More than 100 herons have just returned from southern China, and settled down on top of pine trees at Luonan County in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The neighborhood is known for its beautiful mountains and lush hillside vegetation.

This is the time of the year when herons nest and lay eggs, and the young ones will hatch from late April to May. Local villagers say the pine trees are about 20 meters tall and has a history of 800 years.

In recent years, with the improvement of the ecological environment and the enhanced awareness of wildlife protection, herons would migrate from the south every spring to live and breed here during this time. 

(Cover image via VCG, video provided by CGTN's Meng Qingsheng.)

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