Various bird stamps from Algeria

From left to right :
20,00 Dinar : Peregrine Falcon (擬游隼) ; 5,00 Dinar : Common Snipe (田鷸)
5,00 Dinar : European Serin (金絲雀) ; 10.00 Dinar : Eurasian Bullfinch (紅腹灰雀)
Algeria (2010, 1995, 2000)
27th November, 2010. Jijel

Those bird stamps which species illustrated come from Algeria have been shown before, except the serin. This smallest, pretty gold-yellowed colour bird is commonly to be found in Europe and also North Africa, large population are live in Canary. Formally the bird is resident but northern population migrates to south-east of Mediterranean countries during winter.

Summer visiting birds

From top-left to bottom-right :
59p : Common Cuckoo (普通杜鵑) ; 50p : Spotted Flycatcher (斑鶲)
42p : Barn Swallow (家燕) ; 86p : Common Swift (普通樓燕)
79p : Eurasian Linnet (赤胸朱頂雀) ; 64p : Greater Whitethroat (灰白喉林鶯)
Jersey (2011)
26th July, 2011. Broad Street, St. Helier

Again as last year, Jersey Post issued their fifth series of domestic birds. This time, the set features six visiting birds during summer. Thanks James sent me this nice (NOT have big demand of Jersey Post, it looks nice if you compare other non-philatelic mails of this poor island) registered mail, also not surprisingly they still using old-styled GB barcode registration label.

Are those six species only seen in summer ? I don't highly agree it. Just refer to the guide RSPB Birds of Britain and Europe, except Barn Swallow and Cuckoo, they seem resident birds to Britain and coast of France, nevertheless as Jersey is a small place in Europe and one of offshore islands to continent, the environment not attract these birds stay in there round years.

Anyway, thanks to James of this nice cover.

Lilac-breasted Roller

Lilac-breasted Roller (東非佛法僧)
South Africa (2000)
4th May, 2011. Pretoria

Not very special of this maxicard, just as Lilac-breasted Roller is one of beautiful and colourful bird in sub-Sahara area. I decided to arrange this card when I found such beautiful card, same as before the philatelic bureau only use its ordinary postmark to cancel the stamp.

Post & Go labels (IV)

From left to right :
Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚); Arctic Tern (北極燕鷗) ; Eurasian Oystercatcher (蠣鴴)
Common Ringed Plover (環頸鴴) ; Northern Gannet (北方塘鵝)
Great Cormorant (普通鸕鶿)
Great Britain (2011)
16th September, 2011. Trafalgar Square, London

In the Autumn Stampex, Post Office released its fourth bird Post & Go labels, which is the last in this series. This time features 6 seabirds are common to be found in seashores of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Not surprisingly the species have been appeared on stamps. Above cover is the first day cover of the label sent from London.

As the seabirds mostly inhabiting in northern nation of the country, a set of maximum cards as below which I arranged to be cancelled in those variety post office in Scotland.

Northern Gannet (北方塘鵝)
Great Britain (2011)
6th October, 2011. North Berwick, East Lothian

In the offshore of North Berwick, there has a rock called The Base Rock where is a praise of gannets. Three-fourths of British gannets to be found in this island, however the island has its own castle and lighthouse.

Arctic Tern (北極燕鷗) ; Great Cormorant (普通鸕鶿)
Great Britain (2011)
5th October, 2011. Holy Island, Northumberland

Holy Island, is a tidal island off coast of Northumberland, England. The island formally called Lindisfarne, the lower margin of postmark called Berwick on Tweed is parliament of the island. The island is historical but it also is a nature reserve named Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, in there can be observed thousand of seabirds in each migration seasons.

Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚)
Great Britain (2011)
4th November, 2011. Marloes, Pembrokeshire

Puffin is common and cute seabird in the country. Marloes is one of best place to find them in breeding seasons.

Common Ringed Plover (環頸鴴) ; Eurasian Oystercatcher (蠣鴴)
Great Britain (2011)
7th October, 2011. Fair Island, Shetland

Last two cards are cancelled in Fair Isle, Shetland. Shetland is the most important islands to seabirds, it is in the north-east of Scotland. Only 15 island inhabited while all of them colonised by seabirds ! Fair Isle and Fetlar are the islands in the east side of Shetland, only few inhabitant in there but have thousands of different seabirds like gannet, puffin and oystercatcher. A RSPB reserve has been built in the islands. The stamps as below cover, was issued on 1999 to commemorate centenary of RSPB.

Clockwise from top-left :
32p : Eurasian Oystercatcher (蠣鴴) ; 27p : Pied Avocet (反嘴鷸)
25p : Northern Gannet (北方塘鵝) ; 19p : Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚)
Great Britain (1999)
3rd May, 2011. Fetlar, Shetland

Conservation in Tristan da Cunha (2)

Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross (大西洋黃鼻信天翁)
Tristan da Cunha (2010)
11th November , 2010. Tristan da Cunha

Except the cover of new definitive stamp, I also arranged a maxicard of one of high-value stamp, it is Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross. Sadly the stamp not clear to show the bird but in another side it is a capture of conservation - ringing the albatross. Is it a nice maxicard ? It seems is, this is second item related to this species while first one was an aerogramme also issued by Tristan da Cunha.

International Polar Year

L : King Eider (王絨鴨) ; R : Brilliant-red Deep-sea Jellyfish*
Canada (2007)
Unidentified date and place

Honestly speaking, I don't like this cover, or can say that I don't like mails from Canada. Anyway, thanks James corresponded this cover. The stamp souvenir sheet in dark colour means postmark will not clearly show on envelope, and so pity that the shame inkjet postmark blurred and unreadable !

Stamps was issued to commemorate International Polar Year on 2007, I haven't buy it when local post office was selling it. The stamps feature King Eider and Brilliant-red Deep-sea Jellyfish. But please note that it is not Brilliant-red Deep-sea Jellyfish ! Scientific name imprinted incorrectly as Crossota millsaeare when correct name is Crossota norvegica !

King Eider mostly breeding in Arctic Circle and nearby sub-arctic area., surprisingly it was be found in Korea few years ago.

Love : True Blue

Eastern Bluebird (東方藍鴝)
United States (2006)
2nd May, 2011. Sammamish, Washington

Thanks to Mr Peterson sent me this nice cover. But stop .... it seems just a decorated couple birds staying on a branch and they are not identify. The description of new stamps by USPS says as below :

This colorful new First-Class stamp depicts two birds perched on a branch sharing a devoted gaze. The space between them forms a heart.

So is it a pair of Eastern Bluebirds ? From the photographs of the internet the species with orange stomach and blackish bill. Thus they just a decoration.

Caribbean Flamingo

Caribbean Flamingo (紅鸛)
Suriname (1999)
14th April, 2011. Paramaribo

Unfortunately, it is not a good maxicard as postmark not clear to read. However I think I should forgive the mirror mistake as Suriname seems a rare country in the collection list - for bird, of course. In America, Caribbean Flamingo is a famous migratory bird when breeding in Galápagos Islands, coasts of northern South American countries like Columbia, Venezuela and nearby islands. However they also to be found in North America, from Colorado to Mexico and some Caribbean islands.

Caribbean Flamingo is a giant and sharp bird in America. Its reddish feather attracts most birdwatchers. In most zoo of the world, flamingos are feeding by human and the card shown an example in one United States zoo.