In the early summer light filtering through the reeds of the Yellow River wetland park in Dongming county of Shandong province, chirps and rustling feathers mark the season's most hopeful beginning.

The park has just welcomed its first batch of more than 50 baby egrets this year. Clad in soft, downy feathers, the chicks can be seen wobbling on unsteady legs or flapping tiny wings in eager attempts to take their first flight. Above them, parent egrets shuttle back and forth, building nests, hunting for food and standing guard over their lively offspring with meticulous care.

Sun Qi contributed to the story.

Video by Zhao Ruixue and Xue Bo.