In the late winter, on the east and south sides of the Wild Duck Lake Wetland Nature Reserve, patches of corn, sorghum, millet, soybeans, buckwheat and other crops swing with the wind, and wintering migratory birds such as gray cranes, great bustards, iron-clawed buntings and Mongolian larks flock here to feed and roost.
This is the city's first artificial trial of grain fields in bird habitats, with a total planting area of 310 acres, which is a "canteen" for wintering birds. Recently, this reporter came here to visit and learned that since the grain fields matured this autumn, nearly ten species of great bustards and gray cranes and hundreds of key protected animals have been observed to feed in them.
On the east side of the central lake area of Wild Duck Lake, 100 acres of grain fields are surrounded by trees, allowing birds to eat freely in bad weather.
【Scene】
Create a "near-natural" ecological environment
As a transit station on the East Asia-Australasia Route, the International Bird Migration Route, the Wild Duck Lake Reserve welcomes thousands of migratory birds to transit, roost and replenish their physical strength from the end of September every year. In April this year, the Municipal Landscaping Bureau for the first time innovatively tried to plant grain fields in the Wild Duck Lake Conservation Area, that is, to selectively plant corn, sorghum, millet, soybeans, buckwheat and wait for birds' favorite crops in the east and south of the central lake area within 1 km of the central lake area, and open a "canteen" for them.
The grain field on the south side of the lake is the larger of the two, covering an area of 210 acres, and it looks like a poetic pastoral picture. At first glance, this grain field for birds is not much different from ordinary crop fields, but in fact there is a "hidden mystery": neither fruit nor straw is harvested, some "tall" crops such as corn, sorghum, and millet are lying in the ground, while some "short" ones such as soybeans and buckwheat are planted in the ground. Walking down the ridge, most of the corn husks were ripped open, exposing the crimson corn cobs, the soybeans were missing, and the pods were hanging on the branches... The wind blew and whistled, and it smelled of wilderness.
It turns out that these "leftovers" are the "masterpieces" after the birds have eaten. "The main reason why birds can attract them to feed here is because this grain field creates a 'near-natural' ecological environment." Zhu Jiangang, deputy director of the Carbon Sink Office of the Municipal Landscaping Bureau, introduced that crops are planted in the ground as they are, and manual intervention is minimized, which can preserve the natural state of farmland to the greatest extent and be closer and friendlier to birds. But not without any intervention, in order to facilitate the large birds to take off and land, stop foraging, cut down some of the taller crops.
In addition to this grain field on the south side of Wild Duck Lake, next to the woods on the east side of Wild Duck Lake, there is also a 100 acres of grain field. Unlike the unobstructed and endless south side of the grain field, this grain field is surrounded by woods and slightly "hidden", so that birds can also eat in bad weather such as windy days and snowy days.
On the south side of the central lake area of Wild Duck Lake, 210 acres of grain fields spread all the way and connect with the lake.
【Effect】
Nearly ten species of key protected animals feed from it
Artificial cultivation of grain fields in bird habitats is the first innovative attempt of the city's garden department. The relevant departments have installed infrared cameras at the fixed locations of these two grain fields to monitor the species and number of birds, and nearly ten kinds of national or key protected animals such as gray cranes, great bustards, iron-clawed buntings, bean geese, silver finches, horned larks, crested larks, and Mongolian larks have been observed to feed from them.
The little guys came to The Wild Duck Lake, there is food, drink and land to live, biodiversity is gradually enriched, and a virtuous ecological cycle is gradually established.
On December 14, an adult white-tailed harrier more than 40 centimeters long jumped into the footage of Fang Chun, chief of the Scientific Research and Monitoring Section of Wild Duck Lake, and in the photo, its two wings were raised into a V-shape, hovering at a low altitude, looking for a "target" in the grain field. "It's looking for a bird to eat." Fang Chun said that this is not the first time he has photographed birds of prey over grain fields, and the appearance of white-tailed harriers shows that the biodiversity of the woodland has reached a certain level and has formed a small food chain.
This is not difficult to understand. The white-tailed harrier is a medium-sized bird of prey, feeding on small birds, at the top of the food chain in nature, it often comes to the farmland to forage, indicating that there are many small birds here; there are more small birds, indicating that there must be a wealth of food plants and animals here, and this further proves that the wetland has opened grain fields and achieved good results.
【Extension】
Let the little animals eat well and drink well The city has been exploring
In order to help migratory birds overwinter smoothly, the Wild Duck Lake Conservation Area has been constantly explored.
Bai Hua, deputy director of the Management Office of the Wild Duck Lake Wetland Nature Reserve, said that in previous years, the reserve would sprinkle corn and other grains in the wasteland where the grain fields are now planted for wintering birds. Although it has a certain effect, but after all, it is artificial sowing, some alert birds such as gray cranes, after the first foraging, after the first foraging, found that there are traces of artificial sowing, it will fly away decisively, never to come again.
Hundreds of grey cranes inhabit the ice surface of Wild Duck Lake
This year, the first artificial planting of 310 acres of grain fields has avoided this situation well, and gray cranes have frequently visited. Bai Hua said, of course, some people also mentioned that "with the grain field, the birds are too full to eat, will they not leave?" "The reserve is also considering this issue and is currently studying it, balancing it in practice, allowing the birds to feed and not feeding it to the lazy."
Not only do there are special "canteens" for birds in the countryside, but the birds in Beijing are also blessed.
When Beijing launched the second round of afforestation of one million mu in 2018, it clearly regarded "food source" as one of the overall five principles of plant selection. The so-called "food source" is a plant that can provide nectar, fruit, seeds and other "rations" for small animals.
In the 10,000 acres of green heart of the Beijing city sub-center that was built and opened this year, more than ten kinds of "ration" plants such as oil pine, side cypress, eucalyptus, persimmon tree, chestnut tree, purple leaf plum and so on were specially planted, so that the birds can have food supply all year round.
Whether it is to try to grow grain fields or plant food plants, they all provide useful ideas for the protection of biodiversity: to create a "near-natural" living environment, so that more animals can freely inhabit and feed. A good ecosystem must be supported by biodiversity, and the stability of the ecosystem is increasing, so as to bring more ecological dividends.