The elegant egret is a dazzling sight in Songjian Lake Wetland Park, which is only 17 kilometers away from Changzhou Vocational Institute of Industry Technology. They hunt in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a deadly jab of their beak.
“Three years ago, egrets around Songjian Lake were few and far between, but now those who are walking on the lakeside pavement or trail can enjoy watching groups of egrets’ winging their way at ease over the lake water or gracefully wading through the wetland," said Mr. Liu, who was exercising by the Songjian Lake. After nearly three years of reproduction, the guests have been willing to settle down and the number has increased to several hundred.
Local residents have witnessed the growth of egret populations, while the egrets that thrive here have also benefited from the ecological improvement of Songjian Lake. After three rounds of restoration, the vegetative cover of Songjian Lake has increased by 1.2 million square meters, and restored water area has reached more than 460, 000 square meters. There are more than 500 species of animals and plants, 3 new wetland bird colonies, 5 species of egrets, 3 species of ducks, and a number of cuckoos, orioles, and finches, attracting many bird lovers to shoot and watch.
“Previously, I might not have been able to capture a white egret after a few hours of crouching. Now it's too easy to take a picture. There it is! Let me zoom it … Look, there's another beautiful one.” As for Chen Minghua, the "bird photography expert" in Yaoguan Town, bird photography is not only a hobby but also a way to promote ecological protection. “Whether the birds taken are rare or not, and whether the photos are breathtaking or not, they are all the most beautiful gifts of nature.”
Chang Jingxuan and Guo Jingyu contributed to the story.
（Picture source: by Jiang Yuanzai）
