More than 50,000 water birds winter in the Chengdu Plain

On January 10, the Chengdu Bird Watching Association released the sixth round of synchronous survey data of wintering waterbirds in the Chengdu Plain. According to the data, a total of 52,736 waterbirds were recorded in this survey, and the number of individuals was more than the 34,179 in the fifth round, which was a new high in recent years. Among them, there are 20025 in Chengdu area, 5209 in Deyang area, 22134 in Mianyang area, 1001 in Meishan area, 1287 in Leshan area, and 2862 in Ya'an area.

A total of 67 species were recorded in the survey, similar to the 69 in the fifth round. Among them, Deyang and Ya'an have recorded the national second-level key protected wild animal gulls, which are the new bird species recorded by the chengdu plain wintering waterbird synchronous survey, and the 82nd species of waterbird recorded since the synchronous survey; Chengdu Jinjiang, Xinjin Minjiang, Chongzhou West River, Longquan Yiqinglong Lake, Chenghua North Lake, Qionglai Spring Water Lake and Deyang Jinghu lake and Ya'an Baizhang Lake have all recorded the world's critically endangered species and the national first-level key protected wild animal blue-headed diving duck, a total of 12, the highest in the calendar year. Black stork, Chinese autumn sand duck, spotted autumn sand duck, flower-faced duck, mandarin duck, black-necked, horned, partridge-billed sandpiper and other national first- and second-level key protected wild animals have been recorded.

Shen You, chairman of the Chengdu Bird Watching Association, introduced that from the perspective of bird species and numbers, individual survey areas showed a certain range of fluctuations, but on the whole, the situation of wintering waterbirds in the Chengdu Plain remained basically stable. Abnormal deaths of waterfowl were not observed during the investigation. Construction, fishing, wading tourism, etc. in individual cities and river sections pose a certain degree of threat to the safe wintering of water birds.

In order to further grasp the species composition, population number and distribution status of wintering waterbirds in the Chengdu Plain, the survey was conducted simultaneously in 7 cities including Chengdu, Deyang, Mianyang, Zigong, Meishan, Leshan and Ya'an on January 9, and the survey area was optimized and adjusted on the basis of the fifth round, covering major wetland types such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers and paddy fields. The Chengdu area has newly added Dong'an Lake, Quanshui Lake and other areas, and several survey points have been added according to the actual situation in the survey, and the actual survey area in Chengdu area has exceeded 30. In addition to the Fujiang River, the Mianyang area also covers a number of reservoirs, and the survey area has increased significantly.

This round of investigation was guided by Chengdu Municipal Park City Construction Administration, Chengdu Natural Protected Areas and Wildlife Conservation Center, and jointly participated by many units and associations such as Chengdu Bird Watching Association, with more than 100 participants.

The reporter hit it straight

More than 50,000 water birds were counted

At 7 o'clock on January 9, the sky was slightly bright, and at the entrance of a community in Wuhou District, Chengdu, an off-road vehicle with a trunk full of binoculars, tripods, cameras and other equipment set off. On the car sat Shen You, Zhang Yingqing, Zhang Jian and others from the Chengdu Bird Watching Association. At the same time, there were more than 100 bird watchers from Chengdu, Deyang, Mianyang, Zigong, Meishan, Leshan, Ya'an and other places.

On the same day, during the coldest season of the year and the most stable number of migratory birds, the sixth round of synchronous surveys of wintering waterbirds in the Chengdu Plain was opened. Shen You, chairman of the Chengdu Bird Watching Association, was in the team that investigated the Qionglai Spring Lake, Wenjun Lotus Pond and the Chongzhou section of the West River.

A total of 52,736 waterbirds were recorded in this survey. It's easy to count a few migratory birds, but how to count more than 50,000 water birds? The reporter followed Shen You and others to the front line. □ Wang Daiqiang, an all-media reporter of Sichuan Daily

●Survey Location: Spring Water Lake (Lake)

●Investigation method: Fixed-point investigation

How to count? First look at the species and then count the number, and the number of birds is repeatedly verified

Due to the closure of the highway, the car drove along the old road for more than two hours before reaching The Spring Water Lake. It is a newly built artificial lake, with workers installing street lights on the shore, and a large number of water birds floating on the calm surface, some sleeping and some foraging.

"This and the new Dong'an Lake are the new survey points added this year." Shen You said that since 2017, the Chengdu Bird Watching Association has launched a round of wintering waterbird surveys every year. The point has expanded from Chengdu and its surroundings to the Greater Chengdu Plain, including rivers, rivers, lakes, wetlands and other waterbird concentration areas. The species and number of recorded waterbirds showed an upward trend.

As early as half a month ago, Shen You released the recruitment notice of this round of investigation in the WeChat group of chengdu bird watching association, and through multiple rounds of consultation, the investigation point was determined. This time, the original point of the recent observation of fewer than 100 waterbirds was cancelled.

Due to the small area of the spring water lake, the fixed-point observation location was selected at the observation deck where water birds can be observed intensively. Near 10 o'clock, the fog on the lake surface gradually dissipated, and the team installed the 50-fold telescope on a tripod, adjusted the angle, and began to observe. Everyone was light-handed, afraid of disturbing the water birds.

"Green-headed duck, bone-top chicken, blue-headed diving duck..." Shen You arched his body, holding the telescope, his left eye closed, his right eye against the lens, slowly moving the telescope to observe, and pronouncing different bird names in his mouth.

Species and numbers are two key to waterbird surveys. In the first five rounds of surveys, 81 species of waterbirds were recorded, and almost every round of surveys added new ones. In order to accurately identify birds, the Bird Watching Association has organized several trainings and participated in the preparation of bird watching guides. Zhang Yingqing and Chen Lin, who have several years of experience in bird watching in the squad, can almost accurately recognize most of the water birds that pass by.

"1, 2, 3, 4..." Shen You counted while pressing the counter. There are 411 white-eyed diving ducks. As soon as the words fell, Zhang Jian immediately filled in the results on the questionnaire. Then change the number of birds and verify the results.

In addition to the high-power telescope, the team also brought a small and convenient 8x or 10x binoculars each.

By the time the birds in the lake were counted, it was already 11:05.

●Survey Point: Wenjun Lotus Pond (Paddy Field)

●Investigation method: Sample line survey

How to find? Don't go back, look for clues from the footprints of birds

Although the number of water birds observed a few months ago was several hundred, there are very few birds at this time due to changes in the water environment. When the squad came to the 10,000-acre Wenjun Lotus Pond in Guangming Village, Gaogeng Street, Qionglai City, it encountered such embarrassment.

"What about water?" Approaching the lotus pond, everyone found that the lotus pond, which was once clear and clear and full of green leaves, did not store water at this time, but the mud was exposed, the lotus leaves were dry, and many fields had been planted with vegetables. Water birds need to live in places where there is water, otherwise they will not sleep well and will find it difficult to forage.

"Let's go further." Shen You was a little unwilling, since he came, in line with the rigorous attitude towards science, even if there was only one water bird, it should be recorded.

Just as everyone walked to the end of the lotus pond boardwalk and prepared to turn around and fight back home, a black shadow flew away from the lotus pond. "Sand cone!" Shen You was overjoyed, "Let's just say that there is, this thing likes to find food in this kind of field the most." ”

The squad continued on, through the almost dry lotus pond, scrutinizing the remnants of the lotus, even looking for the footprints of the birds on the silt. 1, 2, 3... The number of sand cones is constantly refreshed.

What was even more surprising was that farther away at the end of the lotus pond, they found other water birds such as pond herons, black water chickens, and crested wheat chickens.

In order to record these findings, we opened the map software, recorded the latitude and longitude, altitude, walking trajectory, and uploaded the site map. In order to avoid duplicate statistics caused by the movement of water birds, the observation route does not go backwards.

Outside a water protection net, Shen You'an put on a telephoto lens, took videos and pictures of water birds, and then put them in the surprise WeChat group of "Willow Dark Flowers and Bright Villages".

At this time, in the WeChat group, there are already a number of bird watching enthusiasts participating in the survey who are sharing similarly. "Our group saw a blue-headed diving duck at the Wuyang Bridge." "Is this a fishing gull?" "It's a spotted goose and a bean goose, right?" ...... At the same time, everyone also uploaded photos of water birds that they were not sure about for discussion.

After nearly 1 hour of sample line investigation, a total of 48 waterbirds of 12 species were recorded at this point.

●Survey location: Chongzhou section of the West River (river section)

● Investigation method: Multi-point investigation

What's the use? Studying the activities of birds is of great significance for the conservation of biodiversity

After lunch, the squad ushered in the last point: the Chongzhou section of the West River.

Shen You introduced that the section of the river is characterized by a wide area and the distribution of water birds is scattered. To this end, multi-point observation methods are generally used to conduct surveys. The teams made observations in the middle and at each end of the river. At this point, a one-and-a-half-hour survey recorded more than 600 waterbirds.

After the observation of 3 points, the survey is not over. That night, the Chengdu Bird Watching Association checked and counted all the points in the Chengdu Plain.

Along the way, one of Shen You's views impressed the reporter: there is an essential difference between bird watching enthusiasts and bird shooting enthusiasts.

In his view, the fundamental motivation of bird watching enthusiasts is to recognize, protect and study birds, and seeing birds with professional telescopes is a kind of happiness, and they do not care too much about whether they can photograph birds.

Many bird shooting enthusiasts, often starting from the ideal picture, are more willing to invest in shooting equipment. "Some will drive, trap, or even harm birds in order to get a good picture." Shen You said, "If you only have a telescope on your body, it is mostly a pure birdwatcher; if you only have a camera on your body, it is mostly just a bird shooter; if you have both, then I am happy to make friends with him." ”

The role of water bird survey is not only to entertain the body and mind, but also to obtain more than a set of data. In recent years, Chengdu Bird Watching Association has combined bird surveys to provide suggestions for ecological protection. For example, they found that cruise ships in Chengdu's Qinglonghu Wetland Park caused disturbance to wild birds. After advice and communication, the park reduced the number and frequency of cruise ships and changed the route.

In the view of Chen Lin, a member of the squad, bird survey is an interesting activity with a low threshold, a few hundred yuan to buy a telescope, spend a few days to teach themselves to recognize birds and apply it to practice, many people can become experts, provided that they need time and interest.

The living state of water birds has an important indication function for the local ecological environment, and it is of great significance to study the activities of birds for the protection of biodiversity. According to media reports, there are nearly 50 million bird watchers in the United States every year, and nearly 70% of the population in the United Kingdom are bird watching enthusiasts, and China's bird watching groups still have a lot of room for development.

Shen You suggested that the government increase support, enterprises and industry associations and institutions to increase the research and development of bird watching equipment and equipment; continue to publicize and promote nature education and environmental education, so that more social forces can participate in bird watching activities and bird surveys, and gather strength for ecological construction and development.

Can water birds fly around accurately?

Birds of the same species, all look similar, how to avoid counting duplicates? Shen You said that this is the feeling of ordinary people. For bird watchers, the appearance of each bird varies greatly. "Feathers, limbs, colors, there are differences. These differences, magnified under the telescope, are easily recognized. Shen You said.

Water birds fly around, and in order to avoid duplication of statistics, each round will be conducted in a synchronous survey. That is, on the same day, all survey points are simultaneously observed. In addition, in order to avoid duplicate statistics caused by the movement of water birds, the observation route does not go backwards. Even so, there may be some degree of error, "which is almost inevitable." ”

Shen You said that like other bird surveys, the key is to determine the species, followed by the number. The number of waterbirds at one point is one more and one less, which will not have much impact on the results. The pictures in this edition were all taken by Liu Jun, a reporter of Sichuan Daily, except for the signature

Source: Sichuan Daily