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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 cigánycsuk and Citromsármány in the dunes, alongside the usual common garden birds. Raptors frequent the fields inland of the dunes system including Barna rétihéja and vörös vércse.
In the winter, a sea-watch may reveal large numbers of Északi búvár as well as Fekete réce and flocks of passing Örvös lúd. You may be lucky and encounter a Réti fülesbagoly or Kékes rétihéja hunting the dunes. The large Grey Seal colony here attracts gulls, and alongside the expected Ezüstsirály and Dolmányos sirály groups, you may be lucky and find a Sztyeppi sirály or even Sarki sirály or Jeges sirály! Expect to see waders like kőforgató and Fenyérfutó on the beach. The rocky groynes may hold Tengeri partfutó also. Look out for Hósármány on the beach too!
Spring passage can be hit a miss in east Norfolk, but you would normally expect to see a Házi rozsdafarkú and a few Hantmadár to get the season going (from March onwards). Following this will be Barátposzáta, Csilpcsalpfüzike, fitiszfüzike, fitiszfüzike and more. In April onwards, there may be Örvös rigó, Kormos légykapó and Kerti rozsdafarkú 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 Tövisszúró gébics, Énekes nádiposzáta, Kékbegy, Kerti geze, Pásztormadár and even Gyurgyalag!
Summer still offers migration opportunites, as the waders continue to move throughout July and August. There is a colony of Kis csér on the beach some years, but view them from a respectable distance. It is not impossible to find a kormos szerkő or even a Rózsás csér 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 Nyaktekercs, Kerti geze or sárga füzike. A good passage of Kormos légykapó is expected, along with smaller numbers of Kerti rozsdafarkú. As the autumn progresses (September to November), the opportunities to find Vándorfüzike, Királyfüzike, Karvalyposzáta, Kis légykapó and other seasonal delights increases, especially after easterly winds. Common migrants will also be flooding back in like szőlőrigó, sárgafejű királyka, Erdei pinty and Erdei szalonka.
Sea-watching here is best in northerly or easterly winds, and these can bring Szula, csüllő and Fekete réce 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 laposcsőrű víztaposó, Villás viharfecske and large numbers of Kis sirály. 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.