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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 Черноголовый чекан and Обыкновенная овсянка in the dunes, alongside the usual common garden birds. Raptors frequent the fields inland of the dunes system including Болотный лунь and Пустельга обыкновенная.
In the winter, a sea-watch may reveal large numbers of Краснозобая гагара as well as Синьга and flocks of passing Чёрная казарка. You may be lucky and encounter a Болотная сова or Полевой лунь hunting the dunes. The large Grey Seal colony here attracts gulls, and alongside the expected Серебристая чайка and Морская чайка groups, you may be lucky and find a Хохотунья or even Полярная чайка or Бургомистр! Expect to see waders like Камнешарка and Песчанка on the beach. The rocky groynes may hold Морской песочник also. Look out for Пуночка on the beach too!
Spring passage can be hit a miss in east Norfolk, but you would normally expect to see a Горихвостка-чернушка and a few Каменка to get the season going (from March onwards). Following this will be Славка-черноголовка, Теньковка, Пеночка-весничка, Пеночка-весничка and more. In April onwards, there may be Белозобый дрозд, Мухоловка-пеструшка and Обыкновенная горихвостка 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 Обыкновенный жулан, Болотная камышевка, Варакушка, Зелёная пересмешка, Розовый скворец and even Золотистая щурка!
Summer still offers migration opportunites, as the waders continue to move throughout July and August. There is a colony of Малая крачка on the beach some years, but view them from a respectable distance. It is not impossible to find a Чёрная крачка or even a Розовая крачка 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 Вертишейка, Зелёная пересмешка or Зелёная пеночка. A good passage of Мухоловка-пеструшка is expected, along with smaller numbers of Обыкновенная горихвостка. As the autumn progresses (September to November), the opportunities to find Зарничка, Корольковая пеночка, Ястребиная славка, Малая мухоловка and other seasonal delights increases, especially after easterly winds. Common migrants will also be flooding back in like Белобровик, Желтоголовый королёк, Зяблик and Вальдшнеп.
Sea-watching here is best in northerly or easterly winds, and these can bring Северная олуша, Моевка and Синьга 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 Плосконосый плавунчик, Северная качурка and large numbers of Малая чайка. 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.