"come, come to eat!" liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi called whooper swans while blowing their whistles.
every year from november to march of the following year, these whooper swans fly from siberia to rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, to spend the winter.
after retiring in 2015, the couple came to rongcheng city from qiqihar city, northeast china's heilongjiang province, to reunite with their son.
since liu loves birds from a young age, he has become a "swan guard" at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng. liu's wife often comes to help him.
in order to protect swans, rongcheng city set up two swan managerial stations in the nature reserve. liu, along with 12 other "swan guards", devotes himself to shielding the wintering paradise for the swans. everyday, liu would feed three meals for the whooper swans. whenever feeding them, liu watches the swans fly in and gather around to eat, and it feels like a family reunion dinner to him.
when patrolling the nature reserve for whooper swans, liu likes to stop the car, open the window and quietly watch the "elves" in swan lake, reluctant to see them migrate away. however, he knows that they would return next year.
liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi take care of an injured whooper swan at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/wang kai)
liu zhibin observes whooper swans with a telescope at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/wang kai)
liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi take care of an injured whooper swan at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/guo xulei)
liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi take care of an injured whooper swan at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/guo xulei)
liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi take care of an injured whooper swan at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/wang kai)
liu zhibin patrols at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/wang kai)
aerial photo taken on jan. 9, 2020 shows liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi feeding corns to whooper swans at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province. (xinhua/hou dongtao)
aerial photo taken on jan. 9, 2020 shows liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi feeding corns to whooper swans at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province. (xinhua/hou dongtao)
liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi take care of an injured whooper swan at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/wang kai)
liu zhibin looks out of the window as he patrols at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/sui xiankai)
liu zhibin and his wife zhao shuzhi feed corns to whooper swans at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/guo xulei)
liu zhibin whistles to summon whooper swans to have a meal at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/wang kai)
liu zhibin observes whooper swans with a telescope at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020.(xinhua/wang kai)
aerial photo taken on jan. 9, 2020 shows liu zhibin patrolling at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province. (xinhua/hou dongtao)
liu zhibin feeds corns to whooper swans at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/sui xiankai)
whooper swans are fed with corns at swan lake managerial station in the national nature reserve for whooper swans in rongcheng city, east china's shandong province, jan. 11, 2020. (xinhua/sui xiankai)
