Audubon Texas leases and manages Chester Island (70–80 acres) as a bird sanctuary in Matagorda Bay, Texas. Chester Island has the greatest species richness and diversity of local rookeries and provides nesting habitat for over 20,000 pairs of waterbirds each year. Twenty-four coastal bird species, including 10 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Texas (Black Skimmer, Gull-billed Tern, Forster’s Tern, American Oystercatcher, Reddish Egret, Snowy Egret, Brown Pelican, American White Pelican, Little Blue Heron, and Tricolored Heron) use the island. Audubon has invested in decades of management to enhance the island and protect this important bird rookery. The island recently received sediment from nearbya  dredging operation to add new sandy unvegetated habitat for ground-nesters like Black Skimmers and terns. The site will receive erosion control structures in the next five years to protect the shoreline and long-term success of the nesting birds. This talk will summarize bird trends on the island, management needs and recent restoration efforts.