As the sky grew darker and the lights lit up in the room, Duan Qingxian wrote a work log on the rescue notebook: a white-fronted goose with an injured left wing was found, and after being brought back to the association, it was disinfected and hemostasized, and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs were used, and after 24 days, it was basically recovered, and then consolidated treatment......
Duanqing County used to be a fisherman in Xiyuan Township, Duchang County, Jiangxi Province. In response to the Yangtze River fishing ban policy, he "washed his feet and went ashore" and became a full-time "bird guard".
Poyang Lake is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in Asia, and the Duchang Lake area is the most important, densest and most core area for the distribution of migratory birds in Poyang Lake. Every year in late autumn and early winter, 700,000 migratory birds fly to Poyang Lake for wintering.
The story of Duanqing County and migratory birds began with a chance encounter. In 2010, he met an elderly man with a red armband by Poyang Lake: Cao Yizhu, president of the Xiyuan Township Little Swan Protection Association. After talking, Duan Qingxian learned about the work of a "bird guard" for the first time, "Patrolling the lake for migratory birds can not only protect birds, but also exercise the body, and I want to do it." ”
As the saying goes, basket weaving is easy to get started. Duanqing County, which had never been in contact with migratory bird protection, soon made a mistake: it did not understand the knowledge of migratory birds.
Seeing that his father was worried, the child bought a smartphone for Duan Qingxian. "The child's first sentence was 'mobile phone can display the weather, Dad checks the weather before every time he patrols the lake, safety first', and also let me use my mobile phone to take pictures of the migratory birds I see and learn about it online." Duan Qingxian said.
Duan Qing County (first from left) and Duchang County Poyang Lake Wildlife Rescue Association carry out volunteer activities
Every time he patrols the lake, Duan Qingxian uses his mobile phone to take photos of migratory birds, accumulating bird protection knowledge little by little. "In the past, I only knew that birds eat fish, but after studying, I knew that some of them ate fish, dried shrimp, lotus roots, and rice...... Every bird is different! In addition, there are many rare words in the names of migratory birds, and I rely on my mobile phone to learn little by little, so that I can write a rescue diary. Pointing to the thick stack of rescue diaries on the table, Duan Qingxian said.
In 2015, with the support of the government department, the Duchang County Poyang Lake Wildlife Rescue Association was established, with Duan Qingxian as its president, "The association is a spontaneous, non-profit non-governmental organization with the goal of protecting migratory birds and saving wild animals in the Poyang Lake wetland." Everyone wants to protect the land under their feet for future generations and let them see these beautiful creatures. Duan Qingxian said.
As the concept of migratory bird conservation is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, more and more volunteers participate in the activities of the Poyang Lake Wildlife Rescue Association in Duchang County. Today, the association has 67 members, 48 of whom are female volunteers. "In order to protect the migratory birds from complaining and not being tired, everyone regularly cleans up the garbage along the shore of Poyang Lake to create a more beautiful living environment for migratory birds." Duan Qingxian said.
With a trip to the wind and a trip to the rain, the members of the Duchang Wildlife Rescue Association have traveled to 21 towns and villages along the lake, visited 185 kilometers of lake shoreline, rescued more than 800 migratory birds, and accumulated a patrol distance of more than 10,000 kilometers.