The Qiantang Greater Bay Wetland Park in Hangzhou has recently welcomed a group of winter visitors — Vega gulls.
Arriving from distant tundra regions, the birds, with gray-white plumage and red-tipped beaks, were seen circling, foraging, and resting over the shallow waters, adding a hint of vitality to the winter wetland.
Classified as a nationally protected wildlife species in China, Vega gulls migrate across vast distances to China's eastern coast each year. Their presence is widely seen as a sign of the improving ecological environment of the Qiantang wetlands.
These migratory visitors bring a sense of natural wonder to the landscape, offering up a striking winter scene.