Winter visitors: Swans flock to Yamagata ponds

The tranquil Oyamakami Pond and Oyamashita Pond on the outskirts of Tsuruoka City in northern Japan's Yamagata Prefecture have become a winter haven for swans. Each October, thousands of swans flock to these agricultural reservoirs, creating a symphony of calls that echo through the area. These two ponds, registered under the Ramsar Convention for the protection of valuable wetlands, have been attracting swans for more than 30 years. Visitors can see the majestic birds until they migrate north in late February.