#SuperstitionSat Highlights: Birds

/ Superstition Sam

Hello there, folks! We’re back with another pick of our Session Highlights – yesterday (09/07/22), you shared your superstitions about Birds and we flew all over the world to hear some beautiful tales. In fact, it was one of our busiest Sessions ever, with close to 100 retweets! Thank you so much for coming along!

But I’m really sad to disappoint you again on my part, as I’m still unable to return to our usual format – where we look into each of our Highlights with some detail, discussing origins and references. The Superstition Saturday cattery is, alas, still plagued and I am so, so dizzy. To make up for it, today I decided to pick not just three Highlights – but five! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Tweet says: "In Warwickshire, goldfinches were known as "proud tailors" as it was said that the souls of tailors who sang while they worked, had settled in these colourful little birds". Includes a scientific illustration of two goldfinches.
Tweet by Sharon Carr. Image credit not known.
Tweet says: "A group of goldfinches is called a Charm. This comes from the Middle English word 'charme' and the Latin 'carmen', used to describe their collective twittering as a spell of magical song!" Includes a photo of a goldfinch attributed to Francis C Franklin.
Tweey by Disability in Fairy Tales and Folklore. Image credit in original tweet.
Tweet says: "Robins are considered messengers from the spirit world. They say if you see one that it is a loved one trying to get in contact with you." Includes a photo of a European Robin, credit not included in original tweet.
Tweet by Douglas Knight Kidd. Image credit not known.
Tweet says: "Traditionally sailors considered a flying albatross to be a sign of good luck. Killing an albatross was said to be extremely unlucky. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner the death of the albatross brought terrible bad luck, including a lack of drinking water." Includes two images, one engraving of The Rime of The Ancient Mariner illustrated by Gustav Dore, and the second a screenshot of an excerpt of the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Tweet by Nordby. Image credits in original tweet.
Tweet says: "According to my grandmother, having a bird in the house is bad luck. And so it is to throw away a valuable gift. You can imagine the conundrum when an aunt gifted her a silver bird. The poor thing spent its life hidden behind an alabaster elephant's a**." Includes photo of an elephant surrounded by egrets, credit not included.
Tweet by Chiara C. Rizzarda. Image credit not known.

As usual, whether you’re old, new or just passing through, your presence is very much appreciated and I am glad to see you stop by. The air is abuzz with our theme for next week (16/07), which shall be superstitions about

INSECTS

Take care of yourselves! Your lucky pal,
– Superstition Sam 🐾