A grey heron rests on a tree in Jiange county, Guangyuan, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo provided to cngy.gov.cn]

Recently, thousands of grey herons flew to Tingzi Lake in Jiange county, Guangyuan, Southwest China's Sichuan province, in pairs to build nests and breed.

The grey heron, a wading bird in the family Heronidae, is commonly found in the wetlands of Eurasia and Africa. It is a national second-level protected bird in China.

As the lake water ripples, elegant herons begin to dance. What a lively picture! They glide across the sky from the early morning, and nestle up with each other under the sunset, showing off their graceful form.