Monfragüe National Park

Monfragüe National Park (蒙弗拉格國家公園)
Spain (2010)
14th August, 2010. Granada

After the first series of National Park of Spain on April, the second series came out on July and one of the three stamps featuring Griffon Vulture (黑白禿鷲). Monfragüe National Park, is also an UNESCO heritage site listed on 2003, which is the largest inhabit and breeding place of Griffon Vulture in Extremadura area. Beside of Monfragüe, Griffon Vulture also mostly to be found in mountain areas of Spain especially on The Pyrenees. The stamp as above shown the famous sight in the Monfragüe - The rock Peñafalcon, which near Río Tajo, the southernmost border of Monfragüe National Park.

SAPOA

Joint issue SAPOA - from left to right :

K1.100 : Peregrine Falcon (擬游隼) ; K1.700, K500 : African Fish Eagle (吼海鵰)
K2.200 : Blue Crane (藍鶴) ; K750 : Western Cattle Egret (黃頭鷺)
K1.500 : Bar-tailed Trogon (斑尾咬鵑) ; K1.800 : Violet-crested Turaco (紫冠蕉鵑)
Zambia (2004)
Definitive - from top to bottom :
B : African Sacred Ibis (埃及聖鷺) ; C : Purple Swamphen (紫水雞)
Zambia (2001)
9th June, 2010. Lusaka Airport
10th June, 2010. Lusaka

Thanks to Yoram again, he sent me nice bird covers from Zambia and Zimbabwe when he spent a safari trip during mid-June, they are wonderful and amazing. This time, is the first SAPOA (Southern Africa Postal Operators Association) joint issue released on 2004, featuring the 7 membership's national birds, they are Peregrine Falcon of Angola ; African Fish Eagle of Namibia and Zimbabwe ; Blue Crane of South Africa ; Western Cattle Egret of Botswana and Zambia and last one, Violet-crested Turaco of Swaziland. However some birds has already shown here as below :

• Peregrine Falcon - Canada, Italy, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates ;
• African Fish Eagle - Kenya ;
• Blue Crane - South Africa ;
• Violet-crested Turaco - South Africa.

Actually, those birds are quite common to be found in southern Africa, or say some birds are endemic to some areas or countries.

As the postage rate, two more bird definitive stamps be used on the mail, these two old stamps (still selling in there and no surprising) issued on 2001 are seem more attractive than the SAPOA stamps ! African Sacred Ibis and Purple Swamphen are common in sub-Sahara area, and also the swamphen to be found in Indian Peninsula, South-east Asia to eastern part of Australia and Oceania islands.

Weaver birds of Namibia

From left to right :
N$4,20 : Sociable Weaver (社交織布工)
Postcard rate : White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (麻雀織布工)
Inland reg. mail rate : Thick-billed Weaver (厚嘴織布鳥)
N$3,70 : Red-headed Weaver (紅頭織布鳥)
Stand. mail rate : Southern Masked Weaver (黑額織布鳥)
Namibia (2008)
23rd May, 2010. Windhoek Central

In recent years, Namibia Post issues couple of bird stamp sets and most of them are attractive to theme collectors. Mostly each set featuring four to five stamps and only related to one family. Above example which appears on the cover, was issued on 2008 illustrated 5 different wavers to be found in Namibia or south-western Africa. Thanks for Yoram who arranged the covers from the booths of Namibia and Botswana (until now, 3rd July. The cover still disappears), which two philatelic bureaux were shown in London 2010. However very sorry to tell you that originally the cover should sent by registered mail ! Namibia Post made a big mistake for us.

Henry Constantine Richter

Roseate Tern (粉紅燕鷗)
Australia (2009)
3rd June, 2010. Strathfield, Sydney

Henry Constantine Richter (1821–1902), who was an Australian zoological illustrator in 19th century. He illustrated couple of animal pictures related Australia and Oceania. Above aerogramme, which issued by Australia Post on 2009, was one of a set of 5 aerogrammes features his works. Thanks Gesen his great help of the aerogramme and last first day cover.

Roseate Tern is not the first time appear on this blog, it is a quite common tern around the world. The aerogramme illustrated its sub-species S. d. gracilis, only to be found in Australia and New Caledonia, the main feather of this sub-species is the bill is longer than other Roseate Terns.

Doñana National Park

Doñana National Park (多拿那國家公園)
Spain (2010)
27th May, 2010. Caceres

Doñana National Park is located in the Southwest of Spain, this national park has been listed as UNESCO heritage site since 1994. It faced Atlantic Ocean and nearby río Guadalquivir, it is the one of important area of marsh and sand dunes of this area. Above stamp, is one of Spanish National Park series issued on May 2010, featuring the Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, the Garajonay National Park and Doñana National Park respectively. The stamp unfortunately only shown a common bird Little Egret (小白鷺), which is easy to be found in most European area. However, the sunset sight is quite beautiful, it makes the stamp look amazing.

Natural protection in Italy

800L : White Stork (白鸛) ; 1000L : Griffon Vulture (黑白禿鷲)
Italy (2001)
24th May, 2010. Roma

Honestly, I am very disappointed to this cover as originally I planned to send it by registered mail and postmarked by regular cancellation. However I think I better to give up to redo or make complaint of this situation, as I faced couple of times and Italy is not the first one. Above cover, featuring two different stamps were originally block of 4 of theme set Natural Protection in Italy issued on 2001. The set included 4 different stamps, two of them used on other cover (not shown) sent on 2007 and now only used the other two. Two stamps are not much interesting as they have shown in here before.

Italy has not been issued stamps about natural theme for a long time. Only seen their tight issue schedule in each years only related to history, heritage sites or monuments, famous people or brands and national events.

Songbird of Australia

Mangrove Golden Whistler (紅樹金厚頭嘯鶲)
Australia (2009)
15th May, 2010. Strathfield, Sydney

In last year, 2009. Australia Post issued a set of Domestic Songbirds stamps which features four amazing songbirds, the stamps illustrated by famous Australian wildlife artist Christopher Pope who also is an illustrator of Visiting Birds series of Cocos (Keeling) Islands issued on 2008. Two of the stamps, Scarlet Honeyeater (緋紅攝蜜鳥) of Domestic Songbirds and White-headed Stilt (白頭長腳鷸) of Visiting Birds won the vote of National stamp of Year 2009 and Regional Stamp of Year 2008. In here is presenting a first day cover (actually not sent on day of issue) featuring one of beautiful stamp Mangrove Golden Whistler and the illustration Noisy Scrub-bird (嘈雜藪鳥) which appears on the cover.

Mangrove Golden Whistler is endemic Australian bird to be found in north-western part of West Australia, some of birds are live in North Territory and Queensland. it mostly growing in forest near waterfront. Noisy Scrub-bird, also is an endemic bird of South-west Australia. Normally very small populations to be found in Two Peoples Bay of West Australia before 60's year of last century. Afterward, they humanly translocated to nearby Waychinicup National Park, Bald Island. Nowadays only near 1.100 population recorded as the loss natural habitat.

Amazing Asian Aminals

Toco Toucan (托哥巨嘴鳥) and Long-eared Owl (長耳鴞)
Hongkong (2010)
30th April, 2010. Hongkong

To commemorate the first year of foundation of Amazing Asian Animals in Ocean Park, Hongkong Post issued a set of pre-paid postcard to show the collection of the centre, which includes giant pandas, goldfishes, endangered birds and other animals. Here I selected one of cards only has birds, however I dislike this card as the toucan is not locally species. The toucan, only to be found in Amazon topical rainforest, due to illegal cage-bird trading, the wild-life population is decreasing, and recent years the toucan listed as protected species and the population becomes stable.