"I have guarded the 'migratory bird kingdom' for 34 years, and I have encountered many people's incomprehension along the way. Fortunately, in recent years, the concept of green ecology has gradually taken root in the hearts of the people, and the 'Two Lakes' Innovation Zone where Jiaze Town is located is still building the most beautiful lake bay city. I feel that these birds and I have ushered in a wonderful new era. Min Ho-hwan, 81, known as "Uncle Bird," has spent 34 years of enthusiasm and spending his savings to love birds and protect birds, and says he has never regretted it.
Members of the public listen with interest to Lao Min (right) tell his story of loving birds
Min Haohuan is one of the "leaders" of flower and tree planting in Jiaze Town, and his carefully built green nursery base is located in Guanzhuang Village, Jiaze Town, where in addition to the green trees, you can also see the magnificent picture of thousands of birds flying here.
Min Haohuan clearly remembers that in the spring of 1988, more than a dozen egrets flew in from the south, built nests on cedar and camphor trees at the nursery base, and began to give birth to children. "It's not surprising that our more than 40 acres of woods here are tall and dense, and surrounded by water on three sides, which is convenient for birds." Min Haohuan not only carefully cared for these egrets, but also told everyone not to disturb them. Unexpectedly, more and more birds come to inhabit here, egrets, black storks, pond herons, night herons, brown-backed shrike, blackbirds... Every spring, these migratory birds fly here from the south to breed; In late summer and early autumn, they migrate south from here for the winter.
Today, every tree at the nursery base is inhabited by a variety of birds. On the 20-meter-high metasequoia, there is a bird's nest on each branch, and even a tree has about 20 nests, layered on top of each other, which is very spectacular. According to statistics, there are more than 45 species of birds in the base, with a number of more than 100,000, forming a rare local bird-watching landscape, and the reputation of "migratory bird kingdom" has gradually spread.
The number of birds has increased, and problems have arisen. In order to protect the habitat and reproduction of birds, Min Ho-hwan has gradually stopped selling trees in nurseries since the 90s of the last century. Not only that, in order to increase the survival rate of small birds, Lao Min spends 780,000 yuan a year to buy small fish, earthworms and other feeding birds. He also spent money to build a rescue station, saving countless birds over the years. In the event of a storm, he must rush to the base to check. On one typhoon day, Lao Min braved the torrential rain to rescue the birds that fell from the trees one by one, wrapped them in cotton cloth to keep them warm, and made sure that the birds were safe before releasing them home.
For more than 30 years, Min Haohuan has invested a lot of energy and money to protect the safety of birds, and it can be said that he has been doing a "loss-making transaction". In the face of various puzzles and doubts from the outside world, his wife Qiang Sai 'e understands and supports Lao Min very well, and guards the "migratory bird kingdom" with him. Now, Lao Min's home is decorated as a heron bird exhibition hall, and the walls are plastered with pictures of herons. The gate of the nursery base is also hung with many signs such as the Heron Breeding and Ecology Research Base of Nanjing Normal University, the Science and Education Base of Changzhou and Wujin District Science and Technology Association, and the Base of Wujin District Bird Love and Bird Protection Association. The majority of teenagers and bird lovers have come here to visit, receive ecological civilization education, and feel the magical charm of nature.
Whenever he stands on the bird-watching platform and sees tens of thousands of birds flying, brooding, fighting for food, combing feathers and other life scenes, Lao Min will be deeply fascinated by this beautiful ecological picture, "All efforts are worth it!" He also continues to expand his bird protection career, from villages to towns, districts, and even to other provinces, he carries out popular science propaganda everywhere, calling on everyone to protect birds and let people live in harmony with nature. (Photo by Zhu Yaping, Jiaxuan Office/Wen Gao Min)