"Twenty-two little swans are now feeding in the waters not far from the shore. Meanwhile, 12 mute swans and three whooper swans flew to the center of the lake, grooming their feathers and resting," said Zhong Zhenyu, a researcher at the Beijing Biodiversity Conservation Research Center.

Rare birds play on the lake of the Nanhaizi Park. [Photo/kfqgw.beijing.gov.cn]

According to Zhong, the Nanhaizi Park is now full of waterbirds. Three wild swans – the whooper swan, little swan and mute swan -- have also appeared on the surface of the lake on weekends, which is rare.

Since 2016, a small population of swans began to appear in Nanhaizi Park. 

There are 3,000 mute swans in China, making this variety a second-class national protected animal.

As the wetland and lake environment of Beijing E-Town gradually improves, more and more migratory birds choose make this place their transfer station before migrating elsewhere. 

In addition to swans, the following birds also settle down here: swan geese, bean geese, white merganser ducks, crested pochards, pintail ducks, white-eyed pochards, green-headed ducks and crested birds. 

Flocks of waterbirds swim in the water in Nanhaizi Park at sunrise. [Photo/kfqgw.beijing.gov.cn]

The first phase of Nanhaizi Park completed its ecological restoration and opened in 2010. Over the past decade, the park's wetland ecosystem has been continuously optimized. The Beijing Biodiversity Conservation Research Center has monitored more than 200 species of wild birds here.

In 2019, the world's critically endangered species of green-headed pochard and yellow-breasted bunting were monitored for the first time. Some key protected animals, such as auburn finches, cygnets and mute swans, have also shown up here.

Waterfowl in Nanhaizi Park [Photo/kfqgw.beijing.gov.cn]