Voyageurs National Park

Great Northern Diver - Voyageurs National Park (普通潛鳥, 探險家國家公園)
United States (1999)
1st April, 2011. Ranier, Minnesota

Voyageurs National Park is a woodland area located in the border of United States and Canada, it was established in 1975 to commemorate the voyageurs from Europe. It has 461km² wilderness area be protected.

Above old aerogramme is one of the very last aerogrammes issued by USPS and after that the product line did not continuous. For decorated photos are related to the wild animal and sights of national park. Imprinted stamp is Great Northern Diver which is a very common loon in northern United States and Canada, and also it is a state bird of Minnesota. The bird breeding in the state and nearby areas, then migrate to south for winter.

Another sights in the aerogramme are aurora and Lake Kabetogama.

Jeremy Paul

Pheasant (雉雞)
Isle of Man (2009)
1st September, 2009. Douglas (First day postmark)

Jeremy Paul is a famous British wildlife artist born in 1954, he was travelled or lived in Spain, England, India, Africa and other remotest places include Antarctica and the Arctic. He now living in Isle of Man with his family, and has been held many exhibition related to his work. Since 1997, he was invited by the post office of Isle of Man, to illustrate couple of wildlife theme stamps of the post office, which are issued on 1997 (Owls), 2004 (Robins - Winter's friends), 2006 (Manx bird atlas) and 2009 (Country file by Jeremy Paul). The further issue, Christmas stamps of 2011 will also illustrate by him.

For more details of Jeremy Paul can visit his own site : http://www.jeremypaulwildlifeartist.co.uk/

⭕️Children's health 2011

North Island Brown Kiwi (北島褐鷸鴕)
New Zealand (2011)
6th July, 2011. Whanganul

Takahe (南秧雞)
New Zealand (2011)
6th July, 2011. Whanganul

Kakapo (鴞鸚鵡)
New Zealand (2011)
6th July, 2011. Whanganul

At the same day of Niue's issue, New Zealand Post issued their long-term charity series. This time, it features three endangered flightless species which are endemic to small areas of New Zealand. In the meantime, post office issued a irregular souvenir sheet in Takahe shape.

North Island Brown Kiwi only endemic to variety areas of North Island, and also some offshore islands near North Island. The species was a subspecies of Common Kiwi (大奇威鳥) before 2000. Afterwards it separated into 3 species include Okarito Kiwi (歐卡里托鷸鴕), which named in 2003. North Island Brown Kiwi is the first time appeared on stamp and now population about 5.000 birds.

Takahe, formally called South Island Takahe, to divide North Island Takahe (短翅水雞) which has been extincted in New Zealand. In 1898, the biologist assumed South Island Takahe was extincted, but it be rediscovered in the Murchison Mountains on 1948. Now only near 230 birds remain inhabiting in some off-shore islands of South Island.

Kakapo also has its own interesting story, it has been shown in 2009, a WWF issue of New Zealand.

40th anniversary of the convention on wetlands

40th anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands
(拉姆薩濕地公約40週年)
Belarus (2011)
15th November, 2011. Kobryn Brest Reg.

In 2/2/1961, 18 initial signatory nations signed a convention in Ramsar, Iran which related to protect important wetlands in the world. The former-USSR is one of signatory nation, and of course the convention also effected to Belarus. After its 40 years, total 160 countries and areas are the signatory nations which includes the newest member Laos.

A special envelope illustrated couple of Mallard (綠頭鴨) to commemorate this event by Belarus Post. Although Belarus is a small country in eastern Europe, it has Sporovsky, Pripyat, Prostyr, Zvanets, Olmanskie Marsh, Yelnya", Osveysky, Kotra and Berezina Biosphere Reserve etc. valuable wetlands to keep the country biodiversity.

Extra make-up rate stamp is illustrated Burbot (江鱈), which is a classics river fish to be found in cold areas of higher than Latitude 45º N, Asia and Europe.

Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx (始祖鳥)
Germany (2011)
11th August, 2011. Rehburg-Loccum

Archaeopteryx was decided as original bird but it subsequently classify as Archaeopterygidae (始祖鳥科) under Reptilia (爬行綱) on 1871, after 10 years of the discovery of first fossil in Germany. Archaeopteryx lives in Late Jurassic Period (晚侏羅紀) around 155 million to 150 million years ago mostly inhabits in Europe, when there were islands nearest Equator. Now 11 fossils are discovered and store in individual museum.

The pictorial postmark illustrated what does Archaeopteryx look like, Rehburg-Loccum and Eichstätt are the places in Germany discover fossil of Archaeopteryx.

Thanks to Wolfgang who sent me these two first day covers with special pictorial postmark.

Archaeopteryx (始祖鳥)
Germany (2011)
11th August, 2011. Eichstätt

Archaeopteryx (始祖鳥)
Germany (2011)
18th November, 2011. Solnhofen

Cape Parrot

Cape Parrot (海角鸚鵡)
South Africa (2011)
20th July, 2011. Tshwane

In 2010, South Africa continues to issue their popular domestic bird series stamps, it was fifth in the series and as before, each set features five species. This time, five forest birds are the actors and I only selected Cape Parrot for my collection. According to the stamps quite expensive, I gave up to collect whole set of stamps, even they seem beautiful enough.

Originally Cape Parrot has three sub-species separately endemic to South Africa (Cape Parrot / Poicephalus robustus robustus (海角鸚鵡)) ; middle of Africa (Grey-headed Parrot / P. r. suahelicus (灰頭鸚鵡)) and West Africa (Brown-necked Parrot / P. r. fuscicollis (啡頸海角鸚鵡)), however after reclassified they were become three individual species and the scientific name of Cape Parrot becomes Poicephalus fuscicollis. Now this species probably endemic to south-east of South Africa and border of Mozambique.

Owls of Taiwan

From left to right :
NT$25 : Collared Owlet (鵂鶹) ; NT$10 : Tawny Owl (灰林鴞)
NT$5 : Oriental Scops-Owl (東方角鴞)
NT$5 : Northern Long-eared Owl (長耳鴞)
Taiwan (2011)
8th August, 2011. Sinyi, Nantou

Taiwan again to issue bird stamps in this year. So disappointing, the stamps don't respond my demand as they seem missing something. Also, so pity that the original first day cover was lost and above one is redone after one month of day of issue.

Four species not very attractive but all of them illustrated endemic subspecies, except Collared Owlet. As the stamps printed in recess procedure, it is hardly to identify and make confusing to birdwatchers.

White-backed Woodpecker

White-backed Woodpecker (大赤啄木)
Finland (2010)
18th January, 2011. Helsinki

White-backed Woodpecker is a common woodpecker widely distributed in Eurasia, it overall similar to Great Spotted Woodpecker (大斑啄木鳥) but the snap of male White-backed Woodpecker is in red colour, and white bars across the wings.

Above pre-paid postcard issued by Finland illustrated different views of the bird in both sides, either of female in left and male in right side. In Finland, and nearby Nordic countries only can be found the nominate subspecies, however the population decreasing according to the inhabit lost.

Indepex 2000

Clockwise from top-left of block of 4 :
Rosy Starling (粉紅椋鳥) ; Garganey (白眉鴨)
Forest Wagtail (山鶺鴒) ; White Stork (白鸛)
India (2000)
20th June, 2011. Anna Road, Chennai

To be honest, Indian stamps are not my flavour according to the quality not fulfill my demand, the themes not attractive and print quality are not good as other developed countries. Only few quantity I collected and one of them as above, which is a block of four features birds to commemorate Indepex 2000, it is the last Indian stamp set I collected. Four species are very common to southern Asian countries, and Rosy Starling is one of famous pet-bird in Chinese area.

There also has some stamps on the back of cover, please refer to WWF special page.

Asiatic Lion (亞洲獅)
India (1999)

Definitive of Gibraltar

From left to right :
E : Eurasian Hoopoe (戴勝) ; 5p : Eurasian Eagle-Owl (鵰鴞)
2p : Balearic Shearwater (巴利阿裡剪嘴鷗) ; 1p : Woodchat Shrike (林鶺伯勞)
Gibraltar (2008)
30th March, 2011. Gibraltar

Unfortunately, until now, my order from Gibraltar still disappear even the post office sent me twice by registered mail. I don't know what reason of this and also a mail from Spain which contains cash not arrive safety. I give up to wait and only can show above cover received on June - it the third one in my collection. Four low-value definitive stamps are affixed on the cover. The background of the stamps, also interesting to show the sight of Rock of Gibraltar in different weathers and visions.

Three of birds except the shearwater are common to be found in southern European countries. However Balearic Shearwater now is endangered bird only actives offshore of Gibraltar and France, area of Mediterranean Sea ; and also North Sea.