On Jan 6, while patrolling the Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve in Jiangxi province, a ranger was amazed to discover a group of Oriental white storks perched on tree branches near the lake.

"The primary habitat of the Oriental white stork is wetlands, with Poyang Lake serving as its main wintering ground. It is unprecedented to see them perched on trees during winter at Poyang Lake," said Wang Xiaolong, a patroller of the reserve. "In my 38 years of patrolling, this is the first time I've witnessed such an occurrence."

The Oriental white stork, a large wading bird often referred to as the "giant panda of birds", is a first-class protected species in China.

These birds have a long, thick black beak and dark red legs. The bare skin around their eyes is pink, while their body feathers are primarily pure white with a black tail. In winter, these storks typically inhabit large open lakes and marshy areas, though they aren't known to perch on trees.

More than 80 percent of the world's Oriental white storks winter at Poyang Lake, which is China's largest freshwater lake. "According to winter bird surveys conducted at Poyang Lake, the number of Oriental white storks has been increasing annually, especially since November when they have been particularly abundant," Wang added.