 In 2009 , $ 1 million of federal stimulus money was delegated to the restoration of the <unk> near the Nueces Bay Causeway to increase the population of birds and fish . The Coastal Bend Bays and <unk> Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service collaborated to place soil and plant marsh near the causeway to allow a larger nursing location for fish and provide greater quantities of food for water birds . Over 490 species of birds have been found in the area including the brown <unk> , black @-@ billed whistling duck , reddish <unk> , white @-@ faced ibis , <unk> , buff @-@ bellied <unk> , golden @-@ fronted <unk> , long @-@ billed <unk> , olive sparrow , <unk> cormorant , laughing gull , Franklin 's gull , ring @-@ billed gull , <unk> gull , gull @-@ billed <unk> , common <unk> , brown @-@ crested <unk> , hooded <unk> , peregrine falcon and <unk> <unk> . Bird populations are protected and can be viewed at the Hans and Pat <unk> Wildlife Refuge on Oso Bay . 
