Rhea or deer? Trainline Downham to Cambridge. (1 Viewer)

Yesterday we went by train to Cambridge.
Outbound on the east side if the track, somewhere between Downham and Littleport was a large black tilled arable field with no crop. Something is probably sown there though I guess as its been cultivated.

In the middle this field there appeared to be 4 deer sitting down.
But they also had the appearance of a Rhea/ostrich. Laarge body, pale rump, thin neck.

Just deer I thought. We're doing 60mph but I'm spying them as I approach them, so I get a reasonable look.

Surprisingly, I also see them in the same field on the way home, also sitting down. I rarely see wild deer sitting down.

If you're travelling on the same line watch out for them!

Not the right kind of field for someone to be raising them as livestock.

Odd, that!

On the train to King's Lynn earlier this year I spotted deer in the field in the farms adjacent to the line. I didn't get a good look and I thought they might be muntjac but I subsequently discovered they were Chinese Water Deer, which seem to be pretty common in Norfolk. Could that be what you saw?

Hi
You regularly see Roe Deer sat down out in the Fens. The train from Thetford to Ely (and onto Peterborough) usually produces a few on each trip. In my experience, Chinese Water Deer are scarce in these parts (not seen one from the train).

Cheers
Dawn