International Year of Biodiversity (7) - Malta

€1,40 : Maltese Freshwater Crab (馬耳他淡水蟹)
€0,68 : European Storm Petrel (暴風海燕)
Malta (2010)
15th November, 2010. Marsa (Philatelic Bureau)

This is the seventh cover related to the theme International Year of Biodiversity, again it is European country which located in the middle of Mediterranean Sea. Four stamps illustrated variety species to be found in biodiversity environment, here selected three and affixed on two individual covers, the first one as above. Maltese Freshwater Crab is endemic freshwater crab to Maltese islands, it looks reddish grown with 10 legs, originally it was live over the island areas but population decreasing in recent years, and now rare to find in this nation. Storm Petrel, is a small migratory sea-bird commonly to be found in north Atlantic and western Mediterranean. In each summer, it flies from northernmost of Atlantic island - Nólsoy, the breeding colony in the Faroes to south for Malta, the large colony of Storm Petrel.

Another cover features Maltese Wall Lizard (馬爾他牆壁蜥蜴) is showing on the page International Year of Biodiversity at meanwhile.

New World Warblers and Sparrow

From left to right :
Black-throated Green Warbler (黑喉綠林鶯)
Black-and-white Warbler (黑白苔鶯) ; Red Fox Sparrow (紅狐狸麻雀)
St Pierre & Miquelon (2008, 2010, 2009)
17th August, 2010. Saint-Pierre

Here is a special St Pierre & Miquelon's cover sent by Tristan, thanks to him again after his last cover from Saba, the Netherlands Antilles. SPM (short form of the territory) is located in north-east of America, off-shore of Newfoundland of Canada to be found about 300 bird species. Two years ago a registered cover features Rough-legged Hawk (粗腿鷹) shown here was the first cover in my collection. Above cover, featuring 3 recent issues is the second one.

Black-throated Green Warbler and Black-and-white Warbler are belong to Parulidae (林鶯科), they are small songbird and only live in east part of North America. Black-throated Green Warbler breeds in south Canada, also SPM, and they follow the coastline migrate to Gulf of Mexico in winter. Black-and-white Warbler, as well as zebra, with overall black-and-white vein pattens. It habits in most part of Canada, SPM and most eastern area of United States, also migrates to Latin America in winter.

Red Fox Sparrow, under Emberizidae (鵐科) family, also a common sparrow in America. It is a sub-species of Fox Sparrow (狐色麻雀) which has brightest body colour and habits in central and east coasts, include Newfoundland and SPM. In winter and non-breeding season, it migrates to further south on October and returns back on May next year.

Canadian Geographic's Wildlife Photography of the Year

From left to right :
Great Blue Heron (大藍鷺) ; Rufous Hummingbird (褐背蜂鳥)
Tree Swallow (樹燕)
Canada (2010)
1st September, 2010. Vancouver

In each year. Canadian Geographic, a national wildlife magazine holds a competition for their resident entry wildlife photographing. On 2009, there are 52 photos related to different categories win the competition. Five of winning photographs issued as a souvenir sheet in mid-2010 by Canada Post. Above letter, thanks to Ong sent me three stamps photographed birds species.

Great Blue Heron was taken by Martin Cooper in autumn, he caught the heron standing on the rock of Gray and Byrne creeks, Burnaby. Grey Blue Heron is a common migratory bird in North America, it will fly to Gulf of Mexico or coast of East Pacific for winter. However, the birds live in south United States are resident.

Rufous Hummingbird was taken by Wing Yan Tam who only 15, she said she waiting the bird for hours in Richmond Nature Park, Vancouver. Rufous Hummingbird habits in the forest edges of western North America, from south Alaska to California. The bird will migrate to south during July and August and arrive Guerrero of Mexico.

Tree Swallow was taken by Mark Bradley in unusual nesting place of Jasper, Alta. He made a description to the photograph says people endure strange looks who couldn't understand why he was pointing such a large lens at an ordinary pipe. Tree Swallow also a migratory of North America, it moves to south for winters in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

For more entries and original photograph of the winner, please visit the official website http://photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/cg/Contests/wpy/default.aspx

100th anniversary of Kiev Zoo

Cuban Amazon (古巴亞馬遜鸚鵡)

Ukraine (2009)
20th February, 2009. Kiev
20th August, 2010. Dnipropetrovsk

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of foundation of Kiev Zoo, the Ukraine Post issued a souvenir sheet for this event. As well as other issues of different countries, species in the stamps mostly are not local species, above Cuban Amazon is one of example. Thanks to Volodymyr for this nice first day cover.

Cuban Amazon is almost greenish bodied with blue wings parrot which endemic to islands of Cuba, Bahamas and Cayman. There has four sub-species to indicate the bird appears on which area, while they features different colour of head. For human-feed parrot, almost just called Cuban Amazon. Wild parrot only to be found inside Cuba and Isla de la Juventud with population 10.000 and 1.320 birds respectively. For other sub-species, there has 3.420 birds of Grand Cayman Amazon (開曼島亞馬遜鸚鵡) A. l. caymanensis which endemic to Cayman Islands ; Bahama Amazon (巴哈馬群島亞馬遜鸚鵡) A. l. bahamensis has 3.550 birds while Cayman Brac Amazon (開曼巴克島亞馬遜鸚鵡) A. l. hesterna has 500 birds only, these two sub-species only live in dry forest and fields of these two islands.

I also collected a cover of Grand Cayman Amazon, which is a part of WWF stamp series. It will be shown here on next March.

From Los Glaciares to Tierra del Fuego

From left to right :

Magellanic Woodpecker (卡通鳥)
Falkland Islands Steamerduck (福克蘭海鴨) ; Brown Skua (褐賊鷗)
Argentina (1989, 1994, 2001)
20th August, 2010. San Luis Suc, San Luis

Thanks to Óscar of this mail, the cover affixed 3 stamps issued between late-80's to early 21 century. Luckily they are ordered by issue year and geography. Magellanic Woodpecker a large woodpecker to be found in Los Glaciares National Park, which located in Patagonia Province. It was declared as UNESCO heritage site on 1981. Except south Argentina, it also to be found in south-half of Chile. Falkland Islands Steamerduck, is endemic to Falkland Island, where specially named in Argentina as Islas Malvinas. The islands, include its territory South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, be claimed by Argentina. The islands now under Tierra del Fuego Province. The Tierra del Fuego also includes part of Antarctica, although the area also claimed by Chile and Great Britain. The last stamp commemorated 50th anniversary of San Martin base. It featuring a Brown Skua is one of common bird in Antarctica.

Animals in threatened habitats

From left to right :

2:20 kr : White-tailed Eagle (白尾鷲) ; 2:30 kr : Ural Owl (長尾林鴞)

2:40 kr : Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (小斑啄木鳥)

Sweden (1988, 1989)

7th September, 2010. Uppsala

According to couple of posts are jammed, the shortest time to finish all the jammed posting possibly on next March. Thus I decided post all mails before this Christmas which sent by friends on August and September. The first one is from Sweden, thanks Ronald for the cover, the stamps on above cover issued over 20 years but they not look old enough. These three species are quite common in Europe however as the title says Animals in threatened habitats, it means they are facing damage of their habitats, at least at this moment. In mid-20th century, most of woodlands be destroyed for their paper-making, furniture-making and other industrials related to wood.

Garden birds in northern nation

Maxicard

Blue Tit (藍山雀)
Finland (2001)
6th August, 2010. Kuopio

Not much special but these two card and cover are nice collection for my roller postmark series. Since new century the post office of Finland issues natural or culture self-adhesive definitive series on each year. Before, in here shown the series of 2000 and 2003. Now is the series of 2001 featuring Blue Tit, Golden Oriole and White Wagtail. Which are very common in Europe and Asia.

Above maximum card seems harmony as the background of the card and stamp also a branch of Pine (松樹). Pine is common tree to be found in woodlands area of northern countries. Most people pick the fruit of pine for decoration of present or tree during Christmas.

L : White Wagtail (白鶺鴒) ; R : Golden Oriole (金黃鸝)
Finland (2001)
6th August, 2010. Kuopio

First aerogramme of Slovenia

Lesser Kestrel (黃爪隼)
Slovenia (1996)
11th October, 2010. Službeno, Maribor

In recent days, there have oddly aerogramme hit in philatelist, the old fashion letter sheet began to use before 1840, the issue year of Penny Black. It mostly used to save postage and popular during World War II. Nowadays as the cheap communication teleology, most countries discontinuous to issue new version aerogramme. Above aerogramme is the first aerogramme issued by Slovenia, after it was independent from former Yugoslavia, possibly to commemorate the air show held at Cierklje, during June 29 to 30 of 1996. The imprinted non-value indicated stamp shown Santos-Dumont Demoiselle (1909) ; Howard DGA-6 (1934) ; Concorde (1969) and Posta (1996).

Although the aerogramme issued on 1996, it still valid for postage according to it does not indicate value. The aerogramme on the left side imprinted Lesser Kestrel, which originally appears on the bird issue of 1995. Until now, only three aerogrammes issued by Slovenia and two of them are related to bird and aviation themes. Lesser Kestrel be listed as vulnerable class in IUCN list, it is a migrated species when commonly to found them on the range of Southern Europe to Middle East, and partly north-east China ; while they migrate to sub-Sahara area during winter, and some of kestrels are resident of north Morocco or Algeria. The population in recent 10 years decreased by 30% according to inhabit destruction.