Birds of prey soar through USA

From left to right :
Northern Harrier (白尾鷂) ; Northern Goshawk (蒼鷹)
Peregrine Falcon (遊隼) ; Golden Eagle (金雕) ; Osprey (魚鷹)
USA (2012)
30th April, 2012. Bellevue (Midlakes), Washington

In the beginning of the year, USPS rise up the postage, a set of 5 birds of prey stamps in 85c for domestic mail weighing up over 3-ounces to be issued. Here is the series of maxicards cancelled at individual places as their related inhabit places, the five birds of prey, as known as raptors, are easy to be found in the world except Antarctica, selected five species mostly common from Alaska to the range of Rocky Mountains.

L : Golden Eagle (金雕) ; R : Northern Harrier (白尾鷂)
Peregrine Falcon (遊隼)
USA (2012)
20th January, 2012. Washington D.C.
23rd March, 2012. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
26th March, 2012. Big Bend National Park, Texas

L : Osprey (魚鷹) ; R : Northern Goshawk (蒼鷹)
USA (2012)
26th March, 2012. Osprey, Florida

30th April, 2012. Wisdom, Montana

Waxwing and Peace Dove

L : Bohemian Waxwing (太平鳥) and R : Rock Pigeon (原鴿)
China (2012)
20th March, 2012. Shennan C. Road, Shenzhen

In recent years, China Post decided turn their stamp design in higher quality, when compare with 10-15 years ago, thanks to computer effect stamps are look more colourful. The above joint-issue with Israel is one example.Two illustrated birds, Bohemian Waxwing and Rock Pigeon, are not much look like real birds and decorated with sharped colour.

The reason to choose two birds as their Chinese names are as well as peaceful. Bohemian Waxwing widely to be found in northern Eurasia area and migrates to south, sometimes can be found them in Fujian, Guangdong or further-south of Vietnam and Cambodia. Rock Pigeon, now becomes domestic dove in worldwide, originally lives in Germany. The whited doves always is a iconic bird of peace in variety activities.

Rock Pigeon (原鴿)
China (2012)
18th May, 2012. Hepingmen, Beijing

Definitive stamps of Cayman Islands (2)

80c : Caribbean Dove (白額棕翅鳩)
75c : Grand Cayman Amazon (開曼島亞馬遜鸚鵡)
25c : Bananaquit (蕉森鶯) ; 50c : Vitelline Warbler (卵黃林鶯)
Cayman Islands (2006)
9th October, 2006. George Town

Few years ago, I purchased couple of definitive stamps from Cayman Islands philatelic bureau, which are amazing pretty bird issue of this islands. Hopefully, the stamps until now still available in post office and above CTO cover was great helpful by the philatelic bureau again. Four lowest values are selected and cancelled with first day issued postmark.

The description on the stamps are seem mostly endemic species to Cayman Islands, but except Grand Cayman Amazon, they seem not have big variety and can't to be checked in species list. Only Grand Cayman Amazon is endanger species and others are common to Caribbean area.

Goldie's Bird-of-paradise

Goldie's Bird-of-paradise (戈氏天堂鳥)
Papua New Guinea (2005)
20th March, 2012. Port Moresby

From some documentary films, sometimes can seen a colourful birds with long tail and having special lek-type, they so called Bird-of-paradise. The bird-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae majorly to be found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and easternmost of Australia. The national bird of Papua New Guinea is Raggiana Bird-of-paradise (新畿內亞極樂鳥).

Above aerogramme illustrated Goldie's Bird-of-paradise is endemic to Papua New Guinea. But now it listed as Near Threatened species on IUCN list, as due to habitat loss, limited range and overhunting.

Carel Fabritius

Goldfinch (紅額金翅雀)
The Netherlands (1999)
27th February, 2012. Kerkplein, The Hague

Carel Fabritius (bapt. 27 February 1622 - 12 October 1654) was a Dutch painter born in Beemster. In the early 1640s he studied at Rembrandt's studio in Amsterdam, along with his brother Barent Fabritius. After ten years he moved to Delft and joined the Delft painters' guild in 1652. However two years later, he died.

Of all Rembrandt's pupils, Fabritius was the only one to develop his own artistic style, he interested in complex spatial effects which can be seen in A View in Delft, with a Musical Instrument Seller's Stall (1652) and also The Goldfinch (1654).

The Goldfinch now is the collection of Mauritshuis, The Hague.

Great Auk

Great Auk (大海雀)
Faroe Islands (2012)
20th February, 2012. Tórshavn

Great Auk, is an extinct seabird of the North Atlantic which very common in the Viking Age, it looks similar to Guillemot (海鴉) or Razorbill (刀嘴海雀) but larger than them, it can measure 70cm in height. In 15th century, large colonies to be found in Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland, Baffin Island and Labrador but the most famous colony was on the Penguin Islands, lies in the north east of Newfoundland. However followed the last Great Auks were killed in 1801-1802, there are no more Great Auk to be found in America.

In Europe, Great Auk was a summer visitor of Faroe Islands but last record was found in Stóra Dímun on 1808. Latest record of Great Auk was killed in Eldey on 1844. Before it extincted, European museums were flushed to find example be their collection and now can be seen their specimens in natural museums of Iceland or Denmark.

Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker (北撲翅鴷)
Cayman Islands (2006) ; USA (1982)
Cayman Islands : 9th October, 2008. George Town
USA : 10th March, 2012. Fort Payne, Alabama

Northern Flicker, as known as Yellowhammer which is common name in United States, is a common middle sized woodpecker in Northern American. It is a migratory bird to be found in summer of Canada while migrates to Latin America or Caribbean Sea's islands. However some of the birds reside in United States or Mexico.

Generally there are two sub-species of Northern Flicker - Yellow-shafted Flicker (金翼啄木鳥 / C. auratus) mostly to be found in eastern North America while Red-shafted Flicker (紅翼啄木鳥 / C. auratus cafer) is east part of North America. Above two maxicards, also feature Yellow-shafted Flicker, although Cayman Islands one is endemic species C. auratus gundlachi.

Northern Flicker is a state bird of Alabama, it commonly to be found in Desoto State Park which nears the town Fort Payne.