"To see the crane, you have to go now." At 2 p.m. on the 24th, the reporter embarked on a crane hunting journey with photographer Wu Zhilin in Lindian County, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province. "To see and photograph cranes, either in the morning when the cranes are more active, or when the cranes come out in the afternoon to feed." Wu Zhilin said.
Lindian is located in the East Asia-Australasia migratory bird migration channel, and part of the Zhalong National Nature Reserve is in Lindian. From mid-to-late March every year, a large number of rare cranes such as red-crowned cranes, white cranes, and white-naped cranes are welcomed here, most of which stay here for more than a month to rejuvenate and regain their strength. Now, it's a good time to watch cranes in Lindian.
On April 24, in Jianguo Village, Heminghu Town, Lindian County, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province, wild white-naped cranes flew in the field. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shi Feng
Driving from the prefecture, it didn't take long to arrive in Heminghu Town. Looking at the large areas of farmland and cottages on both sides of the road, the reporter wondered in his heart: How do cranes go to the fields?
Drive through farmland and pass a large meadow. Suddenly, Wu Zhilin said: "There is a group of bald cranes flying ahead. The reporter looked at the cranes flying in the shape of a "human" from a distance, gradually landing in the distant farmland.
On April 25, in Jianguo Village, Heminghu Town, Lindian County, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province, wild red-crowned cranes flew in the field. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shi Feng
"Look, there are 3 white-naped cranes over there." Following the direction pointed by Wu Zhilin, the reporter saw that in the field more than 100 meters away, three white-naped cranes were leisurely foraging for food.
In the sky, flocks of cranes appeared one after another, some landing in nearby fields, others flying into the distance. "At this time, I can probably see more than 100 cranes." Wu Zhilin said that in recent years, he felt that there were more cranes in Lindian, and "sometimes hundreds of cranes flew over, and the scene was quite spectacular."
On April 24, in Jianguo Village, Heminghu Town, Lindian County, Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province, wild bald cranes flew in the field. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shi Feng
The crane herd "prefers" Lindian and is inseparable from the local villagers' love for the cranes.
The reporter saw that the farmland of the crane belonged to the nearby Jianguo Village. Yan Chengwu, a villager, has been hired by the Zhalong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau as a ranger since 2017, responsible for daily patrolling of nearby cranes and other wildlife. "During this time, the patrol work is very busy, and where the cranes often land and whether they shoot birds are the focus of attention." Yan Chengwu said.
He took out his mobile phone and showed the reporter the white cranes he had photographed in the field two days earlier. "These cranes are always in contact with us and know we don't hurt them. When the villagers ridged in the field, they stood a few tens of meters in front of and behind them. Some fishermen stay by when they are fishing, and the fishermen will feed them small fish. ”
The cranes in the fields have become a unique landscape, and Lindian is also famous in the circle of photography enthusiasts. Wu Zhilin introduced that every migration season, there are people who come from all over the world to shoot birds, more than a dozen people can come a day, and there are people from far and far from the south, who can also feel nature and relax their mood when they come here to shoot birds.
On April 12, in Jianguo Village, Heminghu Town, Lindian County, photographers were photographing cranes in the field. (Photo courtesy of interviewee)
"When photographing wild birds, try to keep a safe distance from them so as not to disturb the bird, such as turning off the ringtone of the mobile phone, not talking to your companions, not making noises and moving a lot, and not letting the bird feel dangerous." Wu said photographers and birdwatchers try to avoid wearing brightly colored clothing, preferably camouflage or clothing close to natural colors, and enter places where birds often move and feed as early as possible.
Reporter: Jindi, Tang Tiefu, Shi Feng
Curator: Wang Li, Li Huan
Source: Xinhua News Agency