⭕️Levantine Shearwater

Levantine Shearwater (地中海海鸌)
Malta (1993, 2001)
6th July, 2011. Marsa

Shearwaters, which range from 35 to 65cm in length, nest in burrows on offshore islands and coastal hills in the North Atlantic, eastern South Atlantic, the Pacific and throughout the Mediterranean. These birds feed on fish, squid and other marine creatures while searing out at sea. Large flocks of Shearwaters are commonly seen between March and November, scavenging behind trawlers together with other sea birds. The Shearwater has a very particular call, similar to a crying baby.

This bird breeds in colonies on rocky islands and cliffs, using cavities and burrows. They are frequent breeders and their eggs hatch within 53 days. The largest colony in the Maltese Islands is found at Ta' Cenc cliffs while some pairs also breed on Comino as well as on the Fungus Rock at Dwejra Bay, Gozo.

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.