Stretching into the distance




      One of my favourite views of the local fen, that long dyke running up to the little cottage in the distance. Eventually the dyke carries the water to the Middle Level Main Drain and, deceptively, that cottage is just over a quarter of a mile away.
      Without the growth of Norfolk Reed at each side the surface is about eight feet wide and the depth between three and four feet. Every spring a pair of mallard rear two families of young and the farmer leaves the reed to give the ducklings a safe refuge and to keep the carrion crows at bay. The heron is often down there too, he or she will be fishing for small roach, rudd or perch and shortly the farmer and I will lift the water level by twelve to eighteen inches by inserting a couple more large hardwood planks in the dam which is about half a mile away to the right of the cottage.
      Meanwhile Lucie photobombs the picture by hunting the headland and dyke-side.



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