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Description
Winterton Dunes is an extensive coastal acidic heathland featuring a variety of scrubs and trees spread throughout. For birders, the site is a fantastic place to find rare and scarce migrant birds, as well as enjoy some of the spectacular wildlife of the east Norfolk coast. It can be hard work at times, but persistance pays off at this site. Throughout the year, you could find European Stonechat and Yellowhammer in the dunes, alongside the usual common garden birds. Raptors frequent the fields inland of the dunes system including Western Marsh Harrier and Eurasian Kestrel.
In the winter, a sea-watch may reveal large numbers of Red-throated Diver as well as Common Scoter and flocks of passing Brent Goose. You may be lucky and encounter a Short-eared Owl or Hen Harrier hunting the dunes. The large Grey Seal colony here attracts gulls, and alongside the expected European Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull groups, you may be lucky and find a Caspian Gull or even Iceland Gull or Glaucous Gull! Expect to see waders like Ruddy Turnstone and Sanderling on the beach. The rocky groynes may hold Purple Sandpiper also. Look out for Snow Bunting on the beach too!
Spring passage can be hit a miss in east Norfolk, but you would normally expect to see a Black Redstart and a few Northern Wheatear to get the season going (from March onwards). Following this will be Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Willow Warbler and more. In April onwards, there may be Ring Ouzel, Pied Flycatcher and Common Redstart to be found. Following a good spell of easterly winds, you may be on for something rarer. Typcial spring scarcities (typcially May and June) might include Red-backed Shrike, Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat, Icterine Warbler, Rosy Starling and even European Bee-eater!
Summer still offers migration opportunites, as the waders continue to move throughout July and August. There is a colony of Little Tern on the beach some years, but view them from a respectable distance. It is not impossible to find a Black Tern or even a Roseate Tern in the colony if you scan the colony carefully.
Autumn passage can be excellent here, and in the early part of the season (August to September), you might be lucky and find the likes of Eurasian Wryneck, Icterine Warbler or Greenish Warbler. A good passage of Pied Flycatcher is expected, along with smaller numbers of Common Redstart. As the autumn progresses (September to November), the opportunities to find Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Barred Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and other seasonal delights increases, especially after easterly winds. Common migrants will also be flooding back in like Redwing, Goldcrest, Common Chaffinch and Eurasian Woodcock.
Sea-watching here is best in northerly or easterly winds, and these can bring Northern Gannet, Kittiwake and Common Scoter closer in shore. An experienced sea-watcher may be able to find divers, grebes, auks and up to four species of Skua! Stormy conditions in late autumn can bring Red Phalarope, Leach's Storm Petrel and large numbers of Little Gull. You never know what you might see, so always worth bringing a scope.
Details
Access
Park in the beach car park at Winterton Village, and you can easily explore the dunes from here.
Terrain and Habitat
Sea , Dunes , Scattered trees and bushes , Moors/heathlandConditions
Flat , Dry , Open landscape , DustyCircular trail
YesIs a telescope useful?
Can be usefulGood birding season
All year roundBest time to visit
Spring migration , Autumn migrationRoute
Wide pathDifficulty walking trail
Average walkAccessible by
FootBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
This site is a popular dog walking area, and also experiences high numbers of beach-goers in the summer. You can get away from the crowds by heading further away from the village itself.