Winterton Dunes

An exceptional site, an SSSI nature reserve and home to the Natterjack toad. This was where the first British record of the Southern Emerald damselfly was made in 2002, and some of the first of the Small Red-eyed damselflies were found in 2001, so a visit here is always tinged with hope for a rarity.

Directions

Winterton Village is on the B1132. There is a (pay) car park, and there may be a cafe if it hasn't fallen into the sea yet. (Erosion is a serious problem on the coast here.) Alternatively you can park at Horsey Mill, a National Trust property on the B1159 towards Sea Palling, whose car park is free to members, and walk down the dunes.

The ponds of dragonfly interest are closer to Winterton, but Horsey does have the most spectacular seal colony, and shouldn't be missed.

Tour

The first thing you'll see is the wind farm, their turbines sweeping the air. Between the turbines and the beach (home to a colony of Little Terns) are the dunes. These are home to a wide variety of plants, insects and birds.

The object of our visit is the ponds which are situated about half a mile from the car park.

These species have been recorded at this site.

Clicking on the English name will take you to the specific page

English Name	Scientific Name	Status
Banded Demoiselle	Calopteryx splendens	Rare
Emerald Damselfly	Lestes sponsa	Frequent
Southern Emerald	Lestes barbarus	Scarce Vagrant
Large Red Damselfly	Pyrrhosoma nymphula	Frequent
Common Blue Damselfly	Enallagma cyathigerum	Frequent
Azure Blue Damselfly	Coenagrion puella	Frequent
Blue-tailed Damselfly	Ischnura elegans	Frequent
Small Red-eyed Damselfly	Erythromma viridulum	Frequent
Emperor Dragonfly	Anax Imperator	Frequent
Common Hawker	Aeschna juncea	Frequent
Brown Hawker	Aeschna grandis	Frequent
Migrant Hawker	Aeschna mixta	Frequent
Norfolk Hawker	Aeschna isosceles	Rare
Hairy Dragonfly	Brachytron pratense	Frequent
Broad-bodied Chaser	Libellula depressa	Frequent
Four-spotted Chaser	Libellula quadrimaculata	Frequent
Black-tailed Skimmer	Orthetrum cancellatum	Frequent
Keeled Skimmer	Orthetrum coerulescens	Migrant
Common Darter	Sympetrum striolatum	Frequent
Ruddy Darter	Sympetrum sanguineum	Frequent
Black Darter	Sympetrum danae	Migrant
Red-veined Darter	Sympetrum fonscolombii	Scarce Vagrant
Yellow-winged Darter	Sympetrum flaveolum	Scarce Vagrant