Audubon Society creates new bird sanctuary By Nathan Smith The Daily News Published September 02, 2003 BOLIVAR — The Houston Audubon Society helped cement Galveston County's reputation as a birdwatcher’s paradise when the group completed the purchase of a 650-acre plot on Bolivar Peninsula known as Horseshoe Marsh. The deal increased the society’s bird sanctuary holdings on the island to more than 1,800 acres. The Horseshoe Marsh complex, located near the Bolivar ferry landing adjacent to the historic Bolivar lighthouse, includes salt marsh and wet coastal prairie land surrounding a shallow tidal lagoon. It is critical habitat for large numbers of shorebirds, waders and ducks including roseate spoonbills, oystercatchers, long-billed curlews, seaside sparrows and clapper rails, among others. “It’s a very productive lagoon, and it’s a nursery for fish and shrimp, which attract all the birds,” said Winnie Burkett, the society’s sanctuary manager. “We’re going to be able to do a good job ensuring it stays healthy because we’ve been able to buy so much of the land that surrounds it.” In addition to the value of the area as wildlife habitat, the Audubon society says there should be a significant contribution to the local economy by the thousands of birdwatchers from all over the world who visit the area each year. Click here for local information “When we started fund raising for this project, we got donations from local people and foundations, but also from birdwatchers from around the country, because this area is so well known for its high quality of birding,” said Burkett. “We got money from birdwatchers from pretty much all of the surrounding states.” Other than being closed to development, the land will not undergo much change, said Burkett. Local ranchers will still be allowed to graze cattle on the property just as they have for decades. “Our whole goal is simply to protect the marsh’s productivity,” said Burkett. “It works well now, and there’s not a lot we can do to make it work better