⭕️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.

Great Bustard

Great Bustard (大鴇)
Slovakia (2011)
21st February, 2012. Petržalka, Bratislava

Just an ordinary registered mail from Slovakia but it fitted my bird cover puzzle. The great bustard stamp issued on last year which in a nice souvenir sheet, not much knowledge on this species but as my record, Slovakia not issued bird stamps more than ten years thus I am interested to have one.

So pity the shame Hongkong Post masked the attracted registration label which contains the detail of the post office name, even it just a number of sub-post office Bratislava 52.

Common Eider

Common Eider (歐絨鴨)
Åland (2012)
1st February, 2012. Sviby, Mariehamn

From 2012, the Frama of Åland Post begins another series Old Wooden Decoys, rather than Spar Buoys. The first is Common Eider, which is common bird in the Baltic Sea. As a result, the rich wild bird resource attracts hunters round the year. To be more succeeded on the hunting, they mostly use wooden decoys which are similar to real species to attract the game closer to hunter. Above first day cover, illustrated a hunter and how the wooden decoy works.

The label drawn the wooden decoy as above and real eider. The wooden decoy specially masks as female bird to attracted male bird.

Above is the first day cover sent on day of issue. Please note that as from January 1, the registration fee is €9,60 for the mail not over 250g. Supplementary postage label valued €6,10 is rarely to be seen in postal use.

Maxicard shown a family of eiders.

Common Eider (歐絨鴨)
Åland (2012)
1st February, 2012. Mariehamn

⭕️Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo Penguin (巴布亞企鵝)
British Antarctic Territory (2009)
1st December, 2011. Halley Station

Do I need any description ? The penguin is not new here and the stamp has been shown last year to commemorate 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty. So interesting, it postmarked on December 1 which was the day to sign the Antarctic Treaty on 1959.

To read more of this stamp, detailed description shown on here.

Southern Giant Petrel (南方巨鸌)
British Antarctic Territory (2009)
1st December, 2011. Halley Station

Yellow Canary

Yellow Canary (黃絲雀)
Ascension Islands (2010)
11th October, 2010. George Town

Not to be confused, Yellow Canary is a bird to be found in Ascension Islands and southern Africa but Serin (金絲雀) is a common bird in Canary and northern Africa. However, the same situation of them are, they are popular pet birds in the world. Above stamp shown that the back of male Yellow Canary is in black colour while male of Serin is yellow.

Thanks again of Ascension Philatelic Bureau coordinate this and last excellent covers.

World Wetlands Day 2012

$1,40 : Fork-tailed Sunbird (叉尾太陽鳥) ; $1,80 : Roseate Tern (粉紅燕鷗)
$2,40 : Greater Painted Snipe (彩鷸) ; $3 : Red-whiskered Bulbul (紅耳鵯)
Hong-Kong (2006)
2nd February, 2012. Tuen Mun Central

Just for my record, after 2010 and 2011, I decided to make some stuff to record this day in this year, even seems no care this event. And also one more maximum card of this definitive issue to be produced. Dalmatian Pelican, is the largest in pelican family, it is not more famous than Black-faced Spoonbill (黑面琵鷺) but more attractive than most water birds during migrate seasons.

The pelican now listed as Vulnerable class in IUCN list, mostly to be found in Mei-Po or Deep Bay of Hong Kong.

Dalmatian Pelican (卷羽鵜鶘)
Hong-Kong (2006)
2nd February, 2012. Tin Yuet, Tinshuiwai

Jasmund National Park

Jasmund National Park (雅斯蒙德國家公園)
Germany (2012)
2nd January, 2012. Bonn

In the beginning of new year, Deutsche Post continues to issue its national park series, Jasmund National Park be chosen as the stamp this time. As before, it also be a UNESCO heritage site in Germany. The stamp shown the largest chalk cliffs of Germany which called Königsstuhl. It measures 161 m high above the Baltic Sea.

The postmark illustrated shadow White-tailed Eagle (白尾鷲), is a common prey of birds to be found in Jasmund National Park.