Saturday 10th October - All 3 seen

Shortly after 15:00 this afternoon, the boys were lying down in the pasture south of the northernmost main path, near ///diplomas.stem.pens, relaxing and chewing their cud. Youngster 282 was closest, so I wandered over to say hello. He was more than happy to receive plenty of strokes and rubs while he continued to rest. As I spent time with him, I noticed youngster 283 getting to his feet, having a stretch, and starting to make his way over. Meanwhile, youngster 278 had evidently done the same, but with my back turned, I hadn't noticed him approaching. He soon arrived beside me, greeting me with a series of gentle head rubs. Youngsters 278 and 283 both thoroughly enjoyed neck and chin scratches, while youngster 282 eventually got to his feet to join them, ensuring that he did not miss out on the attention.

Afterwards, all three gathered around me to relax and chew their cud. They would take turns stepping forward for long neck, shoulder, and back scratches. When not being fussed over, they would graze in the surrounding area, enjoying a mix of long grass, heather, and gorse. There was always at least one of them by my side, happy to soak up what seemed like endless attention. All three were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

By 16:10, youngster 282 had settled at my feet following a particularly relaxing back scratch, with youngster 278 soon stepping forward to take his place. He loved having the sides of his neck and the underside of his chin scratched, stretching his neck right out to make sure I did not miss a spot. By 16:30, he too had settled down to rest. Youngster 283 soon returned from grazing and was content to stand in the sunshine, chewing his cud while being fussed over. It was lovely to spend some quiet, peaceful time with the boys this afternoon.

I said my goodbyes at 17:00, leaving youngsters 278 and 282 grazing peacefully to the south, while youngster 283 set off to join them after enjoying another long back rub.

Before leaving, I went to check the trough, which was once again covered with a layer of pine needles and leaves from the tree above. After giving it a thorough clean, I made sure it was full of fresh water should the boys stop by later for a drink.

The cattle were all good today.