Donald and Daisey

July 3rd, 2024, Birding @ Ulungur Lake Part 1

The Ulungur Lake is located in northern Xinjiang near the Altai Mountains. It is one of China’s largest freshwater lakes, covering around 1,000 square kilometers, and supports a rich freshwater ecosystem. Over 300 bird species have been recorded.

My goal species today is the White headed Duck. I've read about it--an endangered species, suffering throughout much of its range due to loss of wetland habitat and hybridization with other species. The Ulungur Lake is the only water body in China where the duck can still be found.

I sat in the car and constantly used my binoculars to scan every pond I passed by. After travelling pond after pond, I still did not see the duck. It was already past 6 PM, and I still didn't spot the bird. I had the last sense of hope and drove to the last possible pond.

I still remember the moment I first spotted it—a small, round duck gliding across the still waters of Ulungur Lake, its head gleaming white under the sun. The white-headed duck!

Unmistakably, it has a bright white head, with a thick sky-blue bill and a chestnut-brown body shimmering under the soft sunlight. It looked a bit like Donald Duck! Every time it disappeared beneath the surface to catch fish, tiny ripples spread across the lake. After a while, it popped up again with fish in its beak. Nearby, the female duck took care of the 4 ducklings. The female, Daisey, and the ducklings had a more grayish color, with a dark stripe across their faces, elegantly swimming.

Taking Pictures of the White Headed Duck