Three months ago this slope, where we sometimes stop for a picnic, was pink with thrift and other flowers and the sounds of sea birds.   We walked through the nature reserve at Aberlady and then along the sandy beach where there is normally hardly any litter but today there were several lobster creels, buoys and large bits of wood as well as plastic bottles and balls – presumably all washed up during recent bad weather.  What was distressing on the beach was seeing 16 dead birds which must have succumbed to bird flu. With the very low spring tide today we noticed the remains of a ship which sunk in 1889 but decided not to risk investigating it as the tide was rising so might visit it in four weeks when the tide will be far out.  The two men in the distance were returning after looking at the midget submarines which are visible at low tide.