Photographer captures return of Oriental white storks in Harbin

After days of anticipation near the Binbei Bridge on the Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, Yang Wei captured the long-awaited return of migratory Oriental white storks on Thursday.

"It's miraculous that the birds returned almost as scheduled each year," said the 51-year-old photographer. "It is my springtime rendezvous with them and theirs with Harbin, worth every moment."

A total of 17 Oriental white storks were recorded dancing gracefully in the sky or wandering elegantly along the river bank.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the Oriental white stork as critically endangered, with only about 9,000 remaining.

Over the past decade, Yang has focused on photographing and conserving the ecological environment and wildlife. For five years, she has monitored, recorded, and protected wild birds in the area.

"Harbin's improving ecology in recent years has created ideal habitats for migratory birds, with rich wetlands and abundant vegetation along the Songhua River," said Xu Qing, a bird research expert from the School of Wildlife and Nature Conservation at Northeast Forestry University.

"From fewer than 10 storks a decade ago, the population has surpassed 100, with dozens gathering in Harbin during the spring and autumn migrations."

As temperatures rise in spring, Harbin is welcoming a large number of migratory birds.

The first group includes wild ducks, Chinese mergansers, and Oriental white storks, which break the silence of the melting Songhua River.