Can I still go to Qinghai Bird Island? When will it open?

As a breeding ground for waterbirds, Qinghai Bird Island has a large number of waterbirds coming here to breed every year. This is of great significance to the ecological environment around Qinghai Lake. After its closure in 2017, many people are paying attention to Bird Island’s developments. The current answer is probably uncertain, and we don’t know when it will be restored.

Introduction to Qinghai Bird Island

Since August 29, 2017, in order to protect the ecological environment and natural resources of Qinghai Lake, Qinghai Lake Sand Island and Bird Island have been closed to tourists. All tourist activities. After a year of closure and renovation, what do Sand Island and Bird Island look like now? Will we still be able to see Sand Island and Bird Island in the future? On August 29th and 30th, the Qinghai Lake Scenic Area Protection and Utilization Administration launched the "Protect Qinghai Lake, We Are Taking Action" media campaign.

Since the closure of the Shadao Scenic Area in August, 46 tourist facilities such as boardwalks, toilets, and observation decks have been dismantled, and all tourism projects such as beach motorcycles and sandboarding have been suspended, and the original ecology of the scenic spot has been gradually restored. face.

Bird Island has also changed from "Qinghai Lake Bird Island Scenic Area" to "Qinghai Lake Bird Island International Wetland". Along the road to Bird Island Wharf, tourist facilities such as the scenic tourist service center and ticket office have been cancelled, and only the science education base and waterfowl monitoring facilities remain.

Affected by the expansion of Qinghai Lake and rising water levels, the original grassland on both sides of the road was completely covered by the lake water, and the original parking lot was submerged by the lake water. Torishima has been restored from a peninsula bordering land to an island nation. There is only one road on the lake connected to Bird Island. Looking around, you can see various water birds flying around, some foraging on the shore, and some playing leisurely on the water.

There are two bird islands of different sizes, one in the east and one in the west. There is a lake built on the right side of the lake. The island in the west is called Haixi Mountain, also called Xiaoxi Mountain, and also called Egg Island; the big island in the east is called Haixipi. Because there are tens of thousands of cormorants living there, it is also called Cormorant Island.

Since April, birds have been flying to Bird Island one after another. May to July is the best season for bird watching. In September, you can see the moving sight of a large number of bar-headed geese flying south. The best season for watching swans is from November to February of the following year.

Transportation

1. There is a shuttle bus from Xining Coach Station to Bird Island Town at 7:45 every morning, passing through Gangcha County and arriving at 14:30 in the afternoon. Ticket price is 48 yuan. The return trip departs on time from Bird Island Town at 15:00.

2. It costs about 500-700 yuan to go there by car. It is about 16 kilometers from Niaodao Town to the entrance of Niaodao Scenic Area. Carpooling costs 10 yuan/person and chartering a car costs 40 yuan/car to the entrance of the scenic spot.