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I stopped by the birdseed store the other day to use a gift certificate. When I parked the car, I saw these finches fluttering around and perching over a feeder at the edge of the parking lot. So I bought the same kind of feed—a bag of sunflower chips.
Later I hung the feeder. Soon, excited goldfinches, purple finches, and house finches began feeding.
Then on Sunday morning I was sitting on the deck talking on the phone with a friend and along came a bluebird family: Mom, Pop, and Baby. The father positioned himself on one of the highest perches. Baby got on one of the low perches, and Mom watched on the sidelines. Pop started eating seeds. He took one for himself and then poked one in Baby’s mouth. Baby, stretching his neck to reach up for Dad’s gifts, kept chirping and gulping seeds as fast as they were served.
Then Mom noticed me and started fluttering and chattering. Pop continued eating and feeding Baby. This was too much for Mom. She grabbed one of Baby’s legs and pulled him off the perch. This caused him to lose his balance and land on the edge of one of the planters. That didn’t discourage the old man. He just fluttered down from the perch, poked a seed in Baby’s open mouth and went back up for his share and the next seed for Baby.
Mom was getting very agitated. She scolded the kid and her mate. Placidly they continued their eating and feeding routine. She was beside herself with fear because she heard my voice and noted my “huge” presence. I was describing what I had seen to my friend on the phone. Finally Mom had had enough. She grabbed Baby’s leg so he had to loosen his grip on the planter. He fluttered and flew off with Mom to the big tree. Pop gulped a few more of the seeds and reluctantly followed them. Then I saw the family fly off to the west.
How amazing to witness such distinctly human roles in tiny creatures! Mom was protecting her young. Pop was willing to take risks. The baby was completely innocent of any problems. His mission was to eat.
像我们一样的蓝知更鸟
前几天为了将礼品券花出去，我在卖鸟饵的商店前停了下来。当我停下汽车的时候，我看到那些雀科的鸣鸟在周围飞翔着，然后落在停车场边沿的喂食器皿上。于是我也购买了同一种饲料——一包向日葵碎片。
随后我把进食器皿挂了起来。不久，兴奋的金丝雀、紫燕雀和家燕开始过来吃食。
然后到了星期天早上，我坐在甲板上同朋友通电话，一同来的还有一家蓝知更鸟：妈妈、爸爸和孩子。鸟爸爸降落在最高的一根杆子上。小鸟落在一根低的上，而鸟妈妈则在一旁观望着。鸟爸爸开始吃食。它自己吃了一粒，然后将一粒放入小鸟嘴中。小鸟则伸长脖子去接爸爸的礼物，并一直不停地吱吱叫着，并飞快地将给它的食物吞咽下去。
鸟妈妈注意到了我，开始拍打着翅膀并啁啾地叫着。鸟爸爸继续吃食和喂小鸟。对于鸟妈妈来说这真是难得可贵。她抓住小鸟的腿然后将它从杆子上拽了下来。这使得他失去了平衡，一下子降落到其中一个播种机的边沿上。这并没有使鸟爸爸灰心。它只是舞动着翅膀飞离杆子，然后将一粒种子送进小鸟张开的嘴中，然后飞回去继续进食，接着又给小鸟喂食。
鸟妈妈开始激动起来。它开始斥责孩子和配偶。然后它们平静地进食和喂食。鸟妈妈在一旁开始担心，因为它听到了我的声音，并看到我“巨大的”的身影。我将自己看到的一切在电话里告诉了朋友。最后鸟妈妈也吃饱了肚子。它抓住小鸟的一条腿，这样小鸟就可以不用那么紧地抓住播种机了。小鸟拍打着翅膀与鸟妈妈一起飞到了一棵高树上。鸟爸爸吞咽下更多饵料，然后不情愿地与它们一起飞走了。然后我看到这一家朝西方飞去。
在这小生灵身上能够亲眼清楚地看到我们人类的举动太令人吃惊了！母亲总是在呵护着她的孩子。父亲则愿意去冒各种风险。孩子则无忧无虑地成长着。它的任务就是去吃食。
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