SHIJIAZHUANG  -   More than 60,000 birds have been spot­ted in a nature reserve in north China’s Hebei Province, according to local authorities. During the 2023-2024 water bird monitor­ing operations conducted recent­ly, the staff spotted 70 species of birds in the Hengshui Lake Na­tional Nature Reserve, said Zhang Yuguang with the reserve. The birds include some species under first-class national protection, such as the Baer’s pochards and great bustards, a wary species which was spotted in the reserve for the first time since 2021, said Zhang. An Chunlin, an expert with Hebei provincial forestry and grassland bureau, said that, while this winter is colder than usual, there are still more than 60,000 birds wintering in the re­serve, which provides them with a good habitat and abundant food. An added that the survey results reflect improvements in the reserve’s ecological environ­ment and its achievements in eco­logical protection.