It was early September when the two spur-winged plover(刺翅鸻) chicks hatch(孵化)ed.
那是九月初，两只刺翅鸻雏鸟孵化了。
They hit the ground running(一落地就开跑；立即投入), literally. Shortly after emerging from the speckled brown eggs their mother had laid in a shallow divot(浅坑), they were scurry(小步快跑)ing around on their disproportionately(不成比例地) long, stilt-like legs(高跷般的长腿). They looked like fluffy brown and white cotton balls that could blow away in the wind.
它们一落地就会跑，真的。从母亲在浅坑里产下的带斑点的棕色蛋中钻出来后不久，它们就迈着与身体不成比例的、高跷般的长腿四处奔跑了。它们看起来像毛茸茸的棕白色棉球，风一吹就能飘走。
The nesting ground was on the headland(海岬) above a popular tidal pool(潮汐池) in Maroubra, in Sydney’s south-east. Adorned with black crowns and bright yellow masks on either side of their bright yellow beak, the chicks’ parents were always close by – and always on guard(警惕). They provided protection from the cold, letting their free-roaming(自由活动的) chicks tuck(塞入) themselves under their fluffy white breasts for warmth. And, like all good plover parents, they took turns swoop(俯冲)ing any intruder(入侵者) – person, dog or drone – who ignored their warning call and came too close – a loud “kekekekekekekek”.
筑巢地位于悉尼东南部马鲁布拉一个热门潮汐池上方的海岬上。雏鸟的父母头顶黑冠，亮黄色的喙两侧长着鲜黄色的面罩，它们总是待在附近，时刻保持警惕。它们为雏鸟提供保暖，让自由活动的雏鸟钻进它们毛茸茸的白色胸脯下取暖。而且，像所有称职的鸻鸟父母一样，它们轮流俯冲攻击任何无视警告叫声、靠得太近的入侵者——无论是人、狗还是无人机——并发出响亮的“咯咯咯咯咯”声。