Jinjiang genuine 127
The next day, when Ye Han went to receive the staff from the Wildlife Conservation Association, he found that there were quite a few people coming.
In addition to Director Yuan Honglin and two association staff members who had met before, there were also three people from the Forestry Bureau's Bird Observation Station, a group of six people came to Huajianji.
Yuan Honglin: "This is Director Cao from the Wild Bird Observatory. They are the competent department and will work with us to investigate the species and numbers of birds."
Ye Han shook hands with him: "Hello, I am Ye Han, the director of Huajianji Botanical Garden, nice to meet you."
Director Cao looked slightly surprised. He didn't expect that the young girl in front of him was the head teacher.
It is not easy to coordinate and manage such a large botanical garden, but he did not show his surprise.
Director Yuan was obviously familiar with this place. He said to the group, "Let's go and take a look at the wild swans from last year."
Everyone took a sightseeing bus to Swan Lake.
The vegetation along the way is lush and green, the tall evergreen trees on both sides are still green, and the small flowers are colorful, creating a vibrant scene.
The botanical garden covered with grass and trees is lush and green, and the air is extremely fresh, accompanied by the sweet fragrance of osmanthus, which gradually calms people's mood, as if they have entered a paradise.
Director Cao and his team had only heard of Huajianji. This was their first time here and they were attracted by the environment of the botanical garden.
What they see is ecology.
The ecological environment here is close to a pure natural state.
There were no pollutants or garbage along the way, it was clean and tidy; the trees were lush and the leaves were bright green, as if they had been washed by water.
Walking along the road, you can often hear the sounds of insects and birds on both sides, and when you look up, you can faintly see nests built on the branches.
If I didn't know this was a botanical garden, I would have thought I had entered a nature reserve.
Surprisingly well protected.
Director Cao couldn't help but glance at Ye Han.
Huajianji is very popular nowadays. A quick scroll through your friends’ circle will show you photos of the group checking in for travels. It is very famous in W City and has topped the popularity list many times.
They originally thought that with such a large number of tourists every day, the environment in the park would inevitably be affected.
I am a little concerned about the living conditions of wild birds.
However, the scenery before me was completely unexpected.
Every flower, plant and tree is carefully cared for and grows vigorously. Some trees have been carefully trimmed; there is no sign that the flowers and vegetation on the roadside have been picked or destroyed at will.
There is no garbage on the ground, even the fallen leaves have been swept away cleanly. It is a completely pristine ecological environment that has not been trampled on by humans.
And it's very, very difficult to do this.
Even in national parks, you can occasionally see dry branches, wilted plants and garbage debris scattered in the grass. These situations are unavoidable for scenic spots covering a large area.
How did Huajianji do it?
Just as I was thinking about it, the sightseeing bus arrived at the artificial lake area.
Director Cao saw the lake water that was as clear as a mirror. The visibility was so high that even from a distance of more than ten meters, he could faintly see aquatic plants such as water plants floating below.
Not far away, more than a dozen white swans fell from the sky, folded their wings and flapped the water, and then landed near the reeds.
They float on the mirror-like lake surface, their feathers are as white as snow, clean and tidy, and the feather tips on the outside of their backs are upturned, fluffy and stylish, showing their elegant posture.
Then, several of them suddenly stretched their long necks into the water, with their entire upper bodies submerged in the water, presenting an inverted posture.
Once it catches algae and water plants, it quickly floats to the surface, stretches its neck and swings its mouth to swallow them.
He even called out happily a few times along the way, and was obviously quite satisfied with the food.
They gracefully shake off the water droplets on their feathers, and then they become fluffy again, and the cycle repeats over and over again.
The whooper swan eats about one kilogram of aquatic plants every day, so it forages frequently.
Director Cao saw this scene and asked, "Is this one of the wild swan populations?"
Ye Han smiled and replied: "No, Director, this is a white swan artificially bred in our botanical garden."
"Captive breeding?" Director Cao was a little surprised as he looked at the creatures happily foraging for food in the lake.
It is no wonder that he is wrong. After many generations of breeding and domestication, most artificially bred swans have lost their ability to fly, just like pheasants can fly more than ten meters high, while chickens in farms cannot fly at all.
What's more, the swan in front of us is larger than the breeding body, has an amazing wingspan and lush feathers, and can find food on its own and does not need artificial feeding.
Aren’t these the same as wild birds, except that they don’t migrate?
This is a completely new way of raising fish and is worth learning.
The observers he brought with him started recording the number of this second-level wild protected animal.
When I heard that it was artificially bred, I was stunned for a moment and made a separate mark on the back.
They have been conducting observation and research for several years, but this is the first time they have seen domestic swans that are so energetic.
A line of egrets flew through the sky, more than a dozen of them lined up in a formation, and soon disappeared into the Metasequoia forest, leaving no trace.
As soon as they entered Huajianji, they had already seen two protected animals.
Director Cao predicted that the next investigation might bring them surprises.
When the sightseeing bus arrived at Swan Lake, a group of people got off the bus and walked to the shore for a close observation.
The number of swans in the park now doubles compared to last year.
During the breeding season in May, a total of four pairs of swans mated one after another. Together with the baby swans born in March, the group increased by 23 to a size of nearly 50.
After half a year of growth, these young swans have shed their downy feathers and have become almost as big as their parents, and are able to live independently.
It’s just that the feathers are not as full as before, and look more immature.
Seeing Ye Han coming, the swans playing in the water gathered towards the lake, paddling their feet and creating ripples on the surface of the lake.
A few juvenile black swans swam over first, stretched their necks to rub her legs and palms affectionately, and even flapped their wings to ask for a hug.
The other white swans were not to be outdone. Four or five of them flew to the shore and surrounded Ye Han.
At this time, the swans no longer had the arrogant look of ignoring other tourists when they were feeding them on the shore. They were more enthusiastic to see her than to the keeper.
Director Cao and his team looked at this friendly scene and smiled.
This is a picture of humans and animals living in harmony, which is precious.
Ye Han rubbed their beaks with the palm of his hand and stroked their fluffy feathers, but he really didn't want to hug them because they were too heavy.
Just last week, the keeper Xu Guangyin gave them a physical examination. Even the young swans weighed ten kilograms. They were gaining weight very quickly and were all plump and strong.
In just over half a year, it grew into a big goose.
After seeing this scene, several wild swans swimming nearby curiously moved towards this direction. The observer immediately took video footage and recorded it.
The number of wild swans arriving this year has also increased significantly compared to last year.
Ye Han calmed the swans down and walked along the shore with the members of the conservation association, looking for wild swans hiding in the reeds.
"There are 1, 2, 3... 11 of them sunbathing on the deck, 14 swimming around, and several small groups in the reeds. We are careful not to disturb them..."
The seven people in the group all used binoculars and tiptoed along the shore and hidden paths, keeping a certain distance from these wild birds.
Along the way, observers kept recording their locations and numbers.
Counting wild birds is not easy.
It is not so bad for large birds of prey like swans, but other smaller birds would be very difficult to find and count if they fly in large groups in the air, constantly moving in the air, or perch on branches with lush leaves or hide in tall bushes.
Therefore, the Forestry Bureau will set up several observation stations in wetlands or parks where large numbers of birds appear. They will stand at high places and use telescopes and other equipment to monitor open wetlands, and use the sampling point method and sample line method to calculate the overall number.
The data will have certain errors, and staff will need to conduct long-term observation, continuous discovery and recording to improve the types and numbers of wild birds.
Ye Han was holding a 10x binoculars in his hand. The observation with it was indeed very clear. The picture was zoomed in several times, and he could even see the mute swans combing their feathers between the reeds.
After scattered statistics by several observers and conservation associations, a conclusion was quickly reached.
Director Yuan: "Preliminary observations show that there are 26 little swans, 9 more than last year; and 21 mute swans, 6 more.
The numbers are very impressive.”
This should be the largest group of swans observed in W City as of October 30 this year.
As birds of prey, they do not live in large groups, and adult swans tend to leave on their own.
Last year, a group of 66 swans were observed in the Luanhu Wetland Ecological Reserve, the largest number in recent years.
Now, 47 wild swans have been observed in this not-so-large area of water in Huajianji!
As he said last year, it is indeed a miracle.
This shows that the ecological environment here is obviously better than other areas and is a habitat that swans love very much.
Moreover, a comparison with last year's group shows that the adult swans that were supposed to leave also came along, bringing their partners with them, further expanding the group.
This year's migration date is also half a month earlier than in previous years. In addition to the influence of climate, the environment here must also have contributed to this.
Director Cao, who came for the first time, had no idea that the number would be so large.
He looked around and realized that the area here was far from the wetland parks and reserves that often covered thousands of acres.
But looking at the state of this group of wild swans, each one has smooth and shiny feathers, broad and powerful wings. When they are happy to find food, they flap their wings, play and fight with each other, or fly back and forth between several waters. They are more comfortable than in the nature reserve.
This is an environment they have chosen.
Director Cao asked the observers to take notes: "Both the little swan and the mute swan are national second-level protected wild animals, and their numbers are rare. I hope Director Ye will pay attention to their protection.
We will submit the information after we return and provide certain support to Huajianji to ensure that they can spend the winter safely here."
Ye Han: "Okay, Director."
Leaving Swan Lake, the group headed to the Metasequoia forest.
November is coming soon. As the temperature drops, the leaves of Metasequoia are gradually turning red. Now only a small part of it will turn red. By mid-to-late November, the entire Metasequoia forest will be dyed red.
As people walked on the plank road in the forest, they could clearly feel that the number of birds here was increasing.
The clear sounds of birdsong and flapping wings echoed in the forest. The slightly reddish leaves of Metasequoia were reflected in the water, and the scenery was as beautiful as an oil painting.
Even staff who often participate in field surveys cannot help but be fascinated by this scenery.
The sound of flapping wings was heard, and Ye Han picked up the telescope to observe. It was a small group of white-crowned sparrows.
They have a small tuft of white hair on their heads, so they are also called white-headed birds.
A dozen of them landed on low branches. The feathers on their backs were yellow-green, their chests were gray-white, and they had graceful bodies. Their thin claws moved back and forth on the branches, and they stretched their heads to look at them curiously.
When it was time to take the photo, they chirped a few times and quickly flew into the bushes below.
White-crowned Bulbul is not uncommon in W City. It is omnivorous and will eat pests in agriculture and forestry. It is a beneficial bird.
Ye Han was continuing to observe when he suddenly heard a pleasant chirping sound.
The song is melodious and has a thin voice, like a little singer, and other birds respond.
The others heard it as well, and they all lowered their voices.
The melodious bird calls are becoming more and more obvious. One call can go through several turns, and the melody is so beautiful and graceful that humans are ashamed of themselves.
Everyone gradually found the source of the sound and stopped to observe when they were at a certain distance.
Ye Han searched the surroundings with a telescope and found a few chubby little birds chirping with their mouths open in a small patch of reeds near the Metasequoia.
That's them.
Ye Han locked onto the target and observed the bird carefully.
The cute little guy is about the same size as a sparrow, but smaller and looks rounder.
The most striking feature is that there are several circles of brightly colored feathers on its chest. The largest circle is bright blue, surrounded by orange-red and dark brown, like a fluffy colorful scarf.
They jump around happily in the reeds and sing. Because they are very light, they swing on the reeds in the wind, looking very lively.
So cute.
Ye Han couldn't help but smile.
However, not long after, they seemed to have discovered the arrival of a group of people and quickly hid deep in the forest.
Director Cao put down the high-powered monocular telescope and said, "It is a blue-throated robin, a national second-class protected animal. It is similar in size to a sparrow and is good at singing and imitating.
They are timid by nature, often hiding in low bushes or reeds, and will leave at the slightest sign of trouble.
This is the third time the protected animal has been spotted.
Director Cao's heart was in turmoil, but when he looked around and saw the tall Metasequoia trees on both sides and the clear lake surface, he felt that it was not unusual for this aquatic forest.
The number of Bluethroats is difficult to confirm. Four have been observed so far, but there are certainly more hiding in the reeds and grass in other areas, which requires observers to make more detailed observations along the way.
It is best to use equipment to detect from a high place, so that the field of view is wider.
Thinking of this, Director Cao already had an idea in his mind.
The group boarded the bamboo rafts, split into two, and shuttled through several rows of Metasequoia forests, one in front and one behind.
During this period, Ye Han also observed common birds such as turtledoves, brown-headed parrotbills, cormorants, etc. Each of them had shiny feathers and was larger than ordinary birds, which showed that they had good food and were not afraid of people.
As a medium-sized migratory bird, the cormorant stopped in front of the bamboo raft very rudely, as if taking advantage of the human's place to rest.
It used its pointed beak to comb its feathers, as if it saw a fish in the water. It tilted its head, stretched its neck to observe for a few seconds, and then plunged into the water suddenly, splashing a wave. Naturally, it was successful.
Being a fishing expert is not just talk.
The observer was dazed as he watched the video he had taken.
Except for ospreys domesticated by fishermen, wild cormorants generally do not approach humans and may even attack humans if they feel threatened.
Such close contact is extremely rare, and it can be said to be an extremely precious video material.
Perhaps in the eyes of wild animals, this water forest is their territory and humans have just strayed in.
Sitting in the bamboo raft, Ye Han saw several kingfishers perched on rocks and branches by the lake. They are the most beautiful birds in the world.
It is not a big one, about 16 cm long, with a pointed beak, bright and shiny feathers, beautiful emerald blue feathers on its back, and spots of the same color on its head.
The chest is fluffy yellowish brown, there is a circle of white on the throat, and the black bean eyes are very cute, beautiful and cute.
It is precisely because feathers are beautiful that they were used to add kingfisher feathers to ornaments in ancient times. This cruel craft has now been completely banned.
Kingfishers are all solitary creatures. The few that Ye Han saw were in different places, and only one pair was together. Judging from their fur color, they should be a mate.
As I was watching, a kingfisher suddenly swooped down from a branch and dived into the water, splashing a small amount of water.
In the blink of an eye, it had flown back to the branch, holding a small fish in its pointed mouth and swinging it around.
So fast!
It was the first time that Ye Han saw a kingfisher hunting. He didn’t expect that such a small bird could be so powerful.
Director Yuan introduced: "Don't underestimate the kingfisher, it is a tough guy, with extraordinary fishing skills and can see its prey clearly in the water.
Some large kingfishers can even catch mammals such as snakes, small lizards, mice, etc.”
It turned out to be a small bird of prey.
Ye Han really didn't expect this.
She continued to observe the kingfisher. Because of its pointed beak, it had to adjust the fish's head to face it in order to swallow it.
So it shook its head several times, and finally swallowed the little fish into its stomach and had a delicious meal.
However, within a few seconds, it started catching fish again.
I didn’t expect that such a small thing could eat so much.
In a short while, everyone had observed nearly twenty species of wild birds, including many national protected animals, and the variety was rich.
The most common of them is the egret.
This is simply a paradise for egrets.
Especially after leaving the plank road, you will see two or three egrets perching on the tall Metasequoia trees every few meters.
Some of them rest in the treetops, some land on rocks and stretch their necks waiting for an opportunity to move, or some fly into the woods in a group, forming a beautiful picture.
There are seven species of egrets, including the Little Egret, the Middle Egret, the Great Egret, and the Pond Heron, all of which have long legs. The first three species have pure white feathers, slender bodies, and a fairy-like aura; other species, such as the Pond Heron, are covered with gray or brown feathers, and their appearance is also very attractive.
But the most beautiful one is of course the egret with white feathers.
Seeing these egrets, people from both the conservation association and the Forestry Bureau were shocked.
There are at least hundreds of them living in the woods, and I don't know when they gathered here.
Isn’t it said that this Metasequoia forest was built less than half a year ago?
It is not yet the breeding season, but there are so many egrets living here.
Except for two or three species of migratory birds such as the yellow-billed egret, the rest of the egrets are resident birds and will not migrate, which means they will settle here for a long time.
They are all national second-class protected animals and have a limited distribution range.
Although there are hundreds of egrets staying in Luanhu Wetland, it was originally a nature reserve. I don’t know how many years of efforts it took to allow these birds to stay there with peace of mind.
However, this is a botanical garden, not a special habitat. The Metasequoia forest has only been built for less than half a year, but it has already attracted so many birds.
It's truly amazing.
It also shows that the ecology here is extremely good.
Director Cao plans to submit an application as soon as he returns, hoping to establish bird observation points in the surrounding area to facilitate ecological research and bird statistics.
With the variety and quantity here, it should be approved soon.
Recalling the birds we just observed, there are more than thirty species, totaling more than two hundred individuals, of which no less than ten are nationally protected birds, accounting for more than half of the total number.
It is already a small protected area.
When the bamboo raft entered a wider area, they were shocked to find that the actual number was far beyond their expectations.
The birdsong ahead was getting louder and louder, even a little noisy. Through the telescope, we could see various birds resting on the island, and small flocks of migratory birds were circling in the sky.
This island in the middle of the lake has become a habitat for migratory birds.
Today's bird stars: swans, white-crowned sparrows, blue-throated robins, cormorants, kingfishers, and egrets.
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