And again it is worth saying thanks to @nelinoeva for such a wonderful contest. And the theme of this week was - **favorite bird**. You can find the rules and announcement [here](https://ecency.com/hive-106444/@nelinoeva/feathered-friends-show-me-a-7ba4e345b32e4). ![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmYhToKviSvxWrkEmUt29LBSypdwYH9xQCn894AfeayLyE/dsc_4845.jpg) 🦉 The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 📚 Alcedo alcedinis, alcyon, or halcedo, halcedinis (lat.) kingfisher; word "hals" in ancient Greek language meant "sea", along with the word thalassa. According to ancient Greek mythology Alcyone (Alcyone), the daughter of the wind god Eol, was the wife of Keix, who drowned due to the wrath of the gods. Alcyone, out of grief, threw herself into the sea, and also died. The gods had mercy and turned the spouses into kingfishers. Looking for her husband, Alcyone calls all the time “Keix! Keix!" and dives, trying to find him in the sea. Alcyone days - two weeks of calm weather around the day winter solstice. During these days, Eol pacified the winds so that Alcyone, in the form of a kingfisher, could hatch chicks in her nest floating on the waves. 📚 atthis (ancient Greek mythology) Attis, a divine youth of extraordinary beauty ![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmTuJ3syNPtBWHRMxzev4cxSDcNzE8RBHdbyJucZ8NFuBa/dsc_1923_1.jpg) Oh, how much I adore these incredibly beautiful and interesting birds! How surprised I was when I first met this bird. Incredibly bright iridescent plumage colors. ![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmP8rRQLY2R3xteKZn6vnHGttgGvSn7f2emEMt9KfTXox1/dsc_1945_1.jpg) These birds live along the banks of rivers. Specifically, these birds from my photos live near a large city river. Birds live in burrows that they dig in clay sandy cliffs. And every year I find their holes in one ravine. Yes, from year to year these birds live in the same place. ![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmZJYqXua3H3uCGWk5FQ2WszuzV8nas6QKXypdusvogrtt/dsc_5862_1.jpg) After their nestlings grow up, they can most often be seen in a place where a small river flows into a large one. There they have something like a training ground, where they teach their children to get their own fish. ![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmfMRqfgzStQfbpBZmzBKB4RYHq5H11ECftLs8uv3PSvFX/dsc_4800.jpg) The process of fishing is also very interesting. The kingfisher sits on a convenient branch and looks out for fish in the river. Seeing the prey, he flies up to this place, briefly hangs in the air aiming, and then quickly dives for the fish. ![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmb2ebMhWCbGy3SmrKyhFafuo9VW3WfwWR1T4SweR729qW/dsc_4929.jpg) |Camera|Lens| |------------|------------| | Nikon D5200 | Tamron SP AF 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD

RE: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Knights Magic Mirror