Normally there are sounds of hundreds of geese, especially pink footed geese as they fly into Aberlady Bay in autumn, either on their way from Arctic regions to spend the winter further south or to graze locally.  This morning there were sounds of dozens of greylag geese and many of them were on Marl Loch which is very close to the bay and while there are often a few geese grazing in the summer we had never seen them on the loch which is the habitat of freshwater birds.  In spring and early summer we hear many species of birds but today apart from the geese, most birds were quiet.   We saw several birds including a large bird of prey flying over, a little egret by the river, two herons (one fishing by the loch and another at the sea) wagtails and others that I am unable to identify.  White splashes in the grey sea indicated the rapid entries into the water as innumerable gannets dived down for fish. Unfortunately the butterflies and dragon flies must have been sheltering from the strong wind.