Dave
Lucky you!
Halcyon is the word for "kingfisher", and the term comes from the story of Alcyone, in Greek mythology (see below). The "Halcyon days" are spells of a week, sometimes more, of good, calm, warm, often sunny weather in the midst of the normally stormy, wet winter months (typically January). I've experienced Halcyon days twice, on my two January trips to Crete in 2000 and 2003. They were magical days: I was incredibly lucky.
A google yields the usual 278,000-odd websites: here's one:
http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/halcyon.htm
And another:
http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20010803
This is from the Columbia Encylopaedia, 6th ed 2001"
"hls ´n) ( KEY ) or Alcyone (l–) ( KEY ) , in Greek mythology, daughter of Aeolus and wife of Ceyx. When her husband drowned, Halcyone threw herself into the sea. Out of pity the gods changed the pair into kingfishers or halcyons, and Zeus forbade the winds to blow seven days before and after the winter solstice, the breeding season of the halcyon. The expression “halcyon days” comes from this myth and figuratively means a time of peace and tranquility."
Hope that's enough to be getting on with.
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