An emberiza pallasi rests in reed marshes in Qiantang district, Hangzhou. The bird is a newly-recorded species in the district that is often found in the willows and reeds in flat areas in spring. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The best time for bird watching in the wetland along the rivers in Qiantang district, Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province is in April and October every year, with thousands of migratory birds passing through and nesting in the area.

The bird biodiversity survey authorities of Qiantang district recently conducted the first spring survey of the year, recording a total of 46 species of birds in 10 orders and 28 families.

"The new species we recorded this year were all national protected birds, such as the tadorna ferruginea, the national second-class protected animal," said Zhao Dong, a staff member from the Hangzhou ecological environment bureau.

A tadorna ferruginea flutters its wings in a wetland in Qiantang district, Hangzhou. Tadorna ferruginea, a national second-class protected animal, lives in open inland grasslands, lakes farmlands, feeding on a variety of grains, insects, crustaceans, frogs, shrimp, and aquatic plants. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

A flock of anas poecilorhyncha flies through the sky in Qiantang district, Hangzhou. The birds often forage and mate in the water. They are very hygienic and can often be seen combing their feathers and taking care of each other when sleeping or resting. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]