend 

Julian bevis 

Thurs from Adrian

Stray post in the Winnall Moors blog, pasting here:

All sheep present & correct. Came over to say hello. One with slight limp but couldn’t read the tag. They’re in the east field this morning. Drizzling!

Tuesday February 2nd

 When I arrived this morning about 20 of the sheep were in the western section and the rest were either in the eastern section or going backwards and forwards through the median hedge / fence line . This game caused a certain amount of difficulty in counting but I finally accounted for all fifty . They were. all eating contentedly and no one was limping . The troughs are fine and the fences also appear to be ok . The permissive path is very mucky particularly near the gate to worthy road 

Julian bevis 

Monday 1st Feb

The sheep were very helpfully spread out neatly in the eastern valley and so easily counted. All 50 sheep accounted for. 

No obvious limpers. 

Troughs working fine. 

-Tom G