While wandering along the scenic Yongding River in Beijing, Liu Ling's heart soared as she finally spotted the great bustards she had always dreamed of seeing. With her newly upgraded photography gear in hand, these breathtaking shots wouldn't be the last she snaps that day.

A Beijing resident and avid bird enthusiast, Liu reflected that she used to have to venture deep into suburban forests to photograph birds, but now unexpected encounters of rare species occur much closer to home.

"Rising water levels and improved ecology in the Yongding River over the past few years have made weekend walks with my family a treat, often filled with sightings of various bird species," said Liu.

Starting in late autumn, when birds begin to migrate, the river has welcomed dozens of rare bird species, including peregrine falcons and black-winged kites, igniting a birdwatching frenzy among Beijing's bird enthusiasts.

Wild birds are a barometer of a region's ecological environment. Their arrival reflects, to some extent, the improvement of the local ecological conditions.

A similar scene is also unfolding in the bird habitat enhancement demonstration area northeast of Beijing's Miyun Reservoir, where over 10,000 migratory birds have gathered in the past months.

"In recent years, the reservoir has seen enhanced biodiversity and a more stable ecosystem with its strengthened efforts in biological protection and restoration," said Wang Qun from the management office of the reservoir.

By the end of December 2023, the Miyun Reservoir had documented 235 bird species, an increase of 45 compared to 2020. Some species under first-class national protection have become regular visitors.

It has not, however, always been this way. Rapid urbanization, surging population and over-exploitation of water resources used to cause ecological degradation and land subsidence in Beijing.

"Back then, the riverbanks were just sandy or overgrown with weeds. Aside from sparrows, hardly any birds could be seen," said Guo Dongjiang, who has long worked in river management and protection.

Changes emerged at the end of 2014, when water from central China's Hubei Province began to quench Beijing's thirst thanks to the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The majority of Beijing's drinking water travels over 1,000 kilometers along the middle route from Danjiangkou Reservoir in Hubei.

Today, nearly 80 percent of water consumed in the city's urban areas has made this 15-day journey from Danjiangkou. Water flows north via canals and pipelines, crosses beneath the Yellow River, and finally arrives in the city's water treatment plants.

According to the Beijing water authority, after ensuring the sufficiency and quality of water supplies, the water diversion project channels water to key reservoirs in Beijing, including Miyun, Huairou and Daning reservoirs.

In 2023, the water ecological monitoring and health assessment report of Beijing assigned 83 percent of the main rivers, lakes and wetlands in Beijing to healthy status.

Furthermore, Beijing's latest terrestrial wildlife catalog, released by the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau, lists 519 bird species, accounting for one-third of the country's total, up around 100 from a decade ago.

"We're confident that with the ongoing increase in water diversion and ecological usage, Beijing's aquatic ecosystems will thrive with greater biodiversity," said Liu Bo with the Beijing hydrological station.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the largest of its kind in the world, has diverted more than 76.7 billion cubic meters of water to the country's northern regions through its middle and eastern routes over the past 10 years, according to a press conference Thursday. More than 185 million people in China have directly benefited from the project. 

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