BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Ren Guoxia began her riverside patrol in the suburbs of Beijing at dawn. Looking through her binoculars, she counted the black storks, among other rare birds, and quickly took notes.
Sheer love for birds propelled the 45-year-old Ren to quit selling vegetables and take to bird conservation. She has worked as a bird observer and protector for six years now in the Fangshan district located in the southwest of Beijing.
Dubbed as "the home to black storks in China," Fangshan has recorded a steady increase in the population of the endangered bird thanks to its lush green forests, clear shallow water, and abundant fish and shrimps.