From October to March each year, the black-faced spoonbill and other migratory birds spend the winter in Taiwan. To provide the public with diverse ways to learn about wetland ecology, industry, and culture, the Taijiang National Park Headquarters (TJNP), under the Ministry of the Interior’s National Park Service, has organized the annual "Taijiang Black-faced Spoonbill Season" during this period. The opening event of the "2023 Taijiang Black-faced Spoonbill Season – Black-faced Spoonbill TIME" was held today (October 28) at the Anshun Salt Fields. Local conservation groups, government agencies, and communities joined the celebration. The event included eco-themed booths with stamp challenges, creative DIY, a local food market, an outdoor reality puzzle game, scheduled tours of the Anshun Salt Story House, and salt industry experience activities. Guests gathered in great numbers, and the cheerful atmosphere filled the historic salt industry site, officially launching the series of events for Taijiang Black-faced Spoonbill Season.

The event opened with a powerful performance by the Zhenhai Elementary School Taiko Drum Team. Distinguished guests included Legislator Chen Ting-Fei, Lin Chen-Lu, Senior Advisor of the Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau, as well as school principals, partner agencies, NGOs, and community and temple representatives. Director Hsieh Wei-Song of TJNP noted, "This year’s opening event for Taijiang Black-faced Spoonbill Season was held at the Anshun Salt Fields to promote a combination of wetland ecology and salt industry culture. The event is even more diverse and rich in content, providing an opportunity to introduce this scenic location, full of natural and historical significance, to the public. We welcome everyone to visit and explore. The black-faced spoonbills have already begun arriving in Taijiang, and to provide a bird-friendly habitat, TJNP has been working closely with local fishermen for years, creating eco-friendly environments in private fishponds where the birds can safely forage. This year, five fishermen from Qigu District, along with 19 products, have been awarded dual authorization for the Black-faced Spoonbill Brand and Wetland Label. We also encourage everyone to join the wetland conservation efforts in any way they can."

Along with the opening of the Taijiang Black-faced Spoonbill Season, the "Taijiang Weekend Sightseeing Bus – Black-faced Spoonbill Line" has officially launched, offering an easy way for the public to enjoy viewing the wintering birds. At the Qigu Black-faced Spoonbill Bird-watching Pavilion, TJNP volunteers will be stationed daily to provide interpretive services, with telescopes available for visitors to observe the birds in their natural beauty. A series of diverse themed activities will continue until March next year, including: "Find the Black-faced Spoonbill Files in Taijiang," "Birdwatching Tours of Shan-Hai-Zun on Two Wheels," "Black-faced Spoonbill Community Mini Trips," "Black-faced Spoonbill and Stargazing," and "Taijiang Cultural and Historical Walking Tours." Children and adults are invited to register and participate. Special thanks to the Seventh Division of the Seventh Special Police Corps for assisting with traffic control and maintaining order during the opening event. For more information on upcoming events, interested individuals can visit the official Taijiang National Park website (http://www.tjnp.gov.tw) or follow the "Taijiang National Park Headquarters" Facebook page for the latest updates.