China 2009: Among black-necked cranes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our goal is the small town of Weining, where we board at the Black Necked Crane Hotel. In this area, people are justly proud of a large flock of the threatened black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), which arrives every autumn from their breeding grounds in Tibet to spend the winter in the nearby Cao Hai (’Sea of Grass’), a large marsh area, covering some 60 km².

On the hotel reception counter, I notice a sign, written in English: ”Expensive anything keep”. At first sight, the meaning of this sentence is not quite obvious, but Judy explains that the Chinese text requests guest not to leave any valuables in their room, but bring them along when they go out.

Weining is a small, sleepy town, situated among the barren hills east of Cao Hai. Small yellow motor taxis zoom about in the streets, and, together with horse carts, pulled by very small horses, they are the means of local transportation. As everywhere in China, people have a very relaxed attitude towards garbage, and the streets are littered with plastic bags and paper, flying about in the wind together with the ubiquitous dust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accompanied by Li Ching, we drive along the shores of the marshland, and soon we spot the first flock of black-necked cranes, feeding in a field.

”You can go into the field”, says Li Ching. ”The cranes are used to people.”

This fact is clearly demonstrated by several men, who are angling in draining ditches near the birds, which are busy feeding, oblivious of the men. I succeed in getting very close to the cranes, which by now are somewhat alert. After a bit of trumpeting they take off, landing a moment later in a nearby field. I am somewhat subdued that I disturbed the birds too much, but Li Ching assures me that they often fly about anyway, without any obvious reason.

Several places along the marshes, we observe small flocks of feeding cranes, often accompanied by other bird species, including bar-headed goose (Anser indicus), ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), and common crane (Grus grus). Li Ching is of the opinion that c. 400 black-necked cranes spend the winter in these marshes. The species has declined in later years. Some years ago, up to 800 could be counted in the area. In the neighbouring province, Yunnan, a larger flock of cranes are wintering, and possibly some of the Cao Hai birds have moved there.

In the afternoon, we hire a boat, with a local woman to punt it into the marshes. Initially, we pass through large stands of club-rushes, among which numerous ruddy shelducks swim about, mostly in pairs. We also observe many citrine wagtails (Motacilla citreola) and moorhens (Gallinula chloropus), while great white egrets (Ardea alba) and grey herons (A. cinerea) are wading about, looking for fish.

In an open expanse of water, hundreds of ducks are gathered, mostly wigeon (Mareca penelope) and ferruginous ducks (Aythya nyroca), besides a few common pochards (A. ferina) and tufted ducks (A. fuligula).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This forest is quite young, as it is regenerating after being completely cleared. The supply of wood was exhausted, mainly due to a former common belief in this area, stating that if your kitchen fire was extinguished, a member of your family would die. This meant that an immense amount of wood was burned for absolutely no use. The forest is now protected, and collecting firewood is banned.

Many other trees and shrubs grow here, including several species of rhododendron and a species of wintergreen (Gaultheria), all of the heath family (Ericaceae), a species of Photinia or Stranvaesia, of the rose family (Rosaceae), and a species of spicebush (Lindera), of the laurel family (Lauraceae).

Bird life is scarce in this forest, but I manage to observe white-browed laughing-thrush (Pterorhinus sannio).

We continue towards the highest mountain in Guizhou, Suei Gau Fong (’highest peak’), where Li Ching shows us a huge specimen of Magnolia liliflora, whose gorgeous white flowers have a pinkish tinge.

Late afternoon is spent at an old Daoist temple, situated on a mountain named Fung Shan (’Phoenix Mountain’). This temple dates back from the 1300s, but was somewhat damaged during The Cultural Revolution, when it was utilized as a stable. Several old stone slabs with inscriptions were fired at with guns. How barbaric!

Next to the temple is a small restaurant. We eat outside, and on this cool spring day, a pot of hot noodles does a lot of good, served with fried potatoes, peanuts, spring onions, stems of heart-leaved fishwort (Houttuynia), and chili sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trees and bushes are powdered with snow, and flowers of rhododendron and the spiny Prinsepia utilis are covered in a thick layer of rime. Out in the open, an icy wind is blowing, and blankets of fog come and go. In the afternoon, sunshine manages to pierce the fog, and the rime must yield.