Season's greetings from the Isle of Man

European Robin (知更鳥) ; Goldfinch (紅額金翅雀)

Isle of Man (2011)
28th September, 2011. Douglas

This year, is Isle of Man's robin Christmas stamp to wish you have Merry Christmas. The stamp, and other five beautiful bird stamps are illustrated by Jeremy Paul who is famous nature illustrator in the island. The set of stamps also feature Sepac and Europa series, but I haven't purchased. Here, shown two maxicards as above and the cover with highest value stamp.

Long-tailed Tit (銀喉長尾山雀)

Isle of Man (2011)
3rd October, 2011. Douglas

Singapore Peranakan Museum

Singapore Peranakan Museum (土生華人博物館)
Singapore (2008)
16th March, 2011. Clementi West

Peranakan is a group of Chinese who immigrated to Melaka area during 15th to 16th century, after years those Chinese effected by local Malays. As their long-term history in this region, their instruments, gadgets, clothes to accessories are specially mixing with Chinese and Malaya styles, in sharp charmed colours with decorated Chinese luckily plants, animals and birds. In 2008, Singapore specially built a museum to commemorate and show above things of Peranakan culture. A set of 8 stamps issued on the meanwhile to show collection of the museum and 4 of them which are instruments or accessories with bird decoration.

Stamps from left to right are decorations of Phoenix (鳳凰) which is imitation luckily bird in Chinese culture, Tree Sparrow (麻雀), Common Pheasant (雉雞) and Red-crowned Crane (丹頂鶴) respectively. They normally painted on porcelain, jewellery and clothes.

⭕️Hummingbirds of Caribbean

$1.25, 35¢ : Antillean Crested Hummingbird (鳳頭蜂鳥)
30¢, 15¢ : Green-throated Carib (綠喉蜂鳥)
British Virgin Islands (1982)
2nd February, 2011. Road Town, Tortola

Above mail is also come from Caribbean which is the sixteen country of this region, as before not much people known where is British Virgin Islands, but mostly people only known that where is famous place to register company. However, some birds are endemic to this small islands and nearby regions. Antillean Crested Hummingbird and Green-throated Carib are common hummingbirds to be found in Caribbean, they also feature with beautiful and shiny greenish feathers.

50th anniversay of WWF

From top of first column to bottom of last column :
Eurasian Hobby (燕隼) ; Eurasian Wryneck (蟻鴷) ; Red-backed Shrike (紅背伯勞)
Golden Oriole (金黃鸝) ; Redstart (紅尾鴝)
Eurasian Pygmy Owl (花頭鵂鶹) ; Nightingale (夜鶯) ; Whinchat (草原石即鳥)
Liechtenstein (2011)

9th September, 2011. Vaduz

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of foundation of WWF, couple of countries issued stamps last year. The most interesting stamps possible is Liechtenstein, which is a souvenir sheet features 8 species in Europe, from songbirds to preys of bird. Although the stamp shame in hexagonal shape, overall it looks nice as the birds look inhabit in the forest. The most special is the sheet features 8 variety species while compare to other WWF series maximum in four.

However, they are all very common to be found in European countries, it was quite oddly to the license holder wish endangered species appear on the stamps. Perhaps it changes its mind but it is not good for collector as the series will be overflowed.

Maxicard

From top to bottom :
Red-backed Shrike (紅背伯勞) ; Redstart (紅尾鴝)
Eurasian Wryneck (蟻鴷) ; Whinchat (草原石即鳥)
Nightingale (夜鶯) ; Golden Oriole (金黃鸝)
Liechtenstein (2011)

9th September, 2011. Vaduz

75th anniversary of National Trust for Jersey

From left to right :
42p/75p : Western Marsh Harrier (白頭鷂) ; 79p : Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚)
59p : Dartford Warbler (波紋林鶯)
Jersey (2011)
25th October, 2011. Jersey

I think, or I would promise this is the last cover from Jersey ! The reason is not their stamps not nice enough but the service by their philatelic bureau is not acceptable. Following its cover, I receive a notice from philatelic bureau related to service charge of cancellation. The letter posted on soapbox meanwhile.

Anyway, look back to the stamps, not surprisingly the stamps illustrated by N. Parlett, who illustrated lots of wildlife stamps of Jersey. The stamp set, 5 stamps only 3 are birds. An extra one - 75p, as well as 42p stamp but specially change the mill (as known as La Caumine) in green colour ! It was not computer effect as the mill really painted in green to commemorate 75th anniversary of National Trust for Jersey, only few hours it turned white after inundated with complaints from angry Islanders.

Maxicard
Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚)
Jersey (2011)
25th October, 2011. Jersey

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.