Birds in folklore #1

Thanks to all who commented yesterday - stunned by firstly the number of comments and then hitting the spotlight page. Thanks blippers.

This is the first of my Birds in folklore set.

An intentional set, as a birder I'm fascinated not just by the birds, but by the mythology around them, I've already picked out the seven I'm going to do for this set, and I went out to day to find one of two. There was no sign of one but I knew I'd be able to find a good old reliable robin redbreast :-)

The robin has had much written about him, probably because it long associated with man (sic). In Yorkshire they were sometimes referred to as the Ploughman's bird, probably because of looking for insects as the soil was turned. It is probably because it appears to be less afraid of humans that we come to know it so well. In almost all of the folklore surrounding the robin it is seen as a benefactor, and is often associated with Christianity.

However, give the weather of late, I will relate the following rhyme:

If the robin sings in the bush
Then the weather will be course
But if the robin sings on the barn
The the weather will be warm

This robin was in a bush!