On November 16, 2020, bird watching volunteers observed white cranes in Shishi. This is the first time that Fujian Province has recorded the white crane, a national first-class protected animal and an endangered and rare bird, with images. Three or four days later, it was gone. But two months later, the figure of the white crane was found in the Shishi Wetland Park. This time, the white crane stayed for more than two months.
A crane pulls a city
On the morning of March 16, Mao Luoping, a reporter from Shishi Daily, came to Shishi Wetland Park. This is the 62nd day he has been observing the White Crane continuously. Since the White Crane was stationed in the wetland park on January 14, Mao Luoping has come every day no matter how busy he is at work. Recording the White Crane became a daily compulsory course for him.
White cranes soar in the blue sky, and in the distance is the majestic Quanzhou Bay Bridge.
White crane into Fujian, left behind or fly alone?
Mao Luoping first met the White Crane on November 17, 2020.
A day earlier, Quanzhou bird watching volunteers reported that white cranes had been found in Shishi Wetland Park.
"It is impossible, in the past, the white crane did not enter Fujian." Wu Kechao, president of the Quanzhou Bird Watching Society, is still a little unconvinced, because there are no cranes among the 551 species of birds in Fujian Province announced by the Provincial Wildlife Conservation Center. But after carefully looking at the photo, I confirmed that it was a white crane.
The next day, Mao Luoping went to look for it, and sure enough, he found the shadow of the white crane in the lotus pond in the northeast corner of the park.
The white crane is an endangered and rare bird with a global population of only about 4,000 birds, which has never been recorded in Fujian before. Photography and bird watching enthusiasts in Quanzhou and Xiamen came to hear the news, and the white crane quickly brushed the circle of friends.
On November 26, the video material of the white crane in Shishi Wetland Park was broadcast on CCTV News. CCTV News Broadcast: "In Shishi, Fujian Province, as the ecological environment continues to improve, the number of migratory birds this year has increased significantly, and for the first time, the figure of the national first-class protected animal white crane has been found. ”
Wu Kechao, who is also the chairman of the Fujian Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Committee, said that China is one of the main distribution areas of cranes, and among the 15 species of cranes in the world, There are 9 species in China, such as red-crowned cranes and gray cranes. The study found that there are three main migratory populations of white cranes in the world, namely eastern, central and western populations, and the overwintering migration routes pass through China, India and Iran. At present, the two migratory populations in the central and western parts have disappeared, and the only remaining populations are the eastern populations that fly over China.
Every summer, white cranes breed in Siberia, and in autumn they transit in Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and other places, and then 98% of white cranes will winter in Poyang Lake, Jiangxi Province, and then go north after the spring is warm.
The white crane found in Shishi this time flew thousands of kilometers, flew over thousands of mountains and rivers, and came from afar. Among the national first-class protected birds announced by the Forestry Department of Quanzhou City, there were previously only two species of black storks and yellow-bellied horned pheasants, and the addition of white cranes increased to three species.
Why do white cranes that have been wintering in Poyang Lake in previous years come to Shishi, Fujian?
Wu Kechao analyzed that the white crane has very harsh requirements for the habitat and wintering environment, and it is not easy to determine whether the white crane accidentally fell behind during migration or fled from the habitat and flew alone.
Through recent observation and analysis, Wu Kechao believes that it is more likely to find another food source, in addition to the Shishi Wetland Park, there are also flocks of white cranes wintering in the Yellow River Delta, and after staying for a month and a half, there are white cranes "a family of three" moved south to Jiaobeitan, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province. "This is related to the high water level of Poyang Lake this year, and it is also closely related to the excellent ecological environment of Shishi Wetland Park."
Wu Kechao said that the white crane is a rare bird that is mainly vegetarian. Unlike the red-crowned crane, which can be eaten snail shrimp, the white crane only feeds on grass roots, lotus roots, bitter grass roots, wild water chestnuts, etc., and the large lotus fields in Shishi Wetland Park can provide them with sufficient food. In addition, the white crane is a bird with a "very heavy family concept", and it is generally a group or a "family" action. This white crane is observed from the photo as an adult crane, and why it is acting alone is difficult to speculate.
However, three or four days after the white crane first entered Fujian, it disappeared.
In Shishi Wetland Park, citizens who search for white cranes.
Meet the white crane again, is it the same one?
The White Crane has come to Shishi again! On January 14 this year, Mao Luoping encountered the white crane again in Shishi Wetland Park, and was very surprised.
In the afternoon, he found a large bird with white feathers and black wing tips circling above the seed technology test field in the wetland park and flying northeast. Along the way, I found it standing in that familiar lotus pond.
After two months, goodbye white cranes, or the same one? Wu Kechao analyzed that through observation, it can be seen that it is an adult white crane, and it is not easy to judge whether it is the same as two months ago.
But this time the white crane flew in, unlike the last glimpse, no one expected, it stayed for more than two months. A group of Stone Lion people began a "crane chasing" journey rain or shine, they groped for the time law of its flight away and flew back, recorded its thousands of postures, and also recorded its life habits.
Mao Luoping's computer contained tens of thousands of photos and videos. "You see, I photographed it taking a bath, and I was smiling while patting my heart, but I was beautiful!" In these images taken on March 7, the white crane bathes comfortably, "sings" happily, shakes its wings triumphantly, and carefully sorts out the feathers on its tail... A white creature who loves beauty, full of fun.
Mao Luoping used a huge amount of images to freeze the moment when the white crane danced, and also recorded the details of the life of the white crane with delicate words——
"In the past 10 days, it has bathed in the warm sunshine of Quanzhou Bay, foraging and recuperating in the lotus pond in the northeast corner of the wetland park, and comfortably passing the first winter time it spent in Fujian. It sometimes walks, spreads its wings, sometimes mutters to itself; after meals, it cleans its feathers and dresses itself; it ignores the other birds that come and go around..." Early in the morning of January 23, Mao Luoping came to the lotus pond covered with morning light and quietly observed, and wrote such a text.
"Perhaps to give myself a new taste of the New Year, it transformed the lotus pond, eating, grooming, walking, resting in order, without being disturbed by the occasional Sound of Firecrackers from the distant villages." On February 12, the first day of the first lunar month of the Lunar New Year, Mao Luoping visited in the morning and afternoon, leaving a record of the Spring Festival of the White Crane in Fujian.
"Every day, people with large and small cameras always come to take pictures, and its wonderful posture appears in the circle of friends almost every day, and it is a real Internet celebrity in the eyes of bird lovers." Shishi people love the environment and love life, and the arrival of the white crane makes them feel excited and proud. They want the white crane to stay a little longer, and they hope that it will bring more partners in the coming year..."
Gradually, through news reports from Mao Luoping and his colleagues, the white crane attracted heated attention. "Is the white crane still there?" "Is the White Crane okay?" Whether in the office, on the road, or on the phone calls he received, this was the most frequently asked question for Mao Luoping.
Occasionally found that it was not in the familiar lotus pond, the circle of friends will immediately appear the sad conjecture of the departure of the white crane. But it returns again and again, allowing those who are concerned to put their hearts down again. Mao Luoping said.
The white crane's every move touched a city.
Or if it has flown north, will the white crane still come?
The Quanzhou Bird Watching Society has also recently recorded white-fronted geese and bean geese that have never visited Quanzhou. With the continuous improvement of ecology, the complete ecological chain of Quanzhou Bay has attracted thousands of migratory birds to roost.
Starting from Quanzhou, after passing through the coastal passage, it takes more than 20 minutes to reach Shishi Wetland Park.
This newly built wetland park is close to the south bank of Quanzhou Bay. Until 2019, it was a messy field. Today, the 275-hectare park is a "garden of Eden" where birds live and breed.
Different from the park seen daily, in addition to the new road and railing, the necessary greening has been done, and the vegetable field, lotus pond and rice field of Shishi Wetland Park are combined in blocks, and the square is straight, and the wetland and pastoral style are preserved to the greatest extent, and tourists wander among them, farmers work in the fields, and birds enjoy themselves leisurely.
Lin Mingfu, director of the Forestry Resources Station of the Shishi Natural Resources Bureau, told reporters that in recent years, Shishi attaches great importance to the conservation of biodiversity in the wetland park, and more and more migratory birds have spent the winter here, with more than 80 species of birds recorded.
Standing on the field by the lotus pond, looking up, the majestic Quanzhou Bay Bridge is two or three kilometers away. "There are currently more than 200 species of birds in the Quanzhou Bay area, and Shishi Wetland Park is the first choice for bird watching in Quanzhou at close range." Wu Kechao said.
On the weekend, citizen Zhuang sent Mei to see The White Crane with her daughter, who had come to see her son and daughter more than once before. The little girl carefully watched the white crane's every move through the telephoto lens of photography, asking some questions from time to time, and she wanted to write the white crane into this week's composition.
Cai Xiangshan, the branch secretary of Xiangyun Village in Xiangzhi Town, is a photography enthusiast who has always been specialized in shooting scenes, because the white crane likes to shoot birds and comes early every morning, like finding a "rich mine".
There was an endless stream of people searching for the white crane, some waiting for more than two hours and not being able to do so, lost and worried; some were lucky and happy, rushing forward and suppressing the sound. I saw the long beak of the white crane reaching into the water from time to time to feed, and then shaking its wings, bending its long neck to sort out its feathers, and three black-winged long-legged sandpipers swam past it, and there was no trouble. At this time, the ordinary bird of prey in the air is chasing and preying on the birds, the spot-billed duck and the green-winged duck in the opposite pond are walking together, and the black water chicken is standing on the field to take a nap... Accompanied by the chirping of birds, the beauty of nature can be seen from the bottom.
"I still haven't seen the white crane this morning, and it is estimated that it flew north." On the 17th, Mao Luoping, who was on a business trip, sent a message to this reporter. Earlier, a friend told him that the white crane did not return after flying away at 10:46 on the 16th.
Wu Kechao also sent a message that the white cranes of Poyang Lake had begun their journey to fly north in batches. "Will it come again?" The people who were worried about the white crane asked.
With the change of seasons and the change of cold and summer, the white crane will fly over thousands of mountains and rivers every year to find a place to live.
Guard the ecology, retain space, for the white crane that will fly north, we only wish to come and go, and come back and forth, and come back and forth.
Journalist's Note
Harmonious symbiosis of beauty and coexistence
The story of this interview with the white crane reminds me of the song "A True Story" that I often sang when I was a child, and the story of the girl who risked her life and slid into the swamp to save the red-crowned crane was touching and remembered. Over the years, the true story of human beings and white cranes has also been staged. For the white crane, the people in the city of Shishi, while maintaining their keen attention, have also achieved not disturbing, not frightening, not hurting, keeping a distance, and leaving a space for the white crane to be at ease. This is also a great kind of kindness.
The white crane's visit to Shishi may be an unexpected accident, but it is inevitable to think about it carefully. With the continuous implementation of ecological protection, Fujian's excellent ecological environment has attracted many lovely creatures.
Industry insiders who have been committed to wildlife protection for many years told reporters that ecological protection and economic and social development are not contradictory. Leaving enough space for animals and plants to flourish in development and construction, and leaving enough ecological space for natural circulation, is long-term and sustainable development.
The Shishi Wetland Park, which has preserved its original ecology, has become a precious space for birds to inhabit. One image in the interview impressed me very much: the birds of prey in the air were chasing and preying on birds, the white crane and the black-winged sandpiper were foraging for food, the spot-billed duck and the green-winged duck swam peacefully past them, and two children were quietly observing all this... Yes, nature has a food chain that eats the weak and the strong, but there are more ecological chains that live in harmony. The most ideal state of human beings and nature is to live in harmony and symbiosis, beauty and coexistence. Be kind to life and fear nature, and human beings will also receive the rich gifts of nature. (Photo courtesy of Fujian Daily reporter Wang Minxia and Mao Luoping)
Source: Fujian Daily