Where the Yellow River meets the sea, the land is made of mud. The river carries an immense burden of silt, scoured from the loess plateau thousands of kilometres upstream, and at its mouth on the Bohai Gulf it drops it, building new land year by year. The Dawenliu area, in the Yellow River Delta, lies in the southern part of the national nature reserve and is one of the best places to see how fresh the ground is: reed beds, tamarisk, salt marsh and shallow channels, all flat and glittering under a huge sky.
The delta is a stopover on the East Asian flyway, one of the world's great bird migration routes, and in spring and autumn hundreds of thousands of birds pass through, including cranes, storks, gulls and a long list of waders. Some of the rarest, such as the oriental stork and the red-crowned crane, are protected here, and Saunders's gull breeds on the salt flats. In autumn, a low plant called seepweed turns the shore bright red, a carpet of colour along the water, and photographers go there for the evening light. The delta has been recognised for its role as a stepping stone for migratory birds, and the coastal wetlands of this part of China are part of a UNESCO listing.
The town of Dongying, the nearest large city, owes its modern growth to oil, found in the 1960s in the Shengli field, and the nodding pump jacks in the fields are as much a part of the landscape as the reeds. Riding here is simple, on straight, flat roads that cross the marshes on raised embankments, with little traffic and long views. There are few bends and little shade, and the wind can be strong. In summer mosquitoes are fierce, and in winter the temperature drops well below freezing with a bitter wind off the sea.
Local seafood, including crab and prawns, is cheap and fresh, and the region is known for its salt-cured fish. Bring binoculars, water and sun protection, because there is no shade. Foreign riders in China face strict rules about licences and permits, so arrange everything beforehand. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for birds, and the reserve rules and access points are set by the authorities, so check before you go.