The Lashihai Wetland sees the waters and skies merge in January. Reeds sway under the azure sky. Some waterfowls stay perched quietly and some fly up high, constituting a serene and beautiful painting of the plateau wetland. Derived from the ancient Naxi dialect, the "la" in Lashihai means a barren dam, and "shi" means new. Covering more than 6,000 hectares, the place named "new barren dam" serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds. As one of China's plateau wetlands of international importance, it welcomes tens of thousands of wading birds for the winter every year. Want to know more about this bird paradise? Watch this episode!

About 'Journeys in Nature': Lijiang Series

"Plant kingdom" and the "home of Yunnan medicines" are among the nicknames given to a famous city in southwest China's Yunnan Province – Lijiang. Not only are the numerous plant species a calling card, but the city is also well-known for its towering peaks and mysterious animals. In this series, CGTN Nature unveils the mysteries of a city full of surprises.

For more:

Lijiang Series Ep. 1: What else is there except billion-year-old fern?

Lijiang Series Ep. 2: The orchid that resembles ladies' slippers

Lijiang Series Ep. 3: Milky river on the plateau

Lijiang Series Ep. 4: A garden in the air!

Lijiang Series Ep. 5: Encounter with reclusive pheasants in primitive forest

Lijiang Series Ep. 6: Lugu lake

Lijiang Series Ep. 7: The Mountain Circling Festival

Lijiang Series Ep. 8: Dongba symbols – hieroglyphs related to nature

Lijiang Series Ep. 9: Inspired by a bird

Lijiang Series Ep. 10: The herb culture of a Yunnan ethnic group

Lijiang Series Ep. 11: What is it like in dry-hot valleys?

Lijiang Series Ep. 12: Forest of 'kings' and 'hermits'

(Cover image a video screenshot; video by the CGTN Nature film crew)

(If you have specific expertise and want to contribute, or if you have a topic of interest that you'd like to share with us, please email us at nature@cgtn.com.)