The prospect of seeing up to five short-eared owls hunting, and capturing the perfect shot, has lured a bank of birdwatchers to Winterton.

Massing on the western side of the wildlife-rich dunes up to 30 enthusiasts trained their long lenses on open grassland where up to five birds were said to be swooping around on Sunday.

Chris Batty, of Rare Bird Alert, said being able to see them in such an accessible spot and being virtually guaranteed a good view would be enough to lure bird fans from miles around.

He said the birds were often seen in daylight and were a spectacular sight cruising over grassland.

The amber list species heads to the UK from Scandinavia, Russia, and Iceland during the winter and is capable of flying long distances. They rarely breed in Norfolk.

Nick Moran of the Thetford based British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) said they liked rough, open ground and marshes.

They were extremely popular with photographers having a typical owlish face and bright orange eyes, as well as a camera-friendly colouring.

Data from 2007 suggested there were only 20-40 birds in an average winter in Norfolk and that figure was likely declining.