Watching flocks of gnats 'stroll' through Hanoi

In the heart of bustling Hanoi, a flock of red-billed magpies unexpectedly "descended" upon Nguyen Du Street, boldly foraging, nesting, and becoming a focal point attracting dozens of photographers seeking rare urban moments.

The magpies "return to the city"

In recent days, Hanoi residents have been surprised by the appearance of a flock of red-billed jays ( scientific name Urocissa erythroryncha) - a species of bird that is usually familiar with mountainous forest environments, but has now chosen the city center as its nesting and resting place.

Magpies have appeared in Hanoi.

PHOTO: DINH HUY

The flock of birds has arrived at the row of trees on Nguyen Du Street (Hai Ba Trung Ward) and within the grounds of the Ministry of Science and Technology headquarters. For many years, the ancient trees on this street, accustomed to the tranquility of the city, have suddenly become a "new home" for a flock of birds with colorful plumage, striking with their distinctive blue and black feathers and red beaks.

According to residents on Nguyen Du Street, these birds appeared a few months ago and gradually settled down there. Initially, they were quite wary, usually only perching on high branches and quickly flying away when someone approached.

The appearance of the flock of birds surprised many foreign tourists.

PHOTO: DINH HUY

However, over time, their adaptability has increased significantly. On numerous occasions, people have encountered red-billed gnats moving on sidewalks, hopping around planters, or even perching on parked motorbikes without showing any signs of fear.

In fact, many locals have bought mealworms (a type of worm commonly used as bird food) and placed them in open areas for the birds to come down and eat. Since then, the birds have become more unafraid of people.

"There are about 10 magpies residing and nesting in the trees within the Ministry of Science and Technology's grounds. Every morning we feed them mealworms and crickets, so they've become quite tame. As a result, many people come here to take pictures," said a security guard at the Ministry of Science and Technology, adding that the flock of birds appeared about 5 months ago.

The moment a bird catches a worm.

PHOTO: DINH HUY

According to our reporter's observations, every day dozens of photographers sit on the sidewalk in front of the Ministry of Science and Technology headquarters on Nguyen Du Street to capture moments of magpies. To get the best and clearest photos, people buy mealworms and attach them to tree trunks about 1.5 meters above the ground to attract the magpies' attention.

When they see their prey wriggling, the birds in the trees swoop down to catch it and then fly back up. Sometimes, the birds drop their prey onto the sidewalk but still bravely come down to retrieve it.

I was surprised to be able to photograph a flock of wild birds at such close range.

Mr. Tran Nghia Hiep (50 years old), who has nearly 20 years of experience photographing landscapes, said he has spent many mornings patiently waiting to capture precious moments of this bird species.

And... "strolling around the city"

PHOTO: DINH HUY

According to Mr. Hiep, the initial information came to him quite by chance, through a friend's story about a colony of jays living in the middle of Nguyen Du Street. However, he only had his familiar equipment, a 70-200 mm lens, which is usually more suitable for shooting landscapes or portraits than individual birds, so he didn't want to go hunting for photos.

However, after being encouraged by friends that these birds are quite tame and not overly sensitive to the presence of humans, Mr. Hiep decided to try his luck. In subsequent sessions, he regularly arrived early, chose a fixed spot, and patiently observed every movement in the treetops and on the sidewalk around the area where the flock of birds resided.

Mr. Tran Nghia Hiep (far right) and some photographers hunting for magpies.

PHOTO: DINH HUY

"Initially, I thought it would be difficult to approach them, as wild birds are usually very wary. But the reality was different; they were quite calm, sometimes even perching close to people, making photography very easy. I was very surprised and took pictures to show off to my friends," Mr. Hiep said, sharing that normally, photographing wild birds requires a 600-1000 mm lens plus a long period of camouflage to capture those precious moments.

Mr. Hiep said that at the peak time when people came to photograph magpies, there were about 30 professional and amateur photographers, each choosing their own spot.

"I saw about 4-5 individuals and managed to record the moment when 3 birds landed to catch prey at the same time. In Hanoi, it's rare to see wild birds perch in places like this."

"This is a very rare sight because magpies are not like other common birds," Mr. Hiep excitedly said about his fascinating experience.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngam-dan-gie-cui-dao-pho-ha-noi-185260420061122657.htm