His cheering teammates soon crowded around him, and by recognizing the red label on the bird's leg that read "Y66", they confirmed the identity of the long-legged wading bird through a quick online search: a young bird born last summer in South Korea.

"This was the first time that it had been spotted in China," Li said.

He later uploaded the record to a website that allows observers to share their latest findings on birds to help complete the picture of their migration routes and information on their health conditions.

"Birds are sensitive to the natural environment, and their well-being can reflect the environmental conditions," Cheng said.

The survey data will also provide crucial references for local governments and research institutes to protect the birds and improve the environment, Cheng added.

In addition, more and more local people are joining in the efforts as their awareness of environmental protection grows.

"Several years ago, less than a dozen would volunteer for our annual survey, but the number has risen to dozens in recent years, including some from outside Hainan," she said.

Besides the Hainan Bird-Watching Society, another six investigation teams participated in an extensive survey that Hainan launches every year across its 50 waterfowl habitats.

"We hope people around the world can unite to observe and protect water birds, ensuring there will be no more hunting by humans," Cheng said.

Since the survey, Cheng has begun a tight schedule training volunteers, conducting research and promoting the importance of protecting birds to more people.

The bird watcher believes that protecting wildlife should not only be left to experts, and she hopes well-trained volunteers will become the backbone of the survey and protection efforts someday.

Xinhua