Few watery scenes are quite complete without birds in the picture. Ducks drifting across a country pond. Gulls wheeling in the sky above the beach, before they divebomb an unsuspecting tourist for their chips. Kingfishers flashing along a river, a bright dazzle of colour against the water.

They're so much a part of the scenery that aquatic birds have had a long relationship with humans. In some cases, that link has been much more literal. For example, some believed drowned seamen became gulls, so capturing a gull and keeping it on a ship brought bad luck.

But with a long relationship comes folklore. These birds predict the weather, foretell death, ward off intruders, or enjoy holy protection! 

Let's find out more about the cormorant, curlew, duck, goose, kingfisher, and puffin in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore!

Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/aquatic-birds/

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