Flyby PC 23 Posted September 16, 2011 You know the stork emblem used by the French Escadrille des Cigognes? It always struck me as an odd thing put on the side of a fighter plane. If I'm honest, never really liked it. Where I work is beside a river, and I've been here for nearly 5 years now, and we have Herons flying overhead on a daily basis, remarkable mostly for the screeching rust gate sounds they make. You get used to them, and barely notice them. But just tonight, I saw two Herons flying side by side, and the sun just caught them right as they came in to land, and just as they passed my yard, suddenly that Stork on the side of those aircraft just made complete and total sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shiloh 12 Posted September 16, 2011 It's an amazing experience to see a Heron. I've seen them on golf courses mostly and saw one near a farm not a month ago - amazing birds. That must have been quite an experience for you Flyby. I believe this is the symbol you're talking about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted September 16, 2011 Ah yes....being an Angler..I have mixed feelings about the Heron...but hey...they were here long before us!....I had a wonderful experience with a Heron once (no...not in a pervy way!) I was fishing a small pool in Canada with my son....we were on Holiday, and in the evening, after the Touristy type stuff...and while Mrs Widowmaker was cooking a lovely tea....My youngster and I...would meander down for a spot of dangling. A Heron shared the pool with us...which was quite an honour..as he was a local...and we were mere visitors!..... On one particular occasion...he appeared to be doing rather less well as we were.....in fact, he flew over to where we were...possibly interested in the fact, we were catching a few Black Bass more than him! Well, what else could we do?....the next fish I caught...I tossed towards him....it flapped about a bit....and this real hunter look came over the Heron's face!....I never realised just how a Birds expression could change!...up to that point...a Birds face...was just a face....but this Heron just switched into 'Hunt' mode!...it's whole demeanor just 'changed' It struck the fish...and within a split second...it was gone!....swallowed!....he sat there for three more Bass.....and then, soared gracefully into the air and away!....my son, who was 10 at the time...still talks about it!....it was one of those experiences that will live with us both forever! I Like Heron's!.....and fair play to them for having that insignia! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted September 16, 2011 I've always thought the French Escadrilles had lots of beautiful emblems, and the stork is definitely one of them. There were some very creative people with remarkable artistic skills working on those early aircraft. A nice collection of such emblems can be found from the link below: http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/page_insignes_escadrilles.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted September 16, 2011 I've always thought the French Escadrilles had lots of beautiful emblems, and the stork is definitely one of them. There were some very creative people with remarkable artistic skills working on those early aircraft. A nice collection of such emblems can be found from the link below: http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/page_insignes_escadrilles.htm Great stuff Hasse...bookmarked!...thanks m8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ndicki 22 Posted September 16, 2011 The stork is one of the traditional symbols of Alsace, one of the Departments France lost to Prussia during the 1870 war. Using the stork was an affirmation of their belonging to France - a moot point to say the least, in cultural terms, as the local dialect is German-based - and in the same register as the Second World War 'Rhin-et-Danube' title of the French 1st Army. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted September 16, 2011 Oh, I didn't know that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted September 16, 2011 Me Neither....explains a lot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted September 16, 2011 What I like best about Herons is them being there. When I was a kid, seeing a heron at all was a "Stop the car! Stop the car! There's a Heron!" type incident. To see them so common now is a grand thing to see, and says a lot about the local water quality of our rivers. Not before time. I wouldn't say they were common yet, but otters are making a comeback too. I've got some phone clips, but they're not very clear. They are otters I promise, but they're so fuzzy people won't believe me, and say they are Loch Ness Monsters which just look like otters. It's amazing what you see when people stop killing stuff off. Buzzards, Badgers, Peregrins, Kingfishers, I've seen them all, but 30 years ago you'd never see any of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted September 18, 2011 Cormorants are the real menace on inland waterways these days!...they decimate fish populations...which is bad for us Anglers...but even worse for news Heron's...and Otters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrick58 23 Posted September 21, 2011 I've always thought the French Escadrilles had lots of beautiful emblems, and the stork is definitely one of them. There were some very creative people with remarkable artistic skills working on those early aircraft. A nice collection of such emblems can be found from the link below: http://albindenis.fr...escadrilles.htm Well done, Great infomation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
