Picture of a stalwart mother stork nesting her two chicks in Ukraine had become the country's 'symbol of hope' for some reason.
Photographed on the outskirts of Kyiv, the new nest was found after a months-long invasion that interrupted their annual mating. Storks are considered 'sacred birds' in Ukraine where they nest every spring after having spent winter in Africa. 16% of the 224,000 storks that visit Europe every year established new nests in Ukraine and raise their chicks there through the end of summer.
According to Good News Network, nesting storks returning to Ukraine have brought a glimmer of hope to the country after they suffered the Russian invasion - "our national bird, back for a spring that is like no other."
Hope in Ruined City
After Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion in February, storks in Ukraine were forced to abandon their young and nests elsewhere, the World Time Todays reported. Finally, the birds perched among the ruins in the village of Moshchun, 10 miles outside of Kyiv.
Aside from being a symbol for the arrival of spring, storks are also seen as age-old symbol of fertility, and symbolize "a big harvest, as well as family happiness, procreation, cessation of conflicts and love for the homeland," said Oleg Dudkin, director of Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds which captured a photograph of the nesting storks.
"She has come to symbolize not merely a mother's devotion to her young but also the great love and devotion of Ukrainians to their motherland and a readiness not to leave," he added.
The birds were believed to have returned and re-established their usual nesting place after the Russian troops had left the village.
"Storks will always be amulet birds for Ukrainians, strengthening the hope for peace and the inevitable victory of spring over winter and good over evil."
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Spring Had Arrived, and So Will Peace
Birdwatcher Oleksandr Ruchko have been providing birdwatching tours around the parks in Lviv with refugees who have come here from cities around Ukraine, including Kyiv and Kharkiv. These people have lost their homes and family.
Birdwatching had somehow brought them calm, but it had become a problem to do so during the war as using binoculars or telescope can raise suspicion. "Nobody wants to look like a spy," Ruchko recounted, "but sometimes you only need your ears and eyes."
"NNearar to ththe villvillagge off RozvRozvaddivv, wewe saw aaw aboveve us a grus a group oup of stotorks, glks, glididing in thn the skyky withwith nno effortffort. They looklookedd likke arriststocrcratss, ccalm alm and susure off tthemmselvesves. TThe a areaa is attractiis attractive fo for storks bbeccauseuse off the DnieDniesterer rrivver - itr - its vavallleyy hasas lots ts of swaf swampsps and small pand small pondsnds which have which have the right fright foodd," he told The Guardian.
For them, the birds' return was a good sign that spring has arrived, and may bring peace soon too. Knowing no borders, the flying bird is the ultimate symbol of freedom.
"And we are all happy that they are back safely, giving us hope for better times."
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