If you wander round Pagham Harbour and take the path through Yeomans Field, you may have come across some new members of our team. They are four-legged members! They are Sussex reds – a breed of cow, apparently descended directly from cattle that once roamed the forests of Southern England around the time of the Norman Conquest. Yeomans Field and Chapel Meadow are important areas for flora and fauna and in particular orchids. It is the Sussex reds job, to graze Yeomans Field as part of the management process for this area. The grazing is done each autumn for a limited number of weeks, after which the field is returned to normal use. Thanks to the local farmer who kindly allows the cattle to graze on the field, and of course the Sussex reds themselves, everyone will be able to enjoy the delightful plants and other wildlife that will return next year.
The 'red team' at Yeomans Field.
Down at Church Norton we have some more quadruped team members... these are Shetland sheep. As the name suggests, these sheep are very hardy and able to thrive outside all year round in most locations. This makes them ideal for conservation grazing and the small flock go about their business quite happily, keeping to themselves as they get on with their ‘work’. That is, with the exception of Number 27. Number 27 has attitude. The Warden and his volunteers have been completing some fence work in their field recently and Number 27 has taken a disliking to this encroachment on his patch. On several occasions Number 27 has ensured that our Warden and his team are aware of this fact. According to our Warden, as well as attitude, Number 27 also has a hard head!
The ' Shetland team' - Number 27 is in the middle - don't let his calm demeanor fool you!
If you are thinking of visiting the Earnley side of Medmerry at the moment, it is worth noting that Almodington Lane / Earnley Road is currently closed due to roadworks. This is likely to last up to five weeks. However, you can still get the Earnley car park and explore the wide open landscapes of Medmerry. Simply head to Birdham and from there take the route to Bracklesham before finally following the signs to Earnley. If in doubt, pop into our Visitor Centre at Pagham Harbour (just south of Sidlesham), where we have driving instructions to the Earnley car park, avoiding the roadworks.