Merry Christmas and a big thank you to all Sheepwatchers for your help this year!

Gallery of photos from our Sheepwatchers



By John Lewis and Family






By Anna Millar

 

By Julie Doherty




By T Lyndsey



By A Maclachlane



Sheep Enjoying The View

6 Sheep now at Browns Folly

Randy the Ram and Lilly have now joined the other four Wiltshire horn sheep at Browns Folly.  So there are 5 ewes and one ram to find!

The ram and five ewes

Randy the Ram

Please send in any photos you have of them and we will post them on the website.  Please tell all visitors you see to keep dogs on leads, and if anyone is interested in helping with the Sheepwatch project to contact brownsfollysheepwatch@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Sheepwatchers joined by local school children!

Children from Bathford Primary and Churchfield, the village school in Monkton Farleigh were out at Browns Folly last week exploring the nature reserve and checking on the sheep.

Schoolchildren helped the Trust to launch its latest nature journal for Brown's Folly Nature Reserve last week.

The pupils from Churchfields, the Village School, in Monkton Farleigh near Bath, were the first to use the 32-page booklet packed with fascinating facts and things to see and do. They were followed by a group from Bathford Primary School, in Bathford, near Bath.

Email schools@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk for a free copy of the Brown's Folly Nature Reserve nature journal or go to wildschools.blogspot.co.uk for further details. For information on Trust events, Wild Schools and membership go to avonwildlifetrust.org.uk.

This is Wiltshire News Article on Sheep Attacks.

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/9939968.Warning_to_dog_owners_after_new_sheep_attack/

Thank you and some pics from the Sheepwatchers

We just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has been to check on the sheep after last weeks horrific attack.  Its great to know the remaining Folly Four are being looked after by so many people.  Here's some photos from last week by our fantastic Sheepwatchers.

Sheep at Browns Folly by PC Andrew Maclachlan 15-9-12





Betsy and co. on the rocks by Julie Doherty 19-9-12



Mathilda by Anna Millar 16-9-12



The Folly Four

Here are some pictures of the remaining four sheep who seem happier in the sunshine!

They are now wandering further on to the grassland slopes and admiring the view of Bath.

Sheep Attack at Browns Folly

One of the sheep has unfortunately been attacked by a dog on Thursday 13th September.  She has suffered horrific facial injuries and has sadly had to be put down by the Vet.

 

We are asking people whenever they are free or walking the site to keep an extra special look out over the other four sheep to make sure they are safe and well, and to talk to people about the importance of keeping dogs on leads.  The police have been informed and are responding, but there were no witnesses and the owner of the dog did not report the incident.

If you have any questions or people have anything to report, good or bad, email brownsfollysheepwatch@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 0117 9177275. 

Thank you, any help is really appreciated.

Sheep Are Back!

Five Witshire horn sheep are back for the winter at Browns Folly.  The sheep arrived on Wednesday to the enjoy the slopes once more.  Two are old visitors and the other three are new to the nature reserve.

Names to follow shortly!

Thank you and goodbye from the sheep!

A big thank you to everyone for all your help over the winter, and please pass on our thanks to anyone you know who has been keeping an eye on the sheep.

The sheep have now left the site and have returned home for the summer to let the plants and flowers grow.  Its the first time Browns Folly has been successfully grazed in years so we are really pleased with how things have gone.  Six more sheep are returning in September, I hope you can continue to help us with the project in the future, and once again thank you for all your help.

Sheep on there way home!

Spring finally emerges on the slopes and the sheep are getting ready to return home after there winter retreat at Brown's Folly.  In the next few weeks the sheep will move into the holding pen and be taken off.

 The sheep are basking in the warm weather and spring plants are starting to emerge in the sunshine.

The flowers and plants will be growing soon and need the spring and summer to bloom and re-set seed, so the sheep will come off for the summer and return again in the autumn.

A big thank you to all our sheep watchers for your hardwork, we'll keep you posted on when they finally depart the slopes.

A new hiding place

The sheep have taken to the newly cleared area around the folly and the wooded area below and have added it to their list of favourite hiding places around the grassland, 

Despite the climb to the top you get a to enjoy a fantastic view across bath when you get there

More sunshine for sheepwatch

They took some finding today. I looked in every known hiding place, and finally found them right up by the Folly. Relaxing in the sun:
Ken

Chilling out

The Sheep have been taking it easy this week, taking some time out in the 

sunshine,

 And enjoying the new view.

Clearing around the folly

Last week Greenmantle were at Browns Folly opening up the area around the folly clearing away the trees to open up the view across towards bath. The sheep were keeping an eye on what was going on from a safe distance,

They have spent the whole week cutting and pilling up the wood to clear area and extend the grassland,

 The view across to bath is now much better and will look great on a clear day.

At last! Sheepwatch in the sunshine

Daisy and friends in low winter sunshine. Ken Tatem 15 Jan 2012.

Dogs in the grassland

Despite our best efforts to inform dog walkers about the sheep grazing and asking them to keep their dogs on leads unfortunately on Monday a dog chased the sheep and pinned one of them down. Thankfully the sheep are all ok and no harm was done. We have installed new, more obvious signs but if everyone could please tell all dog walkers with a dog in the grassland that they must have their dog on a lead we would be very grateful. Thanks for all of your updates and please keep us posted with any news of the sheep.   

Grassland restoration

The sheep have had a lovely, quiet christmas and new year. Below are two photos showing all the goodwork that the sheep are doing.

The bottom area of the grassland taken in August 2009 before the restoration work started.

Taken this year you can see how good the grassland is looking thanks to the help of our 4 legged friends, and our amazing volunteers that spent so long clearing the scrub ready for their arrival.