Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher
Winner of the John Burroughs Medal Award for Natural History Writing

More than one hundred species of kingfishers brighten every continent but Antarctica. Not all are fishing birds. They range in size from the African dwarf kingfisher to the laughing kookaburra of Australia. This first book to feature North America’s belted kingfisher is a lyrical story of observation, revelation, and curiosity in the presence of flowing waters.

The kingfisher—also known as the halcyon bird—is linked to the mythic origin of halcyon days, a state of happiness that Marina Richie hopes to find outside her back door in Missoula, Montana. Epiphanies and a citizen science discovery punctuate days tracking a bird that outwits at every turn. The female is more colorful than the male (unusual and puzzling) and the birds’ earthen nest holes are difficult to locate.

While the heart of the drama takes place on Rattlesnake Creek in Missoula, the author’s adventures in search of kingfisher kin on the lower Rio Grande, in South Africa, and in London illuminate her relationships with the birds of Montana. In the quiet of winter, she explores tribal stories of the kingfisher as messenger and helper, pivotal qualities for her quest. For all who love birds or simply seek solace in nature, Halcyon Journey is an inviting introduction to the mythic and mysterious belted kingfisher.
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Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher
Winner of the John Burroughs Medal Award for Natural History Writing

More than one hundred species of kingfishers brighten every continent but Antarctica. Not all are fishing birds. They range in size from the African dwarf kingfisher to the laughing kookaburra of Australia. This first book to feature North America’s belted kingfisher is a lyrical story of observation, revelation, and curiosity in the presence of flowing waters.

The kingfisher—also known as the halcyon bird—is linked to the mythic origin of halcyon days, a state of happiness that Marina Richie hopes to find outside her back door in Missoula, Montana. Epiphanies and a citizen science discovery punctuate days tracking a bird that outwits at every turn. The female is more colorful than the male (unusual and puzzling) and the birds’ earthen nest holes are difficult to locate.

While the heart of the drama takes place on Rattlesnake Creek in Missoula, the author’s adventures in search of kingfisher kin on the lower Rio Grande, in South Africa, and in London illuminate her relationships with the birds of Montana. In the quiet of winter, she explores tribal stories of the kingfisher as messenger and helper, pivotal qualities for her quest. For all who love birds or simply seek solace in nature, Halcyon Journey is an inviting introduction to the mythic and mysterious belted kingfisher.
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Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher

Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher

Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher

Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher

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Overview

Winner of the John Burroughs Medal Award for Natural History Writing

More than one hundred species of kingfishers brighten every continent but Antarctica. Not all are fishing birds. They range in size from the African dwarf kingfisher to the laughing kookaburra of Australia. This first book to feature North America’s belted kingfisher is a lyrical story of observation, revelation, and curiosity in the presence of flowing waters.

The kingfisher—also known as the halcyon bird—is linked to the mythic origin of halcyon days, a state of happiness that Marina Richie hopes to find outside her back door in Missoula, Montana. Epiphanies and a citizen science discovery punctuate days tracking a bird that outwits at every turn. The female is more colorful than the male (unusual and puzzling) and the birds’ earthen nest holes are difficult to locate.

While the heart of the drama takes place on Rattlesnake Creek in Missoula, the author’s adventures in search of kingfisher kin on the lower Rio Grande, in South Africa, and in London illuminate her relationships with the birds of Montana. In the quiet of winter, she explores tribal stories of the kingfisher as messenger and helper, pivotal qualities for her quest. For all who love birds or simply seek solace in nature, Halcyon Journey is an inviting introduction to the mythic and mysterious belted kingfisher.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780870712043
Publisher: Oregon State University Press
Publication date: 05/27/2022
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 248
File size: 7 MB

About the Author

Marina Richie holds an MA in journalism from the University of Montana and a BA in biology from the University of Oregon. She has worked as a journalist and managed communications for a number of wildlife-oriented public and private organizations. She is the author of two children’s books published by Farcountry Press, Bird Feats of Montana (2008) and Bug Feats of Montana (2009). Her recent writing on kingfishers has appeared in Post Road, THINK, and Birdwatching Magazine.
 

Table of Contents

Contents Map Introduction First Year 1. Hole Quest 2. Courting Kingfishers 3. Lost Burrow 4. Nest Watch 5. Fledging 6. Art of Flying and Fishing 7. Winter Story Second Year 8. Red Belt Mystery Interlude 9. Greek Myth and Naming Kingfishers Second Spring 10. Second Season, Second Chances 11. World Cup for the Birds Heading East 12. Ghost Kingfishers 13. Song of Sharpening Stone 14. Bird of Myth in London Coming Home 15. Rattlesnake Creek Return Acknowledgments Further Reading Index
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