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All: The seaweed-smothered harbourside beach at Hartlen Pt. was almost devoid of shorebirds, except for a Semipalmated Plover, a Semi. Sandpiper, and two BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS near the small stream, where I believe there only one had been previously reported. Back Cove was pretty dull, avant le déluge, with only a handful of the usual warblers - yellowthroats and redstarts, with one "Myrtle" as a possible migrant. The marsh was also largely smothered with kelp and beaten flat by "Bill," making for easier walking, but the cattails had not been overwhelmed, so should continue to provide good cover. Of some interest was a rich surface "bloom" of Cyanobacteria (once called blue-green "algae") on the tidal stream cutting through the marsh. The pretty cyan colour of that "bloom" was particularly striking. The stream smells strongly of H2S produced by sulphate reducing bacteria, courtesy of all that rotting seaweed. Apparently some Cyanobacteria can use H2S as a source of electrons in their photosynthesis and respire it back to sulpher in the dark. But the fact that these ones were in a surface bloom (with available oxygen) suggestions they were using the usual photosynthesis source from water. Cheers, Ian McLaren
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