Bird watcher Deng Xuefeng, 26, who discovered a habitat of the rare Baer's Pochard duck in Wuhan. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Enthusiastic bird watcher Deng Xuefeng, 26, accidentally stumbled upon a habitat of Baer's Pochard (Aythya baeri) in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province.

The spot, at the north end of Baoxie Lake in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone, is a place often referred to as Optics Valley, which has long been considered as China's answer to Silicon Valley.

Baoxie Street recently established a volunteer team to preserve the national first-class protected diving duck and its habitat, and presented Deng an award for being a pioneer youth volunteer.

"For me, bird watching has transcended the realms of a mere hobby and evolved into a lifestyle," says Deng, who works at a pharmaceutical company based in Optics Valley.

Baer's Pochard was classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2019. According to IUCN, wetland destruction and over-harvesting of both birds and eggs are the key reasons for its decline.

The migratory duck mainly breeds in northeastern China and eastern Russia, and spends winters in Central and Southeast Asia, and wetlands are their primary habitats and breeding areas.

A group of waterfowl spend winter in Fuhe River, Wuhan, Hubei province. (DENG XUEFENG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Growing up in a rural area until the age of 6, Deng had the privilege of exploring the fields and mountains with his grandfather.

Their adventures exposed him to the enchanting sight of birds and insects, sparking an enduring love for nature within him.

Upon entering university in 2015, he was attracted to an activity organized by the bird-watching association on campus.

After graduation, when he started work in Optics Valley in 2019, he was surprised to find that the surrounding area was a bird watcher's paradise, due to the local ecology.

"It's just like someone who loves coffee finding a great cafe across the street from their office. I often go to Baoxie Lake and Longquan Mountain on weekends," he says.

It was in April 2020 when he first spotted not one Baer's Pochard, but several of the rare ducks, on Baoxie Lake.

He instantly informed Yan Jun, president of the Wuhan Bird Watching Association, of his exciting discovery.

"I could hardly believe that I saw such precious ducks within the city, so I spent every weekend of the following two months tracking them," Deng says.

Baer's Pochard ducklings in a nest by Baoxie Lake, Wuhan, Hubei province. An adult Baer's Pochard on the water. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

However, he had to suspend his observation in July, when he was temporarily transferred to the company's branch office in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

In his stead, the association's other volunteers continued regularly monitoring the waterfowl.

Since 2017, the association has been investigating the habits and patterns of the Baer's Pochard and taking measures to protect the duck.

According to the association, there are 453 species of wild birds in Wuhan, and it has observed Baer's Pochard in 13 spots across the city.

In March last year, the association's volunteers found 110 Baer's Pochard ducks in a pond nearby Baoxie lake — the waterfowl were enjoying their annual breeding season.

In the following two months, Yan and other members visited the place about 40 times to do further research. Yan recalls that, before then, they only observed about 20 of the ducks at most in the lake.

Last year, the spot was identified as a habitat for the duck — the third in Wuhan. This March, they observed 219 Baer's Pochard ducks at the lake, almost double the figure of last year.

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Baer's Pochard ducklings in a nest by Baoxie Lake, Wuhan, Hubei province. An adult Baer's Pochard on the water. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Wuhan's government has taken measures in recent years to protect and manage the city's wetlands, and preserve the habitats of wildlife.

Baoxie Street authorities also attach great importance to protecting the duck's habitat, and organize activities to raise awareness in the community.

According to Yan, Baer's Pochard ducks have a high standard for its habitats, such as water quality and rich aquatic vegetation.

Its population has a trend of increasing steadily in Wuhan, demonstrating how good the local ecology is.

"The discovery of the habitat couldn't be achieved without Deng's efforts. He has great passion for bird watching and is very capable," Yan says.

"He actively participates in our investigations and preservation activities and always puts his whole heart into it."

Wuhan is located along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of the world's major bird migration routes.

According to Deng, Wuhan's abundant lakes and mountains make it a suitable place to watch birds, especially Fuhe Lake and Chenhu Lake wetlands.

Deng takes photos of other wildlife when he ventures into remote places to watch birds, such as Tsing-Ling pika and ibisbill. (DENG XUEFENG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

In winter, different species of waterfowl gather in groups at the two wetlands, where there are protective facilities and patrols.

"Joining the local bird watching association allows you to make friends with those who share the same hobby, and with whom you can exchange information," Deng says.

Deng shares that when he spots species of birds he doesn't recognize, he will ask others for help, or consult reference materials on his own.

He often learns about the birds native to any region he goes to visit, particularly about their habits and characteristics.

"It's like preparing lessons before class, and the process has improved my bird watching ability greatly," Deng says.

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Deng takes photos of other wildlife when he ventures into remote places to watch birds, such as Tsing-Ling pika and ibisbill. (DENG XUEFENG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

While Deng was studying at university in his hometown of Chongqing, his parents offered him the use of an old family car so he could go bird watching in remote areas.

Since he graduated, he has financially supported his hobby on his own.

Last year, he bought a car and upgraded his equipment from his savings. He often takes a camera, lenses, telescope and binoculars on his excursions.

Weather permitting, he will stay in the rural areas until sunset and observe the night sky as well.

"My passion for bird watching has motivated me to work hard so that, as a result, I can fund my bird watching pursuits," Deng says.