The wings brushed the water, causing a string of splashes. In early winter in Yinchuan Yuehai National Wetland Park, thousands of red-billed gulls rise and fall close to the water. People on the shore holding cameras and mobile phones trot along with the gulls, and the sound of shutters is mixed with laughter.
On November 9, citizens took their children to watch red-billed gulls and take photos in Yuehai National Wetland Park in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Photo by China News Service reporter Li Peishan
In the past two days, many parks and wetlands in Yinchuan have welcomed red-billed gulls migrating south, and thousands of them can gather in one place on lakes such as Yuehai and Haibao. They migrate south from Siberia every September to October. Yinchuan is an important stop on the East Asia-Australasia migratory bird migration route. After stopping for supplies, they continue southward and fly to Yunnan and other places to overwinter.
There are more people coming and more birds coming too. Monitoring data from the Yinchuan Wetland Protection Center shows that 242 species of birds have been recorded in the city, nearly 50 more than 10 years ago, and more than 100,000 migratory birds pass through the country in spring and autumn every year. The most obvious change is the red-billed gull: there were only a thousand or so gulls five years ago, but now the number has increased to more than 10,000, and their activity range has also expanded from the lakeside tidal flats to the urban waters around Haibao Park and Diannong River.
Why do birds stay in the city? The answer is in water. In the past ten years, Yinchuan has "nurtured" lakes one by one - returning farmland to wetland, connecting water systems, replenishing ecological water, and restoring habitats. The originally scattered lakes have been strung together into a network. At present, the total area of Yinchuan wetlands is 53,100 hectares, with 6 national wetland parks and nearly 200 natural lakes. A total of more than 4 billion yuan has been invested to restore 12,000 hectares of wetlands and 150 kilometers of connected waterways. The water quality of more than 200 lakes and wetlands has all reached Class IV or above.
As soon as the water is ready, food will follow. The Diannong River passes through the city and connects Haibao Lake and Yuehai Lake. The small fish and shrimps in the lake become the rations of migratory birds. In addition to red-billed gulls, cygnets have been seen in the Sanshayuan section of the Diannong River for seven or eight consecutive years, and coots and herons are common in Yuehai Lake. The person in charge of the Yinchuan Wetland Protection Center said that birds are environmental indicator species. Migratory birds are willing to stay only if the environment is good, the food is sufficient, and there is a stable place to rest.
Gulls flocked to the city, bringing birdwatchers with them. Some people squatted on the shore for a long time with telephoto lenses, just waiting for the moment to spread their wings; there were also old people holding their children and counting the white spots on the water through the railing.
The migration season isn't over yet. According to the rules of previous years, these red-billed gulls will stop in Yinchuan for supplies before continuing their flight south. The white figures rising and falling on the lake made the early winter in Lake City lively. (over)
