"March last year is significant to me," said Mr. Yang Bangqing, a photographer from Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in west Yunnan. In March 2019, Yang captured the Lady Amherst's pheasant by chance, a bird species under Level 2 state protection in China. Using high-definition camera, he came across the bird at the Mangshi bird-watching point.

"Since falling in love with ‘bird-hitting' (a local slang that means taking photos of wild birds), I’ve got to know something about the World Wildlife Day on March 3,” said Yang, hoping his bird photos can help raise the public awareness in eco-conservation.

Like Yang, other photographers in Dehong also became infatuated with bird-hitting', and they said it’s a great pleasure to trek through woods or rivers to take pictures of the rare birds, which they call “nature's elves”.

Since the Lady Amherst's pheasant was seen last year, we have helped the villagers to move away a sheep pen near the Mangshi point."Sheep may damage the surrounding vegetation for birds, and we’re happy to see locals also care about the wild species." Yang Bangqing said. 

In Dehong, another visual way to protect rare birds is the smart monitoring system.

In mid-February, the Dehong online monitoring system in Tongbiguan Nature Reserve recorded daily activities of hornbills by their nests, with their mating events captured by local conservationists. "Again, hornbills are falling in love near the streams.” Pai Jincheng, a ranger at the reserve, said with bliss. 

Now the Tongbiguan Nature Reserve has become the largest hornbill habitat in China, with 90 plus hornbills discovered there.
 

"Amid the Covid-19 epidemic, more people began to see wildlife as a grace from Mother, in which the sustained development of mankind is rooted,” said Yang Bangqing, who has set about planning his bird-watching trip soon after the epidemic. He added that he has been missing the cute birds and expecting a meet with them.

Reporting by Wang Huan; trans-editing by Wang Shixue