Hummingbird Winter(蜂鸟的冬季) by Arnette Heidcamp.doc

Hummingbird Winter by Arnette Heidcamp蜂鸟的冬季The thrill of seeing my first hummingbird in my garden has never left me-the sight of this unbelievably tiny creature with dazzling plumage flitting boldly from flower to flower. To entice others, I began growing their favorite plants - fuchsia, bee balm, cardinal flowers, touch-me-nots. Hummingbirds soon began visiting my garden from May through late September, before departing for warmer climes. In 1988 the last one left October 3 - or so I thought.我至今仍未忘记第一次在我家后花园看见蜂鸟时的那种心跳的感觉，一只小的不可思议的小生物，披着炫目的羽毛，大胆的在花丛中飞来飞去。为了招来更多的蜂鸟，我开始在花园里种植他们喜欢的植物-倒金钟，聚香脂，害羞草等。不久，从5月到9月下旬，蜂鸟不停的光顾我家花园，之后便向温暖的地方飞去了。大约在1988年10月3日，最后一只蜂鸟也离去了-我想是这样的。On October 21, a cold, frostbitten day, I went outdoors for my early-morning chores. Suddenly I saw a young male ruby-throated hummingbird in what had been a patch of flowering tobacco. I couldnt believe my eyes. By this time he should have been in a much warmer climate.10月21日，一个寒气逼人的日子，还出现了霜冻。我一大早出门干杂活时，突然在一块以前开满烟花的烟草地里，我发现一只年幼的颈部呈红宝石色的蜂鸟。我不敢相信自己的眼睛，在这时候他应该在一个气候比较暖和的地方呀！I quickly assessed the yard. Hummingbirds usually need to feed once every ten to fifteen minutes, and most of the flowers in my garden were frosted over. This bird would have nothing to eat. So I hung out a feeder with a nectar solution. However, the bird didnt seem to know what to do with it and kept circling a particular spot, apparently looking for the fuchsia plants that I had brought in the night before. Hummingbirds remember, even a year later, where the good stuff was.我迅速扫视了一下院子。蜂鸟通常需要大约每隔10-15分钟进食一次，但是花园里大部分花都被霜覆盖了。因此他没有可吃的东西，于是我就将一个装有花蜜的食挂在外面。但是鸟儿似乎不知道该怎么做，只是在一个地方不停的兜圈子。显然是在寻找我昨晚上搬到屋子里的倒挂金钟植物。即使事隔一年，蜂鸟依然还记得存放“美食”的地方。Finally I placed a trail of plants leading to my sun room, where there were plenty of flowers in bloom. When the hummingbird came inside, I closed the door behind him, then set up another feeder. The bird went from flower to flower before at last discovering the feeder. He liked the nectar and fed on it the rest of the day.最后， 我在通向日光花房的路上摆放了一排小植物，花房里群花争艳。当蜂鸟进到里面去，我就关上门，然后又重新搭了一个喂食器。它喜欢这些鸟食，这些天来它都一次为食。Although I loved the idea of a hummingbird spending the winter in my sun room, I hesitated to deprive him of his freedom. But I also didnt want him to die. So I called a university ornithology lab.尽管我想让蜂鸟在花房里过冬，但又不愿剥夺它的自由。我不想他死。因此我给一所大学的鸟类实验室打了个电话。Hummingbirds are the smallest bird in the animal world. An adult male bird measures only 2.24 inches in total length, half of which is taken by the bill and tail and weigh 0.056 oz. (females are slightly heavier). Hummingbirds mainly feed on flower nectar and help spread pollen.蜂鸟是动物世界里最小的鸟类，一只成年的雄鸟总长仅仅2.24英寸，但它的鸟嘴和尾巴就占去了一半。 它的体重为0.05602盎司（雌鸟略重）。蜂鸟主要是以花蜜为食并且可以帮助传播花粉。The ornithologist warned me this bird was probably not going to make it: hummingbirds need to add 50 percent extra body weight before migrating south, and I had doubts this little guy had done that. The ornithologist gave me three choices: I could keep the bird all winter, fatten him up and let him go after a few days, or find someone to release him down south.鸟类学家警告我说，这只小鸟可能无法南迁，因为蜂鸟在往南方迁徙之前需要额外增加50%的体重，我怀疑这个小家伙是否能做到这一点。鸟类学家给我三条建议：我可以留它在此过冬，或者把它养肥，几天后让它飞走；或者找个人把它带到南方放飞。If the bird had nothing outside to eat today, tomorrow wouldnt be any better, I reasoned. And sending him south was not feasible. However, I could provide suitable living conditions in my glassed-in sunroom.我推测，如果蜂鸟今天不能在外面找到任何食物吃，那么明天情况也不会好转。而且把它送往南方也不现实。但是在我的可以透进阳光的玻璃房内，我可以给它提供合适的居住条件。I decided to keep the bird until spring. I named him Squeak because of his constant squeaky chirping. He certainly seemed content that first day, and hed already captured my heart.我决定把它留下来直到来年春天，我给它取名为“吱吱”，因为不时的发出吱吱的声音。显然第一天它看上去很满足，而且它让我一见倾心。Offering Squeak a balanced diet now became my main concern. Besides nectar, hummingbirds need protein from insects. They may eat hundreds every day. There werent enough insects in the sun room. A zoo with a hummingbird aviary suggested Nektar-Plus. I kept two feeders of this complete diet going at all times.如今为吱吱提供平衡的膳食成了我最主要的牵挂。蜂鸟除了吃花蜜，它还需要来自虫子的蛋白质。它们每天可以吃上百条虫子。但是暖房里没有足够的虫子了，因此，一个有着大型蜂鸟鸟舍得动物园建议我买NektarPlus牌的鸟食，于是我便一直在暖房里给鸟儿放有两个装有这类营养全面的食物的喂食器。Because hummingbirds love to bathe, I also bought a small plastic birdbath for Squeak. But he had different plans. On his third morning, he flew over to a plant I had just misted and began to slide around on the leaves, chirping all the while. He was getting his underparts wet - his breast, his wings, his chin. After bathing, he flew around the room to dry himself. The air passing through his wet feathers produced a sound like a deck of cards being shuffled. Once dry Squeak preened his sparkling emerald-green garb.因为蜂虫酷爱洗澡，我于是为吱吱买了一个小小的塑料澡盆，但是它却有着不同的花样。第三天早上，它飞到一棵我刚刚洒了水的植物上，开始在植物的叶子上四处滑动，还一边吱吱的叫着。它把自己的下半身弄湿-胸部，翅膀，下颌。洗完澡后，它在暖房中飞翔，把羽毛晾干。从它湿漉漉的羽毛间穿过的气流发出一种象是洗牌的声音。羽毛晾干后，吱吱便用嘴巴梳理它那闪闪发亮的鲜绿色的羽毛。By mid-November, he hovered in front of my spray bottle, fanning his tail in anticipation of getting his shower. He began to make it a game. As soon as I started spraying him, hed fly straight for my face, detour around my head at the last instant, fly away, then return to a branch. After doing this five or six times, hed settle down to be bathed.11月的中旬，它在我的喷壶钱飞来飞去，用尾巴扇来扇区想给自己洗澡。它开始把它当作玩游戏。一旦我给它喷水，它便向我迎面飞来，并在我头顶上空盘旋，一会飞走，然后回到花枝上，像这样飞来飞去过5、6次，它才会停下来洗澡。It didnt take long before Squeak became as inquisitive about me as I was about him. He often investigated my hair and my eyes. Once when I walked into his room wearing a floral-print dress, he tried to figure out how to get nectar from the flowers.没过多久，吱吱就 对我产生了好奇，就像我对它好奇一样。它时常研究我我的眼睛和头发。有一次当我穿着印有花的衣服走进它的房子时，它尽然试图从“花中”采花蜜。If I talked softly to him, he cocked his head and answered in endearing, barely audible chirps. If I hummed to him he tilted his head and closed his eyes. 如果我温柔的对它说话，他就会竖起脑袋发出讨人喜欢的，几乎听不见的吱吱声。如果我给它哼唱小曲儿，它就斜着脑袋闭着眼睛。There were times, however, when Squeak would become angry at me. I had to move his favorite plant, a flowering maple, because it had grown too tall. When he realized it was gone, he stretched his neck and pulled his head back as if looking at something in sheer disbelief. He kept flying away and returning, expecting the flowering maple to reappear. When I finally brought it back, he calmed down.然而吱吱也有对我生气的时候。我不得不移开它喜欢的植物，一株正在开花的枫树。因为那树张的太高了。当它意识到树已经被搬走了时，它就伸着脖子，向后伸着头，就像满腹疑惑的看着什么。它不停地飞来飞去，希望他那开着花的的枫树再次出现。当我终于把树搬回来时，它才安静下来。As winter turned to spring, I wanted to strengthen our bond. I was hoping that once I let him go, hed make my garden his territory, and I could continue our relationship. So I gave him a treat. I filled a feeder with a particularly sweet solution of 2-to- 1 water and sugar and held it in my hand.春来冬去后，我想进一步加深我们之间的关系。我希望一旦我把它放走后，它会把我的花园当作自己的家园。这样我们就能继续保持我们之间的关系。所以我就给了准备了一顿美餐。我给以给食槽里装满了一种有水和糖的按2：1的比例混合而成的特别天的溶液，把它举在手里。After just one taste, Squeak loved it. He began watching for me and waiting by the door handle. When I walked in, he poked around me looking for the nectar.刚尝了一口后，吱吱就喜欢上了这种甜食，它开始注视着我，在门把上等我。上当我走进来时他就在我周围乱戳寻找食物。By late April, we had become good friends. At times Squeak would hover around my head, just looking at me for no apparent reason. He even let me stroke his breast in the evening before I turned out the lights.到了4月底，我们已经变成为好朋友了。有时，吱吱会在我头上盘旋，注视着我，毫无理由。在晚上关灯之前它甚至让我抚摩它的胸膜。Spring rolled around far too quickly. I had known all along that I would eventually have to release Squeak. Still, it is hard to let go of something youve treasured -even when you know its the right thing to do.春天转瞬即逝。我一直都知道，我不得不把吱吱放掉。然而，让自己珍爱的东西离开是件困难的事，即使你知道这样做是对的。In early May the other hummingbirds returned, and when Squeak spotted them outside, he became excited, chattering and flying rapidly to and fro. One day I saw him and another male hovering beak to beak with the window between them.五月初，其他的蜂鸟回来了。当吱吱认出它们时 ，变得格外兴奋，在空中不停地叫者，盘旋着。有一天我看见它和一只雄鸟隔着窗户嘴对嘴地盘旋着。I knew what had to be done. May 14 would be the release date. That morning went as usual for Squeak: a shower, preening, begging for treats. At about 10:30, I finally got up the nerve to make my move. I opened the door outside for the first time since Squeaks arrival and stood with his treat in my hand. He came over for a sip, then flew back inside. He did it again and again. Each time I moved farther outside, and after a half-hour of coaxing I was a couple of feet beyond the sun room.我明白我该做什么了。5月4日将是放飞的日子。那天早上，对