Photographers flock to 'egret kingdom' for snaps

Since May, Zhu Hongmei's homestay, also known as the "egret photo studio" among locals, has entered the busiest period of the year, as the graceful birds start their breeding season.

Thousands of shutterbugs from across the country flock to the small town of Xiangshan in East China's Jiangxi province, where Zhu's homestay is located, to capture shots of the rare birds.

Zhu said the number of tourists has surged in recent years with the increasing egret population in the Xiangshan Forest Park thanks to stronger nature protection. This has also led the local homestay business to grow.