Jilin, May 5 (Zhongxin Net) -- During the small manchu season, the breeze on Songhua Lake is gentle, cool and comfortable, and a large number of herons have flown to nest nearby to "settle down."
Songhua Lake is located on the Songhua River in Jilin City, Jilin Province. In spring and summer, the Songhua Lake basin is home to a large number of herons migrating from the south. At present, more than 3000,<> people live here.
Tang Jingwen, executive director of the Jilin Wildlife Protection Association, said that the water ecology in Jilin continues to improve, and the number of herons is increasing restoratively. "The habitat is rarely disturbed by human activities and the fish in the water are abundant, which provides favorable conditions for hatching and raising young birds."
Jilin is a source province with five major water systems: Songhua River, Yalu River, Tumen River, Liao River and Suifen River, and is known as the "water tower" in Northeast China, with a dense water network and continuous water veins.
Zhong Yunlong, a villager living in Xinxing Village, Changshan Town, Huadian City, Jilin Province, often sees herons flying in front of his compound.
Jilin City has formed a trend of heron flocks settling down Photo by Zhang Chaoxin
Zhong Yunlong's home is only about 5 kilometers from the heron habitat, an unnamed island on the southern shore of Songhua Lake. Because of the frequent visits of herons, the area is called "Heron Island".
As a large waterside bird, the heron feeds on small fish and shrimp, and prefers to feed in shallow waters or ponds near the water. Herons are "very picky" about their surroundings, and Songhua Lake is rich in fish, shellfish and plankton, which are the main reasons why they choose to "home" here.
Tang Jingwen introduced that herons begin to return north at the end of March every year, and as the weather warms, May ushers in the peak breeding period. "They like to live in groups, hunt and raise their young, so we can see that many 'Heron Islands' have formed in Jilin in recent years."
Another heron gathering place is located in the Hua Linwan Provincial Forest Park of Ludao in the southeast of Shulan City, in the remnants of the Changbai Mountains in Zhangguangcailing. On the lush branches, large numbers of herons nest and lay eggs.
Recently, the Jilin Provincial Wildlife Protection Organization has also carried out a "heron hunt" tour. Tang Jingwen said that in addition to "Heron Island", herons have arrived in many reservoirs in Jilin to nest, and a heron herd has been "settled". (End)