Feels like a step forward

I had a lovely BBQ of sausages and bacon yesterday at 2pm chez John and Sharon Earp, looking at beautiful views, sitting in front of one of their lovely safari tents (they have a fantastic website www.osbastonhousefarm.co.uk where you'll be able to figure out exactly where I was), listening to the chickens clucking, and bordering on open fields which lead down to the Lount brook - site of a few sightings. Between there and where I was were a couple of copses, nice lake, plenty of hedges where my lovely bacony smell was wafting - you can see where I'm leading with this - and it all made sense. If it was Sky on Tuesday, there's a buffet on his doorstep, with plenty of places to skulk while he builds confidence.
OK let's look at this rationally and not get carried away.
Against the fact this is Sky:
The lady who rang would have had to look downhill at him - surely she'd have seen some evidence of a scar? Or maybe it really has covered over?
Digger, the black lab in the farm nextdoor, does wander. He doesn't have a collar (but the lady sounded less sure about collar status) and is larger than Sky, but his owner Monique would still describe him as small.
If mystery black lab is Sky and he's living wild, it does stretch the imagination that sightings are so infrequent.
On the other hand:
Digger is very friendly and Monique and Sharon both (independently) said he'd be more likely to run up and make himself at home in the tent than run away.
Monique's husband was shifting a lot of earth last Tuesday and she thinks the dogs were kept in a lot of the day.
People have only recently started staying in the tents and cooking and leaving things outside (foody things and dogs) so this is a new phase, and will last all summer.
From that POV it means loads more opportunities to come. Even if it's a lot noisier and busier there will be times (eg dusk) when Mr I Love Licking Barbecues Normally won't be able to resist, when the people quieten down. So we will have 7 sets of people doing what Tim and I couldn't have done full time.
So:
I did a poster for every tent, describing Sky physically, with 2 photos. I explained the behavioural aspects and gave enough of the story to make it interesting, and a talking point for children (I hope). John & Sharon are happy to include this in the visitors' room information.
Even if nothing comes of it, it probably helps us conclude that there isn't a Sky out there, which from the psychological POV right now, still helps us move on.
Not to put all eggs in one basket we are continuing the feeding station at Copse No.3 but have moved the bowl as the mice were getting fat and might die from a heart attack soon.
We also eagerly await the results of the CCTV footage (Monday I hope).
We are also thinking of sending an email for forwarding, to all friends, chain-style, just in case he's somewhere else and all this Green Lane business is a false lead. Apologies if you receive it and don't like that sort of thing, but with good will, it could reach many parts of the UK. We will of course include missing Jacob, whose owners Jon & Shelley are going through the same torments as us www.missingbraccojacob.blogspot.com