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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 Трав'янка чорноголова and Вівсянка звичайна in the dunes, alongside the usual common garden birds. Raptors frequent the fields inland of the dunes system including Лунь очеретяний and Боривітер звичайний.
In the winter, a sea-watch may reveal large numbers of Гагара червоношия as well as Синьга and flocks of passing Казарка чорна. You may be lucky and encounter a Сова болотяна or Лунь польовий hunting the dunes. The large Grey Seal colony here attracts gulls, and alongside the expected Мартин сріблястий and Мартин морський groups, you may be lucky and find a Мартин жовтоногий or even Мартин гренландський or Мартин полярний! Expect to see waders like Крем’яшник звичайний and Побережник білий on the beach. The rocky groynes may hold Побережник морський also. Look out for Пуночка снігова on the beach too!
Spring passage can be hit a miss in east Norfolk, but you would normally expect to see a Горихвістка чорна and a few Кам’янка звичайна to get the season going (from March onwards). Following this will be Кропив’янка чорноголова, Вівчарик-ковалик, Вівчарик весняний, Вівчарик весняний and more. In April onwards, there may be Дрізд гірський, Мухоловка строката and Горихвістка звичайна 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 Сорокопуд терновий, Очеретянка чагарникова, Синьошийка, Берестянка звичайна, Шпак рожевий and even Бджолоїдка звичайна!
Summer still offers migration opportunites, as the waders continue to move throughout July and August. There is a colony of Крячок малий on the beach some years, but view them from a respectable distance. It is not impossible to find a Крячок чорний or even a Крячок рожевий 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 Крутиголовка звичайна, Берестянка звичайна or Вівчарик зелений. A good passage of Мухоловка строката is expected, along with smaller numbers of Горихвістка звичайна. As the autumn progresses (September to November), the opportunities to find Вівчарик лісовий, Вівчарик золотомушковий, Кропив’янка рябогруда, Мухоловка мала and other seasonal delights increases, especially after easterly winds. Common migrants will also be flooding back in like Дрізд білобровий, Золотомушка жовточуба, Зяблик звичайний and Слуква лісова.
Sea-watching here is best in northerly or easterly winds, and these can bring Сула атлантична, Мартин трипалий 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 Плавунець плоскодзьобий, Качурка північна and large numbers of Мартин малий. 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.