n 1978 the Marine Ecology Laboratory initiated an ecological study of the Pecks Cove mudflat located in Cumberland Basin at the head of the Bay of Fundy. The report (Gordon et al, 1980) summarizes the field measurements made the first year in the upper part of the intertidal zone. Preliminary analysis of the data illustrated the pronounced seasonal variability of critical environmental components and processes and the importance of making frequent observations all months of the year. One important energy flow pathway in the mudflat ecosystem is the food chain comprising the sediment microflora, the selective deposit-feeding amphipod Corophium volutator, and migratory shorebirds.