My mother took over the job, stuffing ground fish down their gullets, egret style, and later releasing minnows and shiners in a dishpan where the young birds could succeed in the fine art of fishing.

• 妈妈收养了这些小白鹭，向它们的咽喉里塞了一些小鱼，这也是白鹭妈妈通常的做法。然后再往碟子里倒了一些像鲦鱼、欧扁鱼之类的生活在海底的小鱼。