A worker feeds whooper swans wintering at the Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve in Rongcheng, Shandong province, on Wednesday. [Photo by YANG ZHILI/FOR CHINA DAILY]
Bays and lakes in Rongcheng, Shandong province, are seeing more hustle and bustle than usual as thousands of whooper swans prepare for their journey to Siberia as the weather warms.
"Flapping wings, calling and flying back and forth, the whooper swans used to be quiet, but these days they've become restless," said Liu Zhibin, who has been working at the Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve for five years.
The 68-year-old and his wife patrol the reserve twice a day to take care of the swans, including checking on their numbers and whether their living conditions are damaged.
"Some whooper swans have shown signs that they are preparing to set out on their journeys, and most will start migrations in early March," he said.
Whooper swans prepare for their migration to Siberia in Rongcheng on Wednesday. [Photo by YANG ZHILI/FOR CHINA DAILY]
