The summer vacation has begun, and this is my first timevisiting Shenzhen Bay this summer. I was filled with anticipation, hoping to make some new discoveries. In the summer at Shenzhen Bay, both the number and
variety of birds are much fewer compared to winter. This is because many bird species migrate north during the summer, and with the earlier sunrise, birdsalso begin their morning foraging activities earlier. Despite this, I still
managed to spot some common bird species. There were around twenty Great and Little Egrets, as well as Common Mynas and Brown-headed Barbets. These birds make up the majority of the bird population in Shenzhen Bay.
However, this time when I visited Shenzhen Bay, I witnessed ascene that deeply saddened me. I’ve been birdwatching here for many years, consistently visiting since the pandemic, but today’s situation was the worst
I’ve ever seen. The mudflats and shallows near the water were covered in trash, and as I walked along the coastline, I could occasionally smell a pungent odor. The only relief came from the relatively low amount of trash at the mouth of the Dasha River, which is an important foraging area for egrets.
This experience gave me a more direct view of the environmentalissues at Shenzhen Bay, especially regarding waste disposal and management. Both tourists and staff must work together to protect the birds' habitats;
otherwise, the bird population at Shenzhen Bay may continue to decline, which would also reduce the area's appeal to visitors.
