Tawny Owls, feature Black Woodpecker and Great Tit

0,10 € : Tawny Owl (灰林鴞) ; 0,01 € : Black Woodpecker (黑啄木鳥)
0,15 € : Eurasian Nutcracker (星鴉) ; 0,27 € : Eurasian Woodcock (丘鷸)
Belgium (2009, 2008)
16th October, 2009. Ieper
16th October, 2009. Gent

Do you remember I had introduced Tawny Owl stamps issued by Vietnam and South Korea before ? So pity that these covers are not handsome as one was not a pretty stamp and one only for make-up rate stamp. Now turn to Europe side of Belgium and Estonia, these two countries issued Tawny Owl stamps in October respectively, just few days separated. Thank you Piro from Estonia and Thomas from Belgium who sent me these two wonderful covers.

First is Belgian one, artist Buzin who drawn this stamp series near 25 years, he illustrated an owl stay in a branch at day time - although Tawny Owl is active at night. The owl of this stamp be coloured as reddish-browned feather, this sub-species S. a. sylvatica mostly appears Western European countries include Great Britain.

Another one is an Estonian Tawny Owl first day cover, designer also illustrated an owl stay in a branch but the background looks near dawn. Please note that the owl is grey colour, most of Tawny Owls live in northern Europe are having this colour feather. This sub-species named as S. a. aluco, mostly lives in North and Central Europe, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, these two covers affixed couple of bird stamps. The Belgian Black Woodpecker stamp just issued before half month of Tawny Owl stamp, this bird is one of large woodpecker of this family widely resident in Eurasian forest. Great Tit is a common songbird widely to be found in Europe and Asia.

The woodcock and nutcracker are introduced in here before, they also easily to be found in European forest or backyard.

R : Tawny Owl (灰林鴞) ; L : Great Tit (大山雀)
Estonia (2009, 2003)
8th October, 2009. Tallinn (with first day postmark)