Visitors - beware of these caterpillars.

These caterpillars are from the Brown Tail Moth....but please be aware these caterpillars are well-known for their urticating hairs; they cause extreme irritation if in contact with human skin so PLEASE LEAVE ALONE! They feed in a communal web on the leaves of hawthorn  and blackthorn but at present can be found on almost anything at present, throughout Pagham Spit...there are literally thousands of them. Be careful and don't allow children to touch them...they are very tempted!

They are stripping anything and everything...and turning up everywhere...

Not even the birds will eat them or go near them except for one species...the Cuckoo.
I suspect that is why we currently have two Cuckoos calling on the spit and around the Lagoon at present. They have a plentiful supply of food!

A well fed Cuckoo...thanks to the Brown Tail Moth caterpillars.

Please take care and advise children of the danger.

Spring High Tides.

A few of the photos taken during a week of high Spring tides....

The new enclosed lagoon being filled as the sea overtops the spit.

The original harbour entrance has narrowed and the man made embankment on the Church Norton side is being eroded on a daily basis.

A closer look.

The next three shots show the waves attacking the beach between the last bungalow and the original harbour entrance.

Since Thursday at least 2/3 metres has been lost !

The scouring  of the beach can be seen in these  photos and the loss of sea kale and horned poppy
is considerable.

Neap tides return now and the beach will settle down until the next spring tides towards the end of April.