⭕️Bird definitive series (3) of Slovenia

€0,25 : European Green Woodpecker (綠啄木鳥) ; €0,30 : European Honey Buzzard (鵰頭鷹)
€0,50 ; Hazel Grouse (花尾榛雞), €0,75 : Firecrest (火冠戴菊)
€1,00 : European Bee-eater (黃喉蜂虎)
Slovenia (2016)
27th May, 2016. Maribor

European Green Woodpecker is one of the largest members of the woodpecker family, growing to a length of 30–33 cm. Its habitat consists of open areas with some trees, preferably old orchards. The female lays clutches of five to seven eggs in unlined tree cavities. It feeds on insects, especially ants, and therefore spends a lot of time on the ground hunting food with the help of its remarkably long tongue. It is a widely distributed species in Slovenia and a common species throughout the year.

European Honey Buzzard lives in open deciduous and mixed woodland bordering pastures and meadows. It usually builds its nest high in a tree and will frequently occupy the abandoned nest of other birds. The female lays one clutch of one to three eggs. It feeds on wasp larvae, adult wasps and bees, and also on amphibians and birds. The European honey buzzard is a summer species that migrates via Gibraltar, Sicily and the Bosporus to southern Africa. It is a relatively common nesting species in Slovenia.

Hazel Grouse is one of the smaller members of the grouse family, growing to a length of 35–37cm. It lives in coniferous and mixed forests with some undergrowth and, unlike the other members of the family, remains within a very small area, of just a few hundred square metres, throughout the year. It lives in pairs and is very shy, and therefore difficult to observe. The female lays clutches of six to ten eggs and both parents care for the chicks. The hazel grouse feeds on a variety of plant food (buds, shoots and seeds). It is relatively widely distributed in Slovenia and is found in all mountainous areas.

Common Firecrest is one of two members of the kinglet family found in Slovenia, it grows to a length of 8.5–9cm and weighs barely more than 5.5 g. Its habitat consists of coniferous and mixed forest, where it tirelessly hunts tiny insects among the needles and leaves of trees. It builds a bowl-shaped nest high up in a tree, where the female lays between seven and eleven eggs. Each female lays two clutches. A relatively common summer species in Slovenia, individual specimens also remain over the winter in southern areas.

European Bee-eater iswonderfully coloured member of the bee-eater family grows to a length of 27–29 cm. Its preferred habitat is open areas with clayey or sandy cliffs in which to dig a breeding burrow. The European bee-eater nests in colonies. The female lays clutches of four to seven eggs and both parents incubate and care for the chicks. Bee-eaters are aerial hunters of prey consisting of the larger insects, such as dragonflies, and also bees. This summer species migrates south in autumn. It is a very rare nesting species in Slovenia.

⭕️Birds of Slovenia II

From left to right :
€0,01 : Great Crested Grebe (鳳頭鷿鷈); €0,02 : Stock Dove (歐鴿)
€0,05 : Black Stork (黑鸛) ; €0,20 : Kentish Plover (東方環頸鴴)
€0,50 : White-winged Snowfinch (白斑翅雪雀)
Slovenia (2015)
7th July, 2015. Službeno, Maribor

Slovenia continuous its bird definitive series on 2015, five stamps are Great Crested Grebe, Stock Dove, Black Stork, Kentish Plover and White-winged Snowfinch. Great Crested Grebe is the largest member of the grebe family found in the Old World, with some larger species residing in the Americas. They measure 46–51 cm long with a 59–73 cm wingspan and weigh 0.9 to 1.5 kg. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations. In winter, this is whiter than most grebes, with white above the eye, and a pink bill. Stock Dove is the largest within the pigeon family, and has the widest distribution. Its members are typically pale grey or brown, often with white head or neck markings or iridescent green or purple patches on the neck and breast. The neck feathers may be stiffened and aligned to form grooves, but these are absent in this species. The stock dove is less grey in plumage than other pigeons in Europe.

With a body length of 90–100 cm, the black stork is slightly smaller than its cousin the white stork. The black stork is a shy bird that is highly sensitive to human presence and lives inwoodland in the vicinity of small streams or ditches. It builds its large nest in old trees, usually oak, in lowland wooded areas, forests. Occasionally it will build a nest on a suitable rock. It has one brood consisting of three to five chicks. Kentish Plover is 15 to 17 cm long and can be distinguished from the little ringed plover, which also nests in Slovenia, by the dark patches on the side of the breast and, in the male bird, by a sandy-brown cap. Generally speaking it has less black on its body than related species. It nests on the coast, in areas safe from floods, on salty soil with scant vegetation. The nest is simply a hollow in the
ground.

With a body length of 17–19 cm, the snowfinch is the largest passerine species in Slovenia. It inhabits inhospitable areas of rocky grassland and screes above the treeline; it is unconcerned by human presence. It likes to build its nest in crevices close to areas where the snow remains on the ground for a long time and surrounded by steep rock faces. It lays clutches of four to five eggs and has one to two broods a year.

Great Crested Grebe (鳳頭鷿鷈)
Slovenia (2015)
7th July, 2015. Službeno, Maribor

⭕️Birds of Slovenia, a new definitive stamp series

From left to right :
A : Crag Martin (岩燕) ; B : Common Merganser (川秋沙)
C : Lesser Kestrel (黃爪隼) ; D : Ural Owl (長尾林鴞) ; 0,36 € : Eurasian Bittern (大麻鳽)
Slovenia (2014)
31st May, 2014. Službeno, Maribor

Slovenia starts their new definitive series after the Wild Flowers, which issued on 2007. The first five are A to D, and 0,36 Euros for basic rates, and perhaps more to be come. Crag Martin is 14–15 cm long and thus a fairly large representative of the swallow family. It is a rare nesting bird in Slovenia, limited to the western and northeastern part of the country. It belongs to the summer species, but it is the only swallow that can also be seen in winter in certain warmer or southern parts of Slovenia. Common Merganser, being 57–69 cm long, the common merganser is the largest of the three merganser species in the duck family that can be found in Slovenia. Lesser Kestrel is 29–32 cm long and so slightly smaller than the common kestrel, commonly found in Slovenia. Unfortunately, it has become extinct as a nesting bird in the country and can only be seen when flying through. Ural Owl is one of the largest representatives of the family of typical owls in Slovenia, and stays here throughout the year. Eurasian Bittern stay in Slovenia the whole year round. They build their nests on the ground, using reeds and twigs. They lay three to four eggs, and raise one to two broods a year.

Fauna series of Slovenia

From left to right :
A : Eurasian Curlew (白腰杓鷸) ; B : White-backed Woodpecker (大赤啄木)
C : Ortolan Bunting (圃鵐)
Slovenia (2011)
5th October, 2011. Službeno, Maribor

After 14 years, fauna series appears again in Slovenia issue program of 2011, the first issue was domestic birds. Not like last fauna bird issue, they are individual format instead of block of 4. And this time also issued a souvenir sheet - White Stork (白鸛). Special thanks to philatelic service of Slovenia Post, they provided excellent service of this issue, as sent the stamps as above cover.

White-backed Woodpecker (大赤啄木)
Slovenia (2011)
23rd September, 2011. Ljubljana

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.

Birds of Slovenia

From left to right :
70t : Lesser Grey Shrike (黑額伯勞) ; 60t : European Roller (藍胸佛法僧)
13t : Lesser Kestrel (黃爪隼)
Slovenia (1995)
9th October, 2007. Brežice

Those three stamps, with one another stamp issued by Slovenia illustrated its country's domestic birds. They are Lesser Grey Shrike, European Roller, Lesser Kestrel and Black-headed Bunting (黑頭鵐), which not shown on the above cover. European Roller has been shown in this blog before now just introduce other two. Lesser Grey Shrike is widely live in south and east Europe and mid-Asia ; migrate to Africa during winter ; Lesser Kestrel can be found in the areas where level higher than 3,000 feet, especially actives in the area of rocks and mountains. Same as Lesser Grey Shrike, it habits southern Europe to northern Africa, and also mid-Asia to northern China.

Nightingale

Simon Gregorčič (西蒙 克萊高里)

Slovenia (1994)

20th September, 2007. Soča

Simon Gregorčič (1844-1906) is a Slovenia poet born in Vrsno, Kobarid, a small village above the river Soča. His famous poem Soči (To The Soča) is one of the masterpieces of Slovenian poetry. Slovenia issued 4 stamps to commemorate 150th anniversary of his birth and other three poets' birth or death on 1994. This stamp illustrated a Nightingale (夜鶯), a honorary title of his one lyrics nightingale of Gorica and sight of Soča.

Nightingale is in grey colour. Feathers not beautiful but it can sing nice songs. Not likes other birds, it can sing at night so it got the name as this behaviour.