A close-up of a wood warbler. [Photo/jiaxingren.com]

Birdwatchers at Jiulong Mountain in Pinghu, a county-level city of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, made a rare discovery during this year's raptor migration season: a wood warbler, a species typically found in Europe.

Liu Jie, a birdwatcher, explained that sightings of the wood warbler are incredibly rare in China. This small bird has been continually spotted at Jiulong Mountain over the course several weeks. Experts suggest this could indicate a west-to-east bird expansion or simply a migratory route deviation.

Jiulong Mountain, Jiaxing's first provincial-level bird-watching site, is one of East China's largest raptor migration points, with up to 5,435 raptors recorded in a single day. The ongoing migration season attracts numerous birdwatchers, sometimes hundreds daily, equipped with cameras to capture the phenomenon.

Liu Lin, a birdwatcher from Shanghai, noted the presence of grey-faced buzzards and oriental honey buzzards, enhancing the bird-watching experience.

The peak of this year's raptor migration at Jiulong Mountain occurred on Oct 5 and 8, with nearly 3,000 birds counted in a single day. Jiaxing's coastline lies on the East Asia-Australasia Flyway, a crucial migration route for birds.

To protect these habitats, Jiaxing has stepped up its conservation efforts. Measures include patrols to safeguard species and innovative solutions such as Haiyan's ecological police station and Jiaxing's AI bird recognition system. Key areas like Nanbei Lake and Jiulong Mountain have strengthened volunteer organizations to ensure the protection of these migratory birds.