Spit surveyor.

On the spit this morning at 9.00am.............

Looks interesting!

You have been warned!

New sign erected this evening....

Looking eastwards from the dividing posts of the Reserve.

A New Sign behind the revetment which is still falling into the sea.!

You can say that again !

In the evening the setting sun was a picture from the 'old' car park looking towards Sidlesham.

...and the moon rose above the sea

A perfect evening....and a Cuckoo was calling from the Little Lagoon bushes....magic!

Sad!

Our beach used to look like this right along to the Yacht Club.....................

...this was taken this morning with the Sea Kale now in bloom, much further along the beach to the west.

This is how 'our bit' looks now!

Alas...a bit of a mess!

The poor little tree that was completely buried last week has reappeared  as the replacement shingle has been washed away yet again!

Hey ho....here we go again!

The Emergency Team Arrives.

It's 9.15a.m. Sunday morning and the Emergency Team has arrived on the beach from Arun D.C.

They soon get to work hammering in the supports to the fence which has suffered from wind damage during the last 24 hours.

Not much fence remaining to 'play' with.

Never mind...let's have a go.

Job well done....thanks to the.....

!

Machinery lies idle under a leaden sky.

Work has ceased for the past day or so due to breakdown of one of the dump trucks.
I am told  they will spring into action tomorrow!

However some considerable progress  has been achieved and some of the beach has been reinstated....THE tree has now gone for ever ...buried alive!

The remains of THE tree can just be seen in the foreground....looking east.

Looking westwards...a metal detector 'hopeful'!

Additional shingle bags have been placed against the fourth groyne to prevent the sea getting in behind it.

The sea is a wonderful colour this afternoon!

The Pagham Beach Terns

I notice that a comment on the Save Pagham Beach Facebook recently queried the identification of a poor quality long distance photo of the returning Little Terns in the harbour.  I am sure other beach residents may be interested in correct identification of the Little Terns which have created considerable interest in relation to the controversy of the 'new' spit!

So....the three Terns that are most likely to be seen from the beach are ....

Little Tern....very small with bright yellow bill with black tip

Common Tern...larger with red bill with black tip

Sandwich Tern....largest Tern with black bill with yellow tip.

 All three terns can be readily identified by their calls as they are quite vocal when fishing along the channel and in the harbour. The Sandwich Tern does not breed in the harbour but the Common Tern tends to use Tern Island whilst the rare Little Tern shows a distinct preference for the spit!
Three other terns are seen from time to time....Arctic Tern, Black Tern and Roseate Tern but only when they passing though on their long migration routes. All three of 'our'  terns have now arrived so keep an eye (and ear) out!