Festivals in Egypt

From left top to right bottom :

Firecrest (火冠戴菊) ; Barn Swallow (家燕) and Red-rumped Swallow (金腰燕)

Rose-ringed Parakeet (紅領綠鸚鵡) ; European Goldfinch (紅額金翅雀)

Egypt (1994)

15th March, 2008. El-Remayah, Giza

16th March, 2008. Cairo

25th March, 2008. Hongkong

Actually I don't know what festival did they celebrate in 1994 cause Egypt Post issue a block of four bird stamps. I bought twice as they are bird stamps, the colour is quite interesting for me as it looks fade out. When I met an egyptian last year, I advise him help me to use one set on the envelope. The envelope may not looks good, postmarks are untidy and other stamps added, but I think it is okay, exception is he never write my address on envelope directly, just cut it from my envelope I sent him. 

Those five birds are very common in Europe, of course as Egypt in the north of Africa, birds are fly over Mediterranean Sea when migrating. On this cover also features a pair of Wadi El-Hitan (鯨魚谷) stamps issued on 2008, a valley located in Faiyum designated as UNESCO world heritage site, hundreds of fossils of some earliest whale and the Archaeoceti (古鯨亞目) have been found in there. The stamps shown the detail and overview of one fossilised whale.

Aurora

Aurora and Elk (駝鹿)

Norway (2001)

8th June, 2008. Bjørnøya, Svalbard

(Postmark features Brunnich's Guillemot (厚嘴海鴉)

It is an only mail come from North Circle, Svalbard is a group of islands in the offshore of Norway and inside North Circle. There does not have much residents, most of them are scientists. Around 65% area of islands be listed as protection area, and most habitants are Polar Bears. The island, also has an international seed vault, to store all seed come from different countries. Of course, Svalbard is one of best places to view aurora during spring or autumn.

Brunnich's Guillemont only can be found in North Circle's countries likes Russia, Iceland, Norway and Greenland. It is different than Razorbill, which also lives in same area to southern area like Portugal, Nova Scotia or California.

Green-winged Macaw

Green-winged Macaw (綠翅金剛鸚鵡)

Brazil (2007)

10th December, 2007. Ribeirão Porto

I like to collect bird stamps of course, but I especially collect parrot and penguin stamps as they are beautiful and cute. See this cover is ordinary enough as only four stamps on the envelope, for me I am happy to receive this cover as the stamp is Macaw, although next three are other stamps. Green-winged Macaw is live in area of Amazon, north part of South America. It has colourful feathers and sings loudly sound, thus become popular pet in the world.

Quantity of wild lived Green-winged Macaw are decreasing, most of birds are breeding by human. Pet them is not easy, it needs a lot of space and much time, by the way as always sings or studies talking with master, it will have many interesting and fulfill from the pet.

Thanks Flávio sent this mail for me, I am happy to know him in Facebook again.

Seabirds of Altantic

15p : Brown Booby (白腹鰹鳥) ; 35p : Common Noddy (玄燕鷗)

40p : White Tern (白玄鷗) ; £1,25 : Red-billed Tropicbird (紅嘴熱帶鳥)

St Helena (2008)

17th July, 2008. James Town (first day special postmark)

I have been shown covers from Ascension Islands and Tristan da Cunha, they are a group of islands which under St Helena government. This time I would show a first day cover come from there, it is series 2 of seabirds of St Helena. They are quite normal in these three islands, or Cape Verde Islands and south Pacific Ocean.

The cover, was not sent on the day of issue. I resent it back to St Helena after arrival of the order, and came back few days ago. However, St Helena and Hongkong did not leave any postmarks to prove the mail journery, only the registered labels on the two sides can be checked by Royal Mail and Hongkong Post.

Waterbirds of Uzbekistan

45s : White-headed Duck (白頭硬尾鴨) ; 250s : White-tailed Eagle (白尾鷲)

350s : Pygmy Cormorant (侏鸕鶿) ; 350s : Marbled Teal (雲石斑鴨)

Uzbekistan (2006)

19th May, 2008. Tashkent

28th May, 2008. Moscow

3rd June, 2008. Hongkong

Those four birds are common in mid-Asian countries, and north Africa during their migrating season, sometimes White-tailed Eagle to be found in northern Europe. The cover is not the best as the stamps have been torn off from souvenir sheet. Sender told me his post office is not allow him frank whole sheet on the envelope, however I found that other mails from Uzbekistan done it, anyway it seems okay for me. On the back of the envelope, the arrival postmark has something wrong, the year is overturned and be crossed out by postman. Very oddly as it is not easy to find wrong postmark in Hongkong.

Kosovo Relief Fund

20c : Phoenix Petrel (白腹圓尾鸌) ; 55c : Great Frigatebird (小軍艦鳥)

$1 : Long-tailed Cuckoo (長尾杜鵑)

35c : Central Pacific Sooty Tern (中太平洋烏燕鷗)

Tuvalu (1999)

16th May, 2008. Funafuti

Tuvalu is a poor country of the stamp issue policy, most of stamps can't be used on normal postal service. Above stamp set maybe not have exception, as post office packed it in another envelope and sent back for me. The stamps are related to Kosovo issued on 1999, overprinted on definitive stamp set issued on 1988. I don't have any comment on the stamps, they are not nice or very ugly, those four species or subspecies are common in south Pacific and New Zealand. However I am very disappointed on the postmark, they are near unreadable. If not check the unofficial philatelic website of Tuvalu, I never understand what it means.

Little Tern

Front

Little Tern (小燕鷗)

Croatia (2006)

Back

Orsini's Viper (歐西尼氏腹蛇)

Croatia (1999)

10th February, 2009. Zagreb

16th February, 2009. Hongkong

An interesting cover features two different WWF stamp sets issued by Croatia. The country has been issued three sets of WWF stamp, I still missing the one issued on 2004. Little Tern seems is a normal seabird in the world, can be found offshore of Asia, Europe, eastern Australia and western Africa. However the population has declined or become extinct in most European countries, and only few river or inland suitable for them to habitat. In Croatia, Sava and Drava, which is located in the border of Hungary and Croatia can be found the habitations.

Green Peafowl

Green Peafowl (綠孔雀)

Thailand (2008)

9th August, 2008. Chiang Mai

A beautiful bird can be found in south-east Asia and India, and rarely in Tibet and Yunnan. Whole feather are in green colour and look shiny. Only males will open their colourful wings when finding their partner. As the shiny feather and the beautiful wings, people kill the birds to obtain feather and wings for hat's accessories. Nowadays they are be protected as Vulnerable status. This cover was sent from Chiang Mai on the day of issue. In there have a zoo feeding couple of Green Peafowls, and near 5,000 different birds.

Domestic birds of Switzerland (2)

Chaffinch (蒼頭燕雀)

Switzerland (2007)

14th September, 2007. Sempach Stadt

Continue to post the definitive stamps of Switzerland. Shown here are three maxicards feature Chaffinch, Great Tit and Wallcreeper separately. Chaffinch and Great Tit are very common in Europe mainland and England Islands, mostly can be found them in gardens or fields. Those two cards are illustrated a pair of birds by same artist, published in Switzerland and over 60 years ages. Sempach is a town in the middle of Switzerland, pictorial postmark shown the sight of the town.

Great Tit (大山雀)

Switzerland (2007)

12th September, 2007. Jura, Fribourg

Wallcreeper lives in Alps or high-level areas, built the nest on the rock to bleed their chicks. Zernez is a small village in south Alps nearest Italy border and is a main entry to Swiss National Park, Ibex (羱羊) is a common habitant in the park and Alps so postmark has its illustration.

Maxicard

Wallcreeper (紅翅懸壁雀)

Switzerland (2007)

9th February, 2009. Zernez

Whooper Swan

Whooper Swan (大天鵝)

Estonia (2007)

5th April, 2007. Tallinn (first day special postmark)

25th January, 2009. Jõhvi

Although I don't very interested in collect first day cover, sometimes friends are sent me beautiful first day cover after day of issue, I am very happy to receive them as I don't care is it send on the first day or not. For me, I feel trouble to send first day cover in Hongkong as too much rules of post office should be followed, some staffs do not like serve collector as they think collectors have too much demand.

Above cover was sent by Kristiina, thank you very much of her surprise ! It is very nice cover. Estonia issues a bird stamp in each year, Whooper Swan was issued on 2007. The bird mostly lives in most-north of the world and flies to mid-Asia, whole Europe or Africa, most people confuse the bird and Tundra Swan (小天鵝) as they look similar. Cover shown the different of male and female birds, female with reddish bill and male is yellow and black.

Sooty Tern

Sooty Tern (烏燕鷗)

Ascension Islands (2002)

11th February, 2008. George Town

26th February, 2008. Hongkong

A seabird widely lives far away from seashore of topical oceans, Atlantic, Indian and south Pacific are their normally living circles. 8 subspecies have been recorded in the world and only Indopacific Sooty Tern (印太平洋烏燕鷗) can be found in South China Sea include Hongkong and Taiwan. Ascension is in the south of Atlantic Ocean, middle of Africa and South America, here have an important British military base and one of emergency runway of space shuttle. Of course, selling stamps is important income of the government.

Bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin

Large Ground-Finch (大嘴地雀)

Portugal (2009)

12th February, 2009. Praça dos Restauradores, Lisbon

(featuring first day special postmark)

February 12 is the day of birth of Charles Darwin (1809-1882), and this year is bicentenary of birth of him, some postal admissions issued stamps to commemorate his birthday. Today I received two of them, Portugal and Great Britain. Thanks for Paula in Lisbon and Yoram in London, to send me covers. Especially Yoram as he got cold during the big snow weather.

The species on the stamps of these two countries nearly same, which found by Darwin. They are endemism of Galapagos Islands, a group of islands in the Equator, outside Pacific Ocean of Ecuador. The souvenir sheet issued by Great Britain copied a map which surveyed by Robert FitzRoy and the officers of HMS Begales, 1835, illustrated Galapagos Giant Tortoise (加拉帕哥斯象龜) and Marine Iguana (鬣蜥蜴) and three birds listed as below.

Top - 1st : Flightless Cormorant (加拉帕哥斯短翼鸕鷀) and

1st : Common Cactus-Finch (仙人掌地雀)

Bottom - 81p : Floreana Mockingbird (三斑嘲鶇)

Great Britain (2009)

12th February, 2009. Trafalgar Square, London

Buzin

Since 1985, Belgium releases a series of bird definitive stamps, about 120 stamps have been issued and the series is continuing. All stamps are illustrated by famous Belgian animals and plants artist André Buzin. As this series of stamps, he got the award of 'Prix du Roi'. Here I shown two covers franked with recent issues, sent by an ebay seller and Thomas separately. Thank you Thomas for his great mail.

0,70 € : Common Swift (普通樓燕) ; 0,23 € : Eurasian Jackdaw (寒鴉)

Belgium (2007)

7th October, 2007. Bruxelles

Common Swift can be widely found in European countries and northern Asia, in winter it migrate to southern islands in Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Same as swift, dunnock and jackdaw also widely live in Eurasian countries but not migratory. Nutcracker is live in northern Europe to Far East area of Russia. Green-winged Teal can be found in North America and most places of northern area of Europe and Asia, and they will fly over million miles to southern islands in South Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean in winters. Those three owls, are widely live in Europe and Asia.

1st column - 0,15 € : Eurasian Nutcracker (星鴉) ; 0,10 € : Dunnock (林岩鷚)

2nd column - 0,10 € : Tengmalm's Owl (鬼鴞)

3rd column - 0,06 € : Little Owl (縱紋腹小鴞) ; 0,23 € : Eurasian Jackdaw (寒鴉)

4th column - 0,40 € : Long-eared Owl (長耳鴞) ; 0,05 € : Green-winged Teal (綠翅鴨)

Belgium (2007, 2008)

4th February, 2009. Gent

Shy Albatross

Shy Albatross (白額信天翁)

French Southern and Antarctic Territory (2002)

26th January, 2008. Port-aux-Français, Kerguelen

Temporary it is the last cover come from TAAF in my Antarctica collection, and still have one on the way from Australia Antarctica Territory. Shy Albatross is a medium size in whole albatross family which breeds off Australia and New Zealand's islands, lives from South Pacific to sub-Antarctic islands, also have chances to find them off Pacific coast of the United States. Same as most cover came back from different Antarctica bases, the cover stamped with commemorative seal which illustrated King Penguin and icebreaker boat.

King Penguin in Grenada

King Penguin (國王企鵝)

Grenada (1998)

17th July, 2008. St George's (via London)

What's up ? Can I find King Penguin in Grenada ? There is a small country in a part of Lesser Antilles, Caribbean. A famous vacation place for European and American, its stamps also very popular in the world - most of them are selling to collector and most of theme are not related to the country.

Actually King Penguin only lives in sub-Antarctica area, includes Falkland Islands. King Penguin is smaller than Emperor Penguin but they look similarly, chick's hair are in blown colour instead of grey of Emperor Penguin. However many zoos and theme parks in different countries are feeding numbers of King Penguin, for education or training for tourist show. Those countries sometimes issue King Penguin stamps to donation or commemorate these zoos and theme parks opened anniversary.

Domestic birds of Switzerland (1)

During 2006 to 2008, Switzerland was issued a set of definitive stamps illustrated Swiss domestic birds, they are nice enough. Here are four of them and other three stamps will show in next time.

1,80 CHF : Tengmalm's Owl (鬼鴞)

2,20 CHF : Great Crested Grebe (鳳頭鸊鷉)

Switzerland (2007, 2008)

21st January, 2009. Schanzenstrasse, Bern

Tengmalm's Owl only visible at night, mostly can be found in north part of the world, from Canada to northerv Europe, and Eurasia to northern China. Great Crest Grebe is a water bird widely can be found in Asia and Europe, also south part of Africa and Australia. Above envelope affixed with two different bird stamps was sent by Swiss Post, which return some philatelic items for me. Below first day cover has a mistake, the cancellation date is before few day of issue. Neuchâtel is a town which located the shore of Lake Neuchâtel, about 800 pairs of Great Crested Grebe have been recorded in recent years. Grey-faced Woodpecker can be widely found in Europe and Far East, however they are killed in China illegally as the nourished value.

1,20 CHF : Grey-faced Woodpecker (灰頭綠啄木鳥)

2,20 CHF : Great Crested Grebe (鳳頭鸊鷉)

Switzerland (2008)

6th May, 2008. Neuchâtel

Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush widely lives in Europe, north Africa, Turkey and Russia, sometimes can be found in northern China. In winter, birds will move to north-west of India, Iran or Tanzania. The envelope shown in below was sent from a small village in the southern of Switzerland. Postmarked eight o'clock of 8 August, 2008. An interesting postmark with 4 of eight. Cover features two extra flower stamps are Common Mallow (錦葵) and Camomile (挪威甘菊) separately.

Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush (白背磯鶇)

Switzerland (2008)

8th August, 2008. Château-d'Oex

20th August, 2008. Hongkong

Unique birds of Malaysia

Top - 30sen : Malayan Peacock-pheasant (鳳冠孔雀雉)

50sen : Malayan Whistling-thrush (馬來西亞紫嘯鶇)

Bottom - 50sen : Milky Stork (灰䴉鸛)

Malaysia (2009)

21st January, 2009. Shah Alam, Selangor (First day special postmark)

22nd January, 2009. Selangor

3rd February, 2009. Hongkong

Those three stamps feature with one souvenir sheet presented by Malaysia Post last month, they are as beautiful as past issues. However the souvenir sheet omitted its country name 'Malaysia' and post office has been suspended to sell it. This nice first day cover, was sent by Mrs. Hashim, thanks for her great mail.

All of them are be protected by law nowadays as classified as Least Concern to Vulnerable. Malayan Peacock-Pheasant now only confined in Malaysia Peninsular. Malayan Whistling-Thrush can be found at Banjzaran Titiwangsa and Milky Stork can be found in Cambodia, Malaysia Peninsular and islands around Indonesia.

Nature protection in Italy

Left : Posidonia Seagrass (波喜盪草) ; Right : Peregrine Falcon (游隼)

Italy (1991)

20th January, 2009. Milano

31st January, 2009. Hongkong

After I set this blog up, I received some exchange requests, I am happy to receive them as I can exchange more stamps and covers from different places. Here is one of them, which is by Gottardi from Milano, thanks his great mail, the stamps are beautiful. Although I don't understand Italian and need couple of time to find stamp details. Stamps are come from nature protection stamp set issued on 1991, four stamps are Posidonia Seagrass, Peregrine Falcon, and two carry with WWF logo are Sardinian Deer (撒丁島鹿) and Brown Bear (棕熊) separately.

Posidonia Seagrass only can be found under Mediterranean Sea and south of Australia, In 2006, found an area of Posidinia Seagrass about 8 km width outside south of Ibiza, Spain. Their life maybe over ten thousands year. Peregrine Falcon can be regularly found in North America, Europe mainland, most area of Africa except Sahara, south-east Asia and shore of Australia.

Cover also features a dog and one definitive stamp indicated euro currency. However I don't have more details and will not introduce in here.

Chinese birds

From left to right :

Tibetan Bunting (藏鵐), Sukatschev's Laughingthrush (黑額山噪鶥)

Golden Pheasant (紅腹錦雞) and Xinjiang Ground Jay (白尾地鴉)

China (2008)

28th February, 2008. Guangzhong Road, Shanghai

(featuring first day postmark used in Shanghai)

Actually, it is a souvenir sheet contains 6 different bird stamps, for me I don't collect and reject to collect cover which wider than 200 mm, so I suggested my friend tear all the stamps from the sheet.

On this cover, there is selected four stamps of them, those birds are live in different places in this country. They have been appeared on stamps before, either special stamps or definitive stamps, however illustrator Zeng Xiaolian done a best job of this sheet, and it looks more beautiful then those old issue - although some old issues designed by him.

In this issue, Taiwan Blue Magpie appears on one of 6 stamps, I don't like this country issue this stamp as it can't be found in China. I introduced wonderful Taiwanese issue before, and this species only lives in Taiwan, seem I won't need record it in my collection.

The cover is clearly to find all stamps and postmarks, thanks for Fan lives in Shanghai. He has a nice blog features his worldwide FDC collection.

White Stork

White Stork (白鸛)

Congo, Republic of (2001)

22nd May, 2008. Brazzaville

I felt very surprise when I got back this mail. This mail, with the maxicard I have been posted in here was sent to Congo on early 2008 for obtain cancellations. Actually I don't have mint Congo bird stamps, so I enclosed one IRC on my request for return postage. After it came back, found it frank with one White Stork stamp which issued on 2001. How wonderful as the stamp is very rare in market and whole set of stamps is selling in high price.

However, I checked Congo does not have any record of White Stork, the nearest place can be observed is Ngorongoro Conservation Area which located in Tanzania. They are largely live in mainland of Europe, Iberian peninsula, Eurasia and northern China.

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret (美洲雪鷺)

St Vincent and the Grenadines (1997)

4th August, 2008. Kingstown, St Vincent

I don't like this souvenir sheet and the cover, as all kind of elements are specialise for collectors. Many Caribbean countries happy to issue many stamps for philatelic market, St Vincent is one of these countries. This souvenir sheet issued on 1997 which is one of a set of two souvenir sheets, another one is American Flamingo (大紅鶴).

Snowy Egret is not rear bird in the world. Same as other species in Ardeidae family, it looks beautiful with long white tails. Although it is migrated from North America to Latin America includes West Indies, some of them are permanent residents in Caribbean area. Because of its beautiful hairs, it is being endangered by market hunters as decorations for women's hats.

Little Penguin featuring Wandering Albatross

Wandering Albatross (漂泊信天翁)

Australia (2007)

11th January, 2008. Penneshaw, South Australia

(special cancellation featuring Little Penguin (小企鵝)

I don't know is it a nice cover or not, as the stamp and cancellation are very different, at least these two birds are not in same family. I have been wrote about Wandering Albatross in here when it was opening, so I don't have more comment on this species. In Australia, only Kangaroo Island have chance to find footsteps of Wandering Albatross, which located in the south of Australia.

Beside Tasmania and New Zealand, the only one place to obverse Little Penguin is also Kangaroo Island. Local government set up many conservation areas and national parks in south and west of the island, to prevent those birds and natural environment. In Penneshaw, a small village in the east of island, tourists crazy to make appointment to see march of Little Penguin at night.

To mark this interesting event, Penneshaw post office made a special postmark illustrated a couple of Little Penguin. I known that Australia issued Little Penguin stamp on 2001, however I don't have this stamp. Above cover is Wandering Albatross featuring Little Penguin, it looks quite oddly.

The Dodo

The Dodo (渡渡鳥)

Mauritius (2007)

7th October, 2008. Port Louis

13th October, 2008. Hongkong

The Dodo is very famous in world, not as it is beautiful or it does not afraid human, mainly reasons are it was extinct in 17th century after 160 years of discovery of Mauritius and the tale of Alice. It habited in Mauritius before people found this island but extinct in 1662. Unfortunately no specimen store in any museum for exhibition or reference nowadays, however many painters and artists use their pictures and illustrations to record Dodos.

Above cover shown us four different historical Dodo's illustration stamps, which are in one set issued on two years ago. Mauritius post office had issued many Dodo stamps since 1950, this time presenting the artist impressions of the Dodo : Rs5 is the Dodo's bill sketch found in the Journal of Admiral Wolfert Harmenszoon, who visited Mauritius in 1601 ; Rs10 is illustrated by Adrian Van de Venne on 1621 ; The illustration of Rs15, original painting appeared in a publication by Harrison, Cluse and Co. 1798 and the last one Rs25, chromolithographer is J.W. Frohawk, who did it on 1905.

In here also shown a selected maxicard of the Dodo. Thanks for Mrs. Tasneem of the great help on the cover and maxicards, they are important parts in my Southern Africa collection.

Maxicard

26th November, 2008. Port Louis

Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguin (皇帝企鵝)

French Southern and Antarctic Territory (2002)

2nd November, 2008. Dumont D’Urville

Emperor Penguin is the largest penguin in the world. Before the discovery of Emperor Penguin, King Penguin is the largest Penguin, for divide them clearly after it was be discovered in Antarctic, scientist named them Emperor Penguin. These two species look similarly however Emperor is little bit larger and different, especially their chicks, King Penguin’s chick grown grey fur but Emperor is blown. Emperor Penguin only lives in Antarctic mainland and nearby islands, but mainly bleeding in mainland during summer. One of their natural enemy is Leopard Seal.

These two covers are sent from different antarctic bases which operated by French government and Australian government separately. The first one, seal on the left side illustrated Emperor Penguin and marked it is their 58 years to exploration of Antarctic. Another one cancelled with a postmark illustrated outlook of Davis Station. Same as most mails from Antarctic, there have a seal mark the location of the base. France one is 140º1'E 66º40’S and Australia one is 77º58'E 68º35’S.

Australian Antarctic Territory (2000)

17th December, 2007. Davis Station

European Turtle Dove

European Turtle Dove (歐斑鳩)

Madeira (2002)

25th February, 2008. São Vicente, Madeira

A small (27mm) chalk-browned Turtle Dove with black and white veins on neck and dark-browned wings, size is smaller than Rufous Turtle Dove. Mostly they are widely living in Europe, Eurasia and North Africa. In Madeira, good bird-watching place is São Vicente, a small village in the north of Madeira.

Above cover is sent from São Vicente, the return address I added back after it come back. However, I known one friend who lives in Madeira afterward, her house is in São Vicente and nearest this hotel. She surprises this cover and sent me some postcards from there, it is really a nice place.

Endangered Species - Canada

Left : Burrowing Owl (穴鴞) ; Right : Prothonotary Warbler (藍翅黃森鶯)

Bottom : Roseate Tern (粉紅燕鷗)

Canada (2008)

1st October, 2008. Semans, Saskatchewan

It is the last set of Endangered Species stamp series issued by Canada, last two sets are illustrated different marine life and wildlife animals. On the cover shown three of these four stamps, and the forth one is butterfly stamp illustrated Taylor’s Checkerspot (泰勒氏格紋蛺蝶).

Burrowing Owl is becoming rare bird, only 88 pairs recorded in 1998 and only Grasslands National Park which located in border of Saskatchewan can be observed inside Canada. Prothonotary Warbler is wildly living in western part of North America, they look like Yellow Warbler. In Canada, mostly can be found in southwestern Ontario. Roseate Tern is a seabird can be found in western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Iles de la Madeleine. However it also can be found in western Pacific, Hongkong has been issue Roseate Tern stamp includes in definitive stamps issued on 2006.

Above cover was sent on the first day of issue, featuring one oyster farming definitive stamp, thank Eve for this cover. Below cover shown Roseate Tern stamp sent from Hongkong.

Roseate Tern (粉紅燕鷗)

Hongkong (2006)

22nd December, 2008. Sun Chui, Shatin

Black-faced Spoonbill

Black-faced Spoonbill (黑面琵鷺)

Taiwan (2004, pre-paid envelope 2005)

21st November, 2008. Chigo

Yesterday is International Wetland Day, however seem no one knows it as there was no news report in here.

Black-faced spoonbill is very famous in Hongkong. During late autumn, thousand of Black-faced Spoonbill start their long journey from Korea peninsula and North-east of China to south-east Asia, include Taiwan, Hongkong, and most farthest place of Vietnam.

Deep Bay is the most important living place for them in Hongkong, many bird-watchers will visit Maipo, Namsanwai to obverse them, and also wetland park in Tinshuiwai which operated by FNO. In Taiwan, the famous bird-watching place is Tsengwen Estuary wetlands of Tainan. Above pre-paid Black-faced spoonbill envelope with whole set of same illustration stamps, is sent from Chigo, which Tsengwen River is pass through there. The below envelope, sent from Hongkong to Portugal, bear with one Portuguese postage label, to mark the Poste Restante fee have been paid.

At last, thanks James from Taipei and Ruí from Vendas Novas of Portugal, to send me and collect those envelopes.

Hongkong (2006)

22nd September, 2008. Maonshan

30th September, 2008. Vendas Novas

Bulwer's Pheasant

Bulwer's Pheasant (鱗背鷴)

Brunei Darussalam (2001)

22nd March, 2008. MPO, Belait

Endemic bird of Borneo forests, it only can be observed in eastern Malaysia and Brunei. However some zoos and parks feed them humanly. Bulwer's Pheasant is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List nowadays as population rapidly decreasing. Cover shown two stamps illustrated mainly different between two sexes, male is in blue colour but female and juveniles are in brown colours. Sender of this mail Hung is a Chinese who lives in there, thus he can write 'airmail' in Chinese characters, thanks for his great mail.