Spring comes to Stork Island
I realized that the beauty of Stork Island lies not only in the wild scenery but also in the peace and connection between people and nature.
Although this is the second time I have visited Stork Island, each time I come here I have my own feelings.
The first time I came here was in late autumn 2 years ago, with my teacher and classmates. It was cold then, the flock of storks was sparse.
This time I came to Stork Island in spring. The warm weather is also the time when the flocks of storks gather here the most in the year.
When my family arrived at Stork Island, the sun was starting to set in the west, casting its golden, gentle, warm rays onto the calm lake. The late afternoon sunlight shone down on the lake, sparkling like gold. It was rare to have such a beautiful sunny spring afternoon because the previous few days had been wet and drizzly.
That day, the whole family sat on a small boat, gently cutting through the water to enter the island. On both banks, rows of green trees reflected on the calm water, creating a truly poetic scene.
While on the boat, the boatman told us unique stories about Stork Island, about the special living habits of the storks and herons here. The most interesting story was the story of An Duong Lake that never dries up. Many people have tried to drain the lake but failed. There used to be fish as big as several dozen kilos here. The stories about storks and An Duong Lake captivated us all the way as the boatman took our whole family deep into the island, where the storks and herons have lived for many years.
When the sunset was only shimmering on the tree branches, flocks of white storks returned from a hard day of foraging in the sky. The storks' wings swayed in the afternoon sky, creating a beautiful natural picture. The sound of their wings flapping together with the cries of the herons resounded throughout the sky. I felt like I was lost in the world of birds. Storks flew overhead while flocks of herons fluttered from the islands to start foraging for food at night.
While rowing, the boatman told me that Stork Island has tens of thousands of birds living there, including many rare species such as red storks, grey herons, and herons... I listened attentively, imagining the long journeys of migratory birds coming here to nest, and felt more love for my homeland.
The boat docked, and my parents and I walked around the island. The rows of trees covered the island, the treetops embracing and protecting the chirping baby birds. In the distance, a few storks stood silently on high branches, like "gatekeepers" for the entire island. I enjoyed watching their every little movement, feeling the breath of nature so strangely close.
After a pleasant walk, my family and I found a quiet corner to sit and watch the sunset. The spring breeze blew coolly from the lake, carrying the scent of water and grass. I took a bite of crispy rice paper grilled over charcoal by the people of Chi Lang Nam. Here, people sell many local products such as rice paper, gai cake, peanut candy, corn, roasted sweet potatoes...
The trip ended when the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the trees. Stork Island was plunged into darkness, leaving only the sound of herons calling each other in the quiet space. I realized that the beauty of Stork Island lies not only in the wild natural scenery but also in the peace and connection between people and nature.
On the way back, I kept looking up at the twilight sky where flocks of storks were still returning late from foraging. They were returning home, to the peaceful Chi Lang Nam stork island.