The Land of Cranes — Zhenlai Momoge Wetland

After an early start and finishing my ride in Zhenlai, I still had a whole morning before heading back. After a brief rest in the county, I set off for the long-awaited Momoge Wetland. Momoge Mongolian Township is located east of Zhenlai County town, adjacent to Heiyupao Town. It is said that during the Guangxu period, Mongolian herders migrated here and settled to form a village. The Momoge Wetland is a gift from the Taoer River, a tributary of the Nenjiang River, to this land. The area boasts rich vegetation types and a wide distribution of rare birds, serving as an important "flood regulator" in the Nenjiang River basin. What truly makes Zhenlai Momoge Wetland famous nationwide is this group of ethereal white creatures — the red-crowned cranes. Like the Zhalong Wetland in Qiqihar to the north, Zhenlai Momoge Wetland is also a crucial habitat for red-crowned cranes in China. The biggest attraction here is the wild red-crowned crane flight demonstrations held once each in the morning and afternoon. Among the many crane species in Momoge Wetland, the most precious is the white stork, known as the "living fossil of birds." This area hosts the largest white stork migration group discovered in China to date. Every spring and autumn, the spectacular scenes of large flocks of red-crowned cranes migrating attract countless photography enthusiasts.