World Wetlands Day 2010

0,01 € : European Green Woodpecker (綠啄木鳥)
0,02 € : European Bee-eater (黃喉蜂虎)
0,30 € : Rock Pigeon (原鴿) ; 0,45 € : Red-rumped Swallow (金腰燕)
Portugal (2002, 2003, 2004)
2nd February, 2010. Olhão (features special postmark)

On 2 February of each year, more than 95 countries mark the day as World Wetlands Day to commemorate Ramsae Convention signed on the same day of 1971, an Iranian city on the seashore of the Caspian Sea. In each year the day will have different theme, and the theme of 2010 is Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change. As well as before, many events arranged by different organisations over the world ; the stamp exhibition held in Olhão was one of the event. Olhão is a town located in Algarve, the southernmost Portugal. It nears Ria Formosa and the nearby lagoons are important wetland and also is one of natural park of this country. In each year, many birds migrate from northern Europe for winter.

Above pre-paid postcard shown a special postmark of this stamp exhibition, the actress is Pied Avocet (反嘴鷸) which is commonly to be found in Ria Formosa Natural Park. The pre-paid postcard is part of series Aves de Portugal definitive stamps shown as well as before, and now the stamps were not valid for postage in Portugal.

On the opposite side of Portugal, the African country Algeria also has some wetlands located in the southern basin of Mediterranean Sea. Below two maxicards shown Pied Avocet and Greylag Goose (灰雁) respectively, also are common birds of El-Kala National Park, lakes area nearby El Kala. Although the cards cancelled at Sétif, the postmark date are interestingly marked on the 2nd February, 2011 !

MaxicardPied Avocet (反嘴鷸)
Algeria (2001)
2nd February, 2011. Sétif

Greylag Goose (灰雁)
Algeria (2001)
2nd February, 2011. Sétif

Herring Gull or Yellow-legged Gull

50th anniversary of Lions Israel (以色列獅子會五十週年紀念)
Israel (2010)
27th January, 2010. Jerusalem

In last post of Israel covers, I have been said that there has another cover about 50th anniversary of Lions Israel. It is a blue coloured stamp with a small bird which near unidentified. Of course, thanks Eli again of the cover, this time the postmark is matched with the stamp. I don't have comment on Lions due to it is out of topic, but Yellow-legged Gull (黄腿鷗) is a common large seabird mostly to be found in coast of European countries and seashores of Asia or North America. The bird originally was a sub-species of Herring Gull (銀鷗), L. a. michahellis, the one resident bird of southern Europe area Mediterranean Sea.

Below Swedish maxicard more clearly to show what does the bird look like, L. a. argentatus is another sub-species of Herring Gull in bulky size and with extensive white in the wing-tips while compare with L. a. michahellis, the another formally sub-species of Herring Gull. This maxicard bears intaglio multi-coloured stamp and attractive purpled Sturkö date-postmark, Sturkö is an island in the southernmost of Sweden, there have many islands nearby and is one of famous birdwatching place of this country.

MaxicardHerring Gull (銀鷗)
Sweden (2001)
9th February, 2010. Sturkö

Chimbeto ?

From left to right :
Great Egret (大白鷺) ; Andean Cock-of-the-rock (安第斯動冠傘鳥)
Vermilion Flycatcher (朱紅霸鶲)
Peru (2003, 2007)
February, 2010. Chimbote

Where does it come form ? The sender address, Cesar typed his city as Chimbeto of Peru, but it can't be found and the postmark read as Chimbote. Chimbote is the large fishing port of Peru, it is located in east coast of South Pacific. Actually the cover seems oddly as the postmark does not bear date as it can't be identify when did it send, however most of examples sent from Peru are looking like this, even it is registered mail. Anyway, I am little bit disappointed the first stamp ruined.

Three selected low-value bird stamps are come from different set, they are not match enough. The first stamp, issued on 2007 is a Great Egret. The picture was painted by Rubébn of Chiclayo, who won the second prize of competition Flora y fauna de mi región in 14-year old. Middle one, issued on 2003 is an Andean Cock-of-the-rock, it is a beautiful umbrellabird endemic to the north-east of Andes, it also is my third umbrellabird stamps I collected. Last one, also issued on 2007, is Vermilion Flycatcher, the beautiful reddish bird is easily to be found in tropical rainforest of Latin America and South America.

J. J. Audubon (2), stamps of Cayes of Belize

Front75c : Semipalmated Sandpiper (半蹼濱鷸)
$1,00 : Yellow-crowned Night Heron (黃頂夜鷺)
Cayes of Belize (1985)
11th January, 2010. GPO (Belize City)

In 1985, near 30 countries issued a common theme stamp set to commemorate the bicentenary birth of J. J. Audubon (26th April, 1785 - 27th January, 1851) who is an ornithologist and artist. Most of countries chose his illustrations for the stamps and Cayes of Belize was one of the postal administration. Cayes of Belize is a group of islands and reefs along the coast of Belize, is a famous place for diving and vacation to European and American. The place, issued its own stamps on 1984 to 1985 then no longer has stamp issue, in beginning all of the Cayes of Belize stamps are not be catalogued by large philatelic publishers, but most of them still valid for postage in the Belize until now. Above registered mail is an example of using Cayes of Belize stamps, affixed 8 Audubon stamps which sent on early-January of 2010.

Semipalmated Sandpiper commonly breeds in tundra of Arctic, mostly the living area near water. In winter, the bird along the east coastline of America migrates to South America, while the group can be more than thousand birds. It rarely to be found in West Europe and Asia. Yellow-crowned Night Heron is a resident heron endemic to Caribbean Islands, however some birds may fly to Canada in breeding season. The heron is in grey colour with white crown, measured estimate 60cm tall.

It is the second cover features Audubon stamps, the last one is France. Next year is 250th anniversary of death of Audubon, hope there will have new issues to commemorate this event.

Back

National bird of Israel

L : Hoopoe (戴勝) ; R : Goldfinch (紅額金翅雀)
Israel (2010)
27th January, 2010. Jerusalem

In January, Israel issued couple of issues, they are 50th anniversary of Lions Israel ; 150th anniversary of Alliance Israelite Universelle and National Bird. The first one, Lions Israel will be shown later as the stamp illustrated Yellow-legged Gull (黄腿鷗), the bird will also be a actor of my first personalised stamp printed on late-April. In here I would show the issue National Bird first, these these three stamps illustrate three common birds in Israel but only the middle one - Hoopoe is the national bird of Israel.

Thanks for Eli again for these two covers, however the covers seem oddly as their cancellations are not interrelation - first one is 50th anniversary of Lion Israel and second one is 150th anniversary of Alliance Israelite Universelle, anyway they look fine.

Follow this issue, there has a maxicard of Goldfinch, but it doesn't finish when this post written.

Graceful Prinia (優雅山鷦鶯)
Israel (2010)
27th January, 2010. Jerusalem

Black-faced Spoonbill, again

Black-faced Spoonbill (黑面琵鷺)
Korea, DPR of (2009)
21st January, 2010. Pyongyang

After a year, I would show again Black-faced Spoonbill here, this is the second post about this endangered species. The last post, shown together with an envelope from Hongkong to Vandas Nova of Portugal and a prepaid envelope sent from Chigo of Taiwan. In 2009, North Korea was issued a series of stamps and products illustrate Black-faced Spoonbill, and also they are one of series of WWF theme. Above aerogramme is the example of the series.

Korea Peninsula and part of north-eastern China is the breeding places of Black-faced Spoonbill, and they will migrate to south for winter. Mostly they stay in south of Taiwan, south-east China especially Hongkong and farther south to Vietnam. As the change of inhabit places, population has been decreased in 80's years of last century. After large range of conversation, quantity is increasing back in these few years.

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher (斑鶲)

Isle of Man (2000)

26th January, 2010. Douglas

After two years, another request mail from Isle of Man Philatelic Bureau. Same as last mail, another stamp which comes from same WWF issue has been used, the only different is this is maxicard. The card specially printed in black and white colour shown the bird standing on the dead branch. Spotted Flycatcher is very common in Europe and also western Asia as there is breeding place of them. In winter, it migrates to Africa and south-west Asia.

Princely treasures of Liechtenstein

Pietra Dura (大理石鑲嵌畫)
Liechtenstein (2009)
12th January, 2010. Vaduz

Actually I didn't have plan to have this issue as the stamp not related to bird, the issue just shown the princely treasures of Liechtenstein which is a collection of Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna. Pietra Dura, originally is an Indian traditional art, using cheap precious stones inlay a marble plate for desktop or cabinet. In post-16th century, this art disseminated to Italy via Arabic countries, and became popular in Europe afterwards. This mosaic cabinet, was commissioned from Henry Somerset of Florence in 1726, decorated full of birds, flowers and butterflies.

The stamp shown the left side of the cabinet. The bird seems mostly like European Roller (藍胸佛法僧) was a common bird of European countries in the 16th to 18th century. However due to the industrialised and change of inhabit areas, the population was decreasing to danger line after 19th century and now listed as endangered species in Europe.

It is not the first mail from Liechtenstein, last mail is an interested registered mail with 8/8/2008 cancellations. This mail, thanks for Vural who sent me from Vaduz, is my third mail from this small and philatelic country.

Endangered birds of Belize

$5,00 : Great Curassow (大鳳冠雉)
$1,00 : Slate-coloured Seedeater (灰藍食籽雀)
Belize (2009)
11th January, 2010. GPO (Belize City)

In last July, Belize issued a set of stamps illustrate five endangered birds, I specially sent a note to Belize Post to buy one set. However as there have some mistake, my note is not enough to pay the stamps but they still kindly replied my letter. Here, is one of the returned mail from them, is affixed with two of this issue, Great Curassow and Slate-coloured Seedeater respectively. Males Great Curassow mainly in black colour, however females can be in three different looks. It measured in 18 to 92 cm long and weight in 4,8 kilogram, widely lives in the tropical rainforest of rthe ange of south Mexico to Columbia. Slate-coloured Seedeater is a common seedeater which is in grey colour with yellowish bill, widely live in subtropical and tropical low-land forests, from Mexico to Venezuela.