Description
B55 Kingfisher & Willow Blossom by Julian Williams
SKU: B55
Greeting card with coloured envelope featuring birds
These Bird cards are part of our Nature Notes Series
These cards include an introductory text on the back of the cards. TEXT written on the back of this card reads:
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis on Willow
The Kingfisher’s vibrant azure blue and copper feathers make it one of Europe’s most colourful and instantly recognisable birds. They are however shy, and most commonly seen as a flash of blue darting low above the water, but if you sit still you will sometimes see them perching on branches from which they hunt for small fish, such as minnows, as well as invertebrates like dragonfly nymphs.
Kingfishers nest in tunnels on high sided riverbanks producing two to three broods a year. Their call is a high pitched whistle.
The birds are the subject of a wealth of art and storytelling in many cultures. Their radiant plumage reminds us of royalty, hence their name. The ancient Greeks believed the gods turned two distraught lovers into kingfishers (“halcyon birds”). Thanks to divine assistance, these birds would enjoy calm weather (“halcyon days”) during their nesting period.
Christian symbolism connects the kingfisher with forgetfulness, because according to legend the kingfisher was amongst the first birds to be released from Noah’s ark and the forgetful birds never returned.
