By 9 a.m., several cameras have been set up at a viewing platform at Huizhou West Lake in Guangdong, southern China, where elderly visitors from northern China bask in the morning sun and gaze toward the lake’s central bird island.

Each year from October to the following March, large flocks of migratory birds arrive to winter alongside resident species, and numbers have climbed noticeably this year, kicking off the annual birdwatching season. 

The island is alive with great egrets, little egrets, black-crowned night herons and Chinese pond herons. To minimize human disturbance, the scenic area has designated the island a protected zone, barring all visitors and boats. Original metal railings have been replaced with rope barriers, and birdwatching guidance signs are posted around the perimeter.

To sustain the lake ecosystem, the park diverts fresh water daily from the Dongjiang River for circulation and grows aquatic plants to improve water quality. Healthier waters have boosted fish and shrimp populations, providing abundant food that makes the lake an increasingly attractive winter haven for birds.