Today is St Tiburtius Day and traditionally the first day to hear a cuckoo - according to two of the folklore books on my shelves.
The Cuckoo sings from St Tiburtius day to St John's day
BUT unless you are lucky you probably won't hear one now and even less likely to see one. They were very common in the 50's and 60's - we all knew the rhyme
The Cuckoo comes in April and sings his song in May
In June he changes his tune and in July he flies away
In the 80's Colin used to come home from bridge inspecting out in the countryside with news of the first cuckoo every year. Even in the early 90's we would hear one from the woodland close to the smallholding.
Now I can't remember the last time I heard one.
So who was Saint Tibertius? According to the legend of St Cecelia Tibertius was the brother of Valerian, to whom Cecelia was betrothed by her parents. Cecelia was determined not to marry so as to devote herself to God. On their wedding day she told Valerian and was so persuasive about her faith that he was converted to Christianity and persuaded his brother Tiburtius too. They set about showing their conviction by collecting the bones of Christian Martyrs and giving them a proper burial. When caught they refused to change their belief and were both taken outside of Rome beaten and beheaded.
If you are lucky enough to hear the cuckoo remember to turn the money in your pocket to ensure future prosperity.
Turn your money when you here the Cuckoo and you'll have money in your purse till he comes again.
It's unlucky if the Cuckoo arrives too early before the leaves on the trees................
When the Cuckoo sings on an empty bough,
Keep your hay and sell your cow.
When the Cuckoo comes to the bare thorn,
Sell your cow and buy your corn.
I've certainly never seen a Cuckoo but here's the illustration by Carrie Ackroyd from my lovely book ' A Sparrow's Life's as Sweet as Ours'.
Back Soon
I heard a Cuckoo here last year, but first for years in Wales. I have been fortunate enough to have seen one, on the marshes at Wareham in Dorset (obviously out for Reed Warbler nests). Not heard of St Tiburtius before so thank you for that info.
ReplyDeleteOnce when we were house hunting in Wales we came across 'Cuckoo Valley' - they were everywhere, but I can't remember where it was now, somewhere in Forestry commission land
DeleteLike you, I always used to hear a cuckoo, regularly, when, every year, it returned to the woods not far away from where we lived. I’ve not heard one in years. I saw one, just the once , when I was walking by the River Itchen, in Hampshire.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the British Trust for Ornithology, numbers of cuckoos have dropped by 65% since the early 80s…such a shame although I guess that certain birds such as Reed Warblers might be relieved!
Have a happy week! 😁
It would be good to hear them again - another suffering from loss of habitat I guess
DeleteI thought I heard one just the other day, but I'd been mistaken. I'll keep listening. Xx
ReplyDeleteI do hope you hear one
DeleteScairbhin. "The weather of the cuckoo." Is now in West Cork. Often temperatures drop and you get inclement weather in spring when the cuckoo arrives from it's migration in Africa. It's also time for the cuckoo flower to appear in the fields. I heard the cuckoo in May last year.
ReplyDeleteHope they return for this year
DeleteCuckoos were everywhere growing up in rural Somerset, I've not heard one for years.
ReplyDeleteJust the same in Suffolk
DeleteWe used to hear them in our part of Dorset but not for years now.
ReplyDeletePenny
Seems the same everywhere
DeleteFunnily enough it is only in the last few years that I have heard a cuckoo. Everyone in my family has seen one, but not me.
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear one again and it would be a treat to see one.
DeleteWhen I was growing up we heard the cuckoo regularly but the last time I heard one was 6 years ago in a field near Bodiam Castle in Kent/Sussex borders. I was thrilled to hear it. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteThat was lucky, perhaps it's just being in the right place at the right time
DeleteLike you and others I haven't heard a cuckoo for years, sad isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLovely illustration as always x
Alison in wales x
Hardly any woodland around here so very unlikely to hear one now
DeleteI remember hearing cuckoos on the Yorkshire moors as a kid. There was a cuckoo song we learned at school, like your rhyme. Does the cuckoo really change his tune,as they say? I wonder if it has to do with mating. Or with sneakily leaving eggs in other birds' nests!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the cuckoo does have a different sound later in the season - I used to know how it sounded but so long ago I can't remember
DeleteThis is a fascinating bird making different sounds depending on the month. I've never seen or heard a cuckoo bird. Possibly they do not thrive in MA. Each year a bird count is done in my community and the list is published. The cuckoo has never been on the list.
ReplyDeleteCuckoos come here from Africa to breed each year but only for a few months.
DeleteI've never seen a cuckoo but heard many in the small Derbyshire village I grew up in. I haven't heard one for ages but when I do hear one it takes me straight back to childhood and nature walks from school:)
ReplyDeleteIt's a long, long time since I've heard a cuckoo. The first time I did I thought it was someone messing about, but I was thrilled when I realised it really was the bird.
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about the cuckoo and have never heard any of those sayings. I have only heard of cuckoo clocks and my SiL has one! :)
ReplyDeleteWe hear the cuckoo every year, I've seen one too, not heard it yet this year though.
ReplyDeleteJ.
I haven't heard a cuckoo for a few years.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of St Tibertius, so it was interesting to learn about him, thank you.
I live on the edge of a wood and hear cuckoos every year. I haven’t heard one yet this year, though I think it is still a bit early.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard one so far this year, but I have seen swallows. I've only ever seen one cuckoo, a funny looking bird it is indeed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post. I've heard several cuckoos but not this year yet! I have yet to see one though.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard a cuckoo. Never saw one either. I actually don't think they are here on the prairies, though I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
What interesting folklore!
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard a cuckoo for years. We saw them every day when we did a week of wardening for the rspb
ReplyDeleteCuckoos both heard and seen on Sunday at Emsworthy Mire, nr Haytor, Dartmoor.
ReplyDelete