State environmental officials have bought 52 acres of marshland next to the Mispillion Harbor Reserve and the Milford Neck State Wildlife Area on which they plan to create mudflats and shallow pools for the birds. That type of habitat has nearly disappeared due to rising sea levels and environmental degradation.
State environmental secretary Collin O'Mara says the Mispillion Harbor area is known for its vital role as a stopover for migrating shorebirds that depend on horseshoe crab eggs to help fuel their journey.
The state purchased the land for $130,000, with help from the Delmarva Ornithological Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
