Thompson
Water – Wednesday 21st January 2015
We left home just after 2.30pm. It was a pretty grey day with the temperature 2˚C. We decided to stay local today not going more than 5 miles from our home.
We began our exploration at Merton where in a very short space of time we had seen 3 Buzzards, plenty of Corvids (Rooks, Jackdaws, Crows and 1 Jay), Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons, Robins, a Meadow Pipit and a Cormorant. At the range gates in, what I think is called, Sparrows Hill, Jan heard a bird calling, which she thought was a bird of prey.
Carrying on through Thompson to Peddars Way we made our way to one of Norfolk’s great hidden gems, Thompson Water. Jan had been here before but for me it was my first time after two years of living in Watton. We have tried a few times, in the past, to find it but without success. My mobility is quite restricted and the only way I can get to places is by car and for reasons known only to them, Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s directions are quite obscure. As we were completing the final part of our journey we passed a line of Beaters on a driven Pheasant shoot and just before we got there we caught a glimpse of our fellow Wattonian and excellent birder and photographer Paul Newport, I say a glimpse because no sooner had we seen him up ahead he disappeared into the undergrowth. What are his trademarks? His black and white dog, Toby and his shorts even in the balmy 2˚C! You can read his blog here (interesting to compare our visits to Thompson Water):
Thompson Water was mostly covered by a thin layer of ice but we immediately saw the family of Mute Swans (2 adults and 3 cygnets) that Drew & Dawn had filmed on New Year’s Day but we also saw another cygnet at one end of the water and at least 2 other Mute Swans at the other end. During our stay there many Gulls, Corvids and one Skein of Geese passed over. We did hear a Water Rail calling not very far from where we were.
Scenes From Thompson Water
I’m sure this will be the first of many visits, the next task is to find the hide where there are some feeders, I just hope that it is not too far from where we parked. Other than the Swans we saw several Blackbirds and a Robin.
Micro Ferns On Branch
More Scenes From Around Thompson Water
We carried on with our journey making the bad decision to continue following the track towards Stow Bedon. The track is littered with many deep potholes and depressions so I don’t think we will go that way again. We did come across what looked like a small settlement that had two benches and two birdbaths along its perimeter fence and a standing, which we had difficulty reading.
Standing Stone - Peddars Way
Eventually getting back to a real road we came to the point of what we call the Triangle, I think we both breathed a sigh of relief.
On our way back home I caught a glimpse of two Deer in a field at Thompson. We did a rather long detour to get back to them, expecting to find that they had gone but they were still there, two Roe Deer Hinds but they quickly left after we pulled up. However, we did manage to get a small video clip of them, the light was now beginning to go and it was raining.
2 Roe Deer Hinds - Thompson
Quiz
The answer to the last question was Stoat. The only reference I can find regarding the home of a Stoat is a nest. The others were: Beavers-Lodge, Foxes-Earth, Hare-Form, Otters-Holt, Rabbits-Burrow and Squirrels-Drey.
New question next time.
Remember keep your eyes peeled and good spotting.
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