I recently got a new camera and was very excited. Coupled with the cool weather during the May Day holiday, it was perfect for going out bird watching.
I went to the Shenzhen Bay and had a fruitful experience. There were a few scenes worth recording. First, there was the Great Egret, a common water bird. As long as there is a lake in the residential area, you can usually see them. That day, I encountered a Great Egret hunting for fish in the Shenzhen Bay, and it was quite interesting. I saw it accurately catching a fish in the water, but the fish was unusually large, too big for it to swallow in one gulp. Normally, Great Egrets catch fish by biting the middle of the fish's body with their beaks and then simply swallow it after changing the direction. But this fish was too big, even a slight movement made the fish struggle for a long time. The Great Egret tried many times to swallow the fish directly but failed. Give up the delicious meal? Impossible. I saw it forcefully throwing the fish into the water, then picking it up again, repeating this process repeatedly. It took advantage of the fish's dizziness and finally adjusted the fish's head to face its own mouth (here's a fun fact: when eating fish, having the fish's tail facing the mouth is prone to being scratched by the fish scales). The Great Egret tilted its neck and happily struggled to swallow the food, which seemed painful at first. Its neck looked so thick as if it might burst open. After struggling for about twenty seconds, it finally managed to swallow the fish.
The second scene was a Crested Jay, a nationally protected animal. I was lucky to encounter it this time. It was perched on a tree far away, appearing as a dark shadow to the naked eye. I zoomed in my camera to the maximum to get a clear view of it. Its folded wings were brown, the neck was deep blue, the head was black, and it had red eyes, very majestic. In order to capture a clear shot, I jumped into a small path and approached the bushes, but the distance was still too far, resulting in blurry images. Just when I was leaving the small forest with a little disappointment, I scanned my eyes and found that it took off for hunting. Without thinking, I lifted up my camera and started clicking the shutter. My mind went blank, and all I knew was constantly adjusting the focus and pressing the shutter button. Fortunately, I captured the posture of the Crested Jay soaring in the sky with my camera.
According to traditional Chinese medicine records, the Crested Jay has medicinal value. Its gallbladder has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, treating dysentery, promoting blood circulation, and stopping bleeding. It is precisely because of these reasons that the
Crested Jay has been hunted and its population has gradually decreased. It is now a nationally protected animal. A fortunate encounter like this is truly rare.
The third scene was an Ashy Minivet. It isa migratory bird with a black head, white ear feathers, and under its spread
wings, you can see the bright red feathers, creating a beautiful blend of three
colors. At that time, I heard a clear bird call in the bushes and went to
search for it. I discovered three little fellows hopping back and forth among
the bushes. However, the leaves were dense, so I squatted down with my camera
for ten minutes before finally seizing an opportunity to capture a photo of it
preening its feathers.
Another highlight was observing the change in feather color during the breeding season. There is a saying in the animal world, "Spring, the season of rejuvenation, and the mating season for animals." During springtime, birds' feathers become more vibrant than usual as they seek mates. The Mongolian Plover in the picture, a migratory bird, has an orange chest band during the breeding season, which is especially beautiful.
Bird photography is an entry-level activityand not too difficult, but it is still fascinating. Watching the birds gliding
over the water or soaring in the sky brings genuine joy.
