A little bit of Christmas cheer
I always associated Halcyon Days with summer, balmy breezes, flowers blooming, people in summer clothes frolicking round the May Pole. But when I began researching birds associated with Christmas for this blog, I found out I was as wrong as could be. I also made a fascinating discovery.
It turns out Halcyon Days actually occur over the Christmas period, between the 14th and 27th of December to be exact. And this fortnight got its name from ancient Greece, when halcyon birds were supposed to bring days of peace, calm and tranquillity around the winter solstice.
The halcyon bird is no myth, but actually the European Kingfisher, symbol and denizen of Lagan Valley Regional Park!
According to the mythology, Halcyone was the daughter of Aeolus, god of the winds. She married Ceyx and the couple was blissfully happy until Ceyx’s brother died. Ceyx, certain the gods had turned against him, decided to sail to Ionia to consult the oracle of Apollo, god of prophecy, the sun, healing, poetry and music.
Halcyone was dead set against the trip, fearing disaster. She begged him not to leave her, but there was no talking Ceyx out of it. His ship didn’t get far before a terrible storm destroyed it; all on board drowned in the Aegean. No news of the wreck reached Halcyone, but when Ceyx did not return, she asked the gods for a dream to tell her what had happened.
In her dream, Ceyx appeared and confirmed her worst fears. Grief stricken, she hurried to the shore where she had watched him set sail. There, the waves delivered Ceyx’s body to her. Halcyone flung herself into the sea, but the gods, seeing her terrible grief, raised her and transformed the pair into beautiful blue Halcyon birds.
The ancient Greeks also had their own ideas about the nesting and breeding habits of kingfishers which we now know are not strictly accurate. The Greeks believed these birds mate each year at the start of winter and that the female constructs a nest of fish bones designed to float on the sea. She tends the nest for seven days with the solstice at the very center of this period. Aeolus kindly helps by keeping the winds away and the waters calm, so that his grandchildren are safe. Maybe in Greece, but can you imagine a Northern Irish winter without gales?!
The first known description of the Halcyon bird comes from Pliny the Elder, who in the first century described it as: ‘a small bird with a sea-blue back and a reddish breast, with white feathers on the neck and a long beak’.
Love the seasonal colour!
The European Kingfisher is found throughout Europe except the far north and in northern Africa and much of Asia. It lives near calm, slow moving fresh water, ideally where tall riverbanks provide nesting sites, and eats fish, amphibians and insects. Kingfishers nest in the spring. Interestingly, its North American cousin has the Latin name of Ceryle alcyon.
I hope you enjoy the Halcyon Days of Christmas in peace and tranquility. Why not spend a few along the Lagan looking for this colourful, if shy, seasonal bird? Happily, just in time for the solstice, a kingfisher has been spotted within sight of the Lock Keeper's Cottage. For the past week our own Halcyon bird has been a regular visitor to the canal, bringing peace, tranquility and colour.
To learn more about kingfishers¸ go to: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/k/kingfisher/index.aspx
Sources: "Ceyx and Halcyone; or, The Halcyon Birds." Bulfinch Mythology Age of Fable: Stories of Gods and Heroes. Read more at Suite101: Alcyon – Bird of Peace and Calm: Halcyon Days Surround the Winter Solstice and Christmas | Suite101.com http://birds.suite101.com/article.cfm/alcyon_bird_of_peace_and_calm#ixzz0ZBf5gjJ0 Author: Rosemary Drisdelle.
Next blog: Find out who is the king of all birds and which bird has postal connections.
Photos provided by Lagan Valley Regional Park