National parks of Albania

Eastern White Pelican (白鵜鶘)

Albania (2003)

4th February, 2013. Tirana

It is another mail from Albania, the issue also released on 2003 illustrated 3 national parks of this South Europe country. As the illustration, the country to be seen snow weather in during winter time - at least in Bredhi i Drenoves National Park, is situated 10 kilometres from Korça, on the side of the Morava Mountain.

Pisha e Divjakes National Park is a part of the complex called Lagoon of Karavastaja, where is important breeding area of Eastern White Pelican. Bredhi i Hotovës National Park, is a national park in southern Albania, in the region of Frashër, 35 km north-east of Përmet. The park has an area of 1,200 hectares. It takes its name from the Hotova Fir which is considered one of the most important Mediterranean plant relics of the country.

Domestic birds of Albania

Clockwise from left :
White Stork (擬游隼) ; Golden Eagle (金雕)
Eurasian Eagle-owl (鵰鴞) ; Eurasian Capercaillie (松雞)
Albania (2003)
4th February, 2013. Tirana

After the maxicard shown last year, here is the complete sheetlet on the cover. Thanks Hu for the special help of the sheet and another mail to be shown next post. The sheet illustrated couple of local birds of Albania, as well as south Europe. Except those four species on the stamps, the frame also includes Common Pheasant (雉雞), Dalmatian Pelican (卷羽鵜鶘) and Mute Swan (疣鼻天鵝).

Unfortunately as the sheet illustrated in dark colour, the postmark is not clear enough show on the sheet. 

Joint emission - Morocco and Qatar

Peregrine Falcon (擬游隼)
Morocco (2012)
21st January, 2013. Harhoura, Temara

Last year, Morocco and Qatar joint issued a stamp features their national flags and a bird - Peregrine Falcon. In here is not necessary to make description again on the falcon, as it seems easily to be found in desert area, the stamp also features a photograph of Sahara desert.

Above cover sent from Temara, an offshore city of Atlantic Ocean located in north-west of Morocco, it seems rarely to see a mail go through Japan before arrive Hong-Kong.

⭕️Woodpeckers of Malaysia

From left to right :

60sen : Banded Woodpecker (斑紅啄木鳥) ; 80sen : Common Flameback (金背三趾啄木鳥)
RM1 : Lesser Yellownape (黃冠綠啄木鳥)
Malaysia (2013)
13th January, 2013. Kulim

After 4 years, Malaysia issues bird stamps again. This time features 4 woodpeckers, 3 are individual stamps and 1 is in souvenir sheet form, those woodpeckers are local species - at least in whole Malaya Peninsula.

The souvenir sheet was specially printed in embossed process to make the woodpecker looks more reality. However the face value shame in RM5. White-bellied Woodpecker is a migratory bird which breeds in Korea and Japan in winter.

White-bellied Black Woodpecker (白腹黑啄木鳥)

Malaysia (2013)

13th January, 2013. Kulim

⭕️The migratory birds in Pakistan (maxicards)

 

 

From top to bottom :

Northern Shoveler (琵嘴鴨) ; Snow Goose (雪雁)

 Siberian Crane (西伯利亞白鶴) ; White Stork (白鸛)

 Pakistan (2012)

27th September, 2012. Karachi

Do you remember the first day cover of The migratory birds in Pakistan ? Just posted on November. In here I would shown a set of maxicards of this issue. Although the first one has mirror mistake, they overall look beauty and attractive. Thanks Patrick to help me coordinate the cards.

Bosnia Herzegovina (2)

Prenja Crazyweed (棘豆) and Rock Partridge (石雞)
Bosnia Herzegovina/Herceg Bosna (2005)
5th December, 2012. Mostar

it is the second mail from Bosnia Herzegovina, which also sent by registered mail. Different than first one from federation government, the stamps was issued by Mostar postal administration so you can observed that the registration label is different.

However seem the postal rate are same for three postal administrations, two extra stamps are affixed by locals.

Franking labels 2012

Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚)
Faroe Islands (2012)
24th September, 2012. Tórshavn

Islandic Oystercatcher (冰島蠣鷸)
Faroe Islands (2012)
24th September, 2012. Tórshavn

Since 2009, Faroe Post began to issue postage label for self-posting machines, and in the meanwhile they closed couple of post offices in rural area. The label format as well as Denmark and Greenland. In here is the fourth series features Street art - The Faroes my country. Four Faroes common animals selected and become characteristic cartoons. Above, two maxicards are birds while another two animals as below first day cover.

The four animals be named as Media Whore, Hipster, Biker and Emo-martyr respectively.

Ram (黑白禿鷲) and Pilot Whale (領航鯨)
Faroe Islands (2012)
24th September, 2012. Tórshavn

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt (黑翅長腳鷸)
Bosnia Herzegovina/Herceg Bosna (2005)
2nd March, 2005. Čapljina

Black-winged Stilt is a widely water-bird to be found in the old world - Europe, Africa and Asia, its beautiful body with long pinked legs attracted many birdwatchers. The bird, can be divided into 5 sub-species includes American sub-species, however now the American one becomes one individual species Black-necked Stilt (黑頸長腳鷸) Himantopus mexicanus.

Here is the maxicard of the Bosnian stamp which issued by Herceg Bosna, the country now has three postal administrations to carry mail from different parts of country. Herceg Bosna administration is terminated at Mostar. The postmark is shown the map features a river through Čapljina, the settlement located in the border of Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Three Friends and a Hundred Birds

From left to right :
NT$5 : Azure-winged Magpie (灰喜鵲) & Japanese Waxwing (朱連雀)
NT$12 : Common Blackbird (烏鶇) & Azure-winged Magpie (灰喜鵲)
NT$10 : Red-billed Leiothrix (紅嘴相思鳥)
Taiwan (2012)
22nd November, 2012. National Palace Museum, Taipei

Bian Wenjin (c.1356 - c.1428) an important court painter of bird-and-flower subjects during the early Ming dynasty, his style continued in the tradition of fine brushwork and vivid colors from the Northern Song school after the artist Huang Quan (ca. 903-965) combined with the atmosphere achieved by Southern Song academy painters. He was a representative bird-and-flower painter of the early Ming dynasty court who followed in the style of the Northern Song painting academy and also displayed something different as well.

Three Friends and a Hundred Birds was finished on July, 1413. Many Ming dynasty court paintings also have auspicious overtones. The drawing represented by pine, bamboo, and plum blossom symbolize the integrity of a gentleman who does not wither under adversity. Also total of 97 birds are shown here, though not corresponding to the number mentioned in the title, the word for "hundred" in Chinese can also mean "plenty".

Stamps as above are partly selected from the drawing and only show the species names while the bird visible, easy to obverse.

Taiwan (2012)

6th February, 2013 Sing-an, Taipei 
8th February, 2013. Hong-Kong

Piotr Kwit

Bullfinch (紅腹灰雀)
Poland (2012)
31st October, 2011. Chorzów

Piotr Kwit (1929-2002), is a nature painter of Poland. He was a folk artist from the village of Zalesie, near Limanowa in southern Poland. He sculpted birds, saints, historical personalities and classical music composers. He painted landscapes of the Gorce and the Beskid Wyspowy hills and of his home village as well as birds and religious scenes.

Below maxicard shown an illustration postcard 50's year of last century in Switzerland. Only three-colour lithographic to be processed and this is the most modernised in this era.

 Bullfinch (紅腹灰雀)

Poland (2012)

10th October, 2011. Limanowa