During the Chinese New Year, heartwarming news came out of Yangzhou, China: four Oriental stork chicks had hatched in a nest atop a high-voltage tower. Even more special, one of the parents was an “old friend” rescued and released there last year.

Oriental storks are globally endangered and under China’s highest level of state protection. With a narrow breeding range and a small population, the arrival of four chicks is rare and precious. In the nest, three chicks stretched their necks out, waiting to be fed, while one dozed off with its head still in the shell. An adult stood faithfully by.

The other parent, out foraging, was familiar to local rescuers. Last June, it was treated at a local wildlife rescue station, fitted with a tracker, and released. This year, it returned with a mate to nest in the same area—a touching moment for the volunteers who had cared for it. To ensure the storks can settle safely, volunteers now patrol the transmission lines daily, checking for fallen branches and loose protective panels, watching over the birds as they raise a new generation.