Yuan Ming Yuan
The best season in Beijing is Fall. Look at the rainbow color of the Mandarin Duck. it represents happiness, luck and prosperity. I love them. There are always many pairs of Mandarin Ducks in Purple Bamboo Park every year. The numbers I saw have reached up to 30 pairs at least at the one time. People say that the park is the gathering ground for Mandarin Ducks before they fly to the south for the Winter. During my trip to China I had a couple of days to go bird watching and photographing in Yuan Ming Yuan (Ruined Palace) and Botanical Garden with my friend Betsy who is a naturalist from United States. We share the same passion for the birds and we share each other's company as well. It is so much fun to have a group who can share the identification of the birds.
A Little Grebe.
Dragonflies are often seen in the season.
Black-headed Magpie
Black-crowned Night-heron - Juvenile. Or Chinese Pond Heron?
Tree Sparrow.
Squirrel with a pine nut.
Butterfly
Wasp.
Butterfly
Humming-bird Bee
Bee
Butterfly
Mandarin Duck - Male
Mandarin Duck - Female
Mandarin Duck - Juvenile
Lotus Flower with a bee
Well, very impressive that every lotus seed is still in place.
Bees love Lotus Flower.
