On Friday, before breakfast, I finally gave in to Clara's silent pleading to go back to the flock, and walked Team Zac up to the place I thought the flock would be. They weren't. But Zac valiantly followed me up there, with Clara, Robert and Johannes in tow (green line on map below). Perhaps half an hour later, I had to go back to the Highway Reserve, for reasons totally unconnected with sheep.
Imagine my surprise at finding Team Zac the best part of a kilometre from the spot I'd left them (see red line). The flock were tucked away in a lovely spot that I talked myself out of looking in on the way up in the first instance. So then I got to hike back with Team Zac--no dogs involved in any of this, by the way--to join up with the flock (blue line), and then hike back home. Breakfast was late brunch at 11:30.
Sheep aren't obviously demonstrative in their affection for each other, or even for their human friends. But I could tell that Clara was delighted to be back with her buddies--they nosed at each other, and rubbed heads and generally showed their pleasure in being back together. In sheep time, I reckon the 12 weeks they've been away from each other seemed very long indeed.
Looking longingly up the hill--Clara is hiding Zac--you can just see his left ear. Johannes is having a chew on my pack, which I had to rescue.
At the yards, where I left them about 9 am.
Back with the flock. Zac is following me to the gate, Clara is just behind him, Elf is peeking out two sheep back from Clara, on the right.
I'm going up every morning to give Zac his bottle--which means first finding the flock! Yesterday, I took them into the southern part of the highway reserve. Zac pretty much stayed glued to me all day, much to the dogs' disgust! But he is already learning that the flock is his new family--maybe just an extension of Team Zac from 4 woolies to 555.
During our break, Zac had the effrontery to drink from the dogs' water bowl and try to cozy up, first, to Jane, then Chance. Chance is doing his "I don't see you, therefore you don't exist" thing.