Cobb's Wren

Cobb's Wern (科氏鷦鷯)

Falkland Islands (2009)
20th August, 2010. Stanley
31st August, 2010. Hongkong

Cobb's Wern, as known as Rock Wern in locals is a small brownish bird endemic to Falkland Islands, formally it was sub-species of House Wren (鶯鷦鷯), but it separated later as independence species. It mostly nesting Tussac Grass near the coast with hollow ball shape, which only to be found in South America and Falkland. The bird may breeds three to four eggs during October to December in each year. According to the small restricted area, under 2,000 pair recorded in recent years and being to be a endangered species.

Waterbirds, joint issue of Hongkong and Sweden

$2,40 : Horned Grebe (角鸊鷈) ; $1,40 : Pied Avocet (反嘴鷸)
Hongkong (2003)
12th May, 2010. Kwai Fong

In 2003, Hongkong and Sweden issued a set of common design stamps featuring four waterbirds, which are to be found in both country and this small city. However, unfortunately do not know who made a mistake, Black-throated Loon is not possible to be found in Hongkong ! Anyway the stamps are attractive as it engraved by Czeslaw SLANIA, who is the famous Swedish stamp engraver but death in few years ago.

The stamp Pied Avocet has been shown in maxicard before, Horned Grebe and Great Crest Grebe are species in same family Grebes (鷿鷈科), which contain 22 species in 6 extant genera. These two grebes are migratory birds, they are breeding in northern Eurasia and migrate to south for winter, Hongkong is one of places for them during this season. The two covers shown here were sent on the same day, it was a first day of introducing of roller postmark in 28 post offices. Kwai Fong and Tsuen Wan are two of them and others to be shown in soapbox since June.

$3,00 : Black-throated Loon (黑喉潛鳥) ; $5,00 : Great Crested Grebe (鳳頭鸊鷉)
Hongkong (2003)
12th May, 2010. Tsuen Wan

Costal birds of Vietnam

From left to right :
2000d : Nordmann's Greenshank (諾氏青足鷸)
6500d : Spoon-billed Sandpiper (琵嘴鷸)
8500d : Saunders's Gull (黑嘴鷗) ; 10000d : Indian Skimmer (剪咀鷗)
Vietnam (2010)
13th July, 2010. Cai Rang, Can Tho

In my opinion, Vietnam issued a lot of bird stamps but except few sets, most of them are not attractive. It was very disappointed the stamps not beautiful enough or the species on the stamps not to be found in Vietnam. In the 25th May of 2010, this nation issued new bird stamp set again which featuring four rare coastal birds. The stamp sound attractive and thanks Mr. Tran sent me above nice cover from Cai Rang, a southern Vietnam town.

Nordmann's Greenshank is a migrate bird in far-east, nowadays population only leaves 1,000 birds and has been listed as endangered species in IUCN red list. Most of them breeds in northern Japan and some appear on north-east China. They migrate to south during winter, commonly stay in Malaya Peninsula but few of them in south Vietnam and the Philippines. Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a small wader breeds in north-east of Russia, as well as Nordmann's Greenshank, it will migrate to south for the winter where like Hongkong, India and Burma. In 2007, less than 100 pairs have been recorded by the statistics of BirdLife International. Now the sandpiper was listed as critically endangered species. Saunders's Gull is a species under Gulls (鷗科) family, this rare migrated gull to be found in the coastline of Russia, Japan, Korea Peninsula, China to northern part of Vietnam. As the habitat loss, the population of the species is decreasing and the status now is vulnerable. Indian Skimmer, it is one of three skimmers in the family, actually it formerly to be found in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos but now being extinct in this area. Now it can be found in river bank of India and Burma. The population is estimated about 6,000 to 10,000 individuals.

Thanks to Tran again below first day cover sent on 10th October, 2010. From Saigon.

From left to right :
8500d : Saunders's Gull (黑嘴鷗) ; 6500d : Spoon-billed Sandpiper (琵嘴鷸)
10000d : Indian Skimmer (剪咀鷗)
Vietnam (2010)
10th October, 2010. Saigon

Ascension White-tailed Topicbird

Ascension White-tailed Tropicbird (阿森松白尾鸏)
Ascension Islands (2009)
16th June, 2010. George Town
23rd June, 2010. Mount Pleasant, London

Seems I do not need make a lot of description, White-tailed Tropicbird was appeared on many countries' issues and repeated many times. Not surprisingly, Accession Islands issued this species few times and above registered cover featuring the latest version was issued on 2009. This species really is very common in the worldwide but the Ascension's one is the endemic sub-species P. l. ascensionis.

Actually, the most interested place of the cover is the registration label, due to the political of the territory, Ascension, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha are using same registration label with prefix SH. Here shown two covers from Ascension and St Helena, which also have registered code RJ000056530SH and RJ000009937SH separately. The last one, mail of Tristan da Cunha with new registration label will be shown in here on early 2011.

40p : Bael Tree (野煙樹) ; 50p : Yellow Bells (黃鐘花)
St Helena (2007)
16th July, 2008. Jamestown

Come again, albatrosses

From left to right :

90p : Wandering Albatross (漂泊信天翁)
60p : Light-mantled Sooty Albatross (淡額黑信天翁)
27p : Grey-headed Albatross (灰頭信天翁)
22p : Black-browed Albatross (黑眉信天翁)
Falkland Islands (2009)
11th June, 2010. Stanley

Thanks for James this albatross postcard from Falkland Islands, he made a request to the philatelic bureau couple of months ago and it turned back a while. The postcard featuring a set of albatross which issued on 2009 and one of stamp, Black-browed Albatross has been shown here. These four species are quite commonly to be found in the Falkland Islands, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and most area of South Atlantic and Southern Ocean. However as the irresponsible fishing methods in recent years, population of the most species of albatross family is decreasing and facing extinct.

Coat of arms of Latvia

Coat of arms :
5s : White Stork (白鸛) ; 13s : Raven (渡鴉)
Latvia (2010, 1996)
European Roller (藍胸佛法僧)
Latvia (2010)
28th June, 2010. Riga

Thanks to Olegs, I receive the first bird cover from Latvia, it is the newest country to have bird cover in my collection. Of course, if only court all the covers I have, this one is not the first one from this small eastern-Europe country. The bird stamp is the latest issue but so pity that it is not much special - I mean the species has been issued by many countries before. European Roller was quite common in the bank of Baltic Sea's countries like Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to most east European area, but in recent years the population is decreasing quickly and now near endanger.

The cover also featuring three coat of arms definitive stamps, which only two of them are related to bird. White Stork is delegate of Staicele and Raven is delegate of Preiļi. Another coat of arm related to bird is Gulebene, the delegate is Mute Swan (啞天鵝).

Xianghai National Nature Reserve

L : Golden Eagle (金鷹) ; R : Common Shelduck (翹鼻麻鴨)
China (2005)
11th June, 2010. Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang

In last year, here was shown a maxicard with a shelduck which cancelled at Xianghai, Jilin. This nature reserve is one of the largest reserve in North-east China. Once again, thanks James, he also sent me a cover with this stamp set Xianghai National Nature Reserve, however it sent from Zhejiang, the rich and beautiful area nearby Yangzi River. Anyway it sounds nice as the cover keep tidy with clear postmarks. The Golden Eagle is commonly to be found in whole Chinese area, but there has two sub-species, the stamp seems illustrated Aquila chrysaetos canadensis as this sub-species lives in north-east and Inner Mongolia of China. Shelduck also commonly breeding in northern part of Eurasia. However, these two species will emigrate to south near Yangzi River for winter.