For wildlife, spring and autumn are the best seasons. April and May bring migrating cranes and storks passing through or settling in to breed at Honghe; September and October bring the return migration, with the largest concentrations of birds of the year. Summer offers lush wetland scenery and long days but the peak birding has passed.
Winter in Jiamusi is cold but manageable by Heilongjiang standards — temperatures around −20°C are typical in January. The Wofoshan Ski Resort draws domestic visitors in winter, and the city runs a modest ice sculpture festival. For anyone interested primarily in the wetlands, however, the shoulder seasons offer the best combination of wildlife and tolerable temperatures.