The Red Book of Lithuania

From left to right :
2,15Lt : Aquatic Warbler (水棲葦鶯) ; 2,90Lt : Tawny Pipit (平原鷚)
White-tailed Eagle (白尾鷲)
Lithuania (2013, 2011)
18th September, 2013. Vilnius

In September 2013, Lithuania Post continues to release two new stamps from the series 'The Red Book of Lithuania' after 2011.

The Aquatic Warbler is the only species of European passerine birds included into the list of globally endangered species. The Aquatic Warbler breeds in the territories stretching from the western France to the River of Ob. In the north, the habitats cover the southern part of the Baltic Sea Coast, southern Finland, and the upper reaches of the Rivers Volga and Kama. In the south, the habitats embrace the upper reaches of the River of Belaja, northern Ukraine, the Balkans, and the lower reaches of the River of Rona.

The Tawny Pipit prevails in the temperate climate zone of Europe, in part of Asia, and north-western Africa. This migrant bird spends winters in Africa and Indian subcontinent. In Lithuania, it is found in the Curonian Spit and the coast of the Baltic Sea as well as in the south east of the country.

The stamp on the far right, issued on 2011, is White-tailed Eagle.

Biodiversity hotspots in India

From left to right :
25rp : Bugun Liocichla (布坤藪鶥) ; 5rp : Nicobar Megapode (尼柯巴塚雉)
5rp : Hoolock Gibbon (白眉長臂猿) ; 5rp : Venated Gliding Frog (橙腹樹蛙*)
India (2012)
11th September, 2013. Bangalore International Airport

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” (1988), & 1990 revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in “Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions”. In India there has two biodiversity hotspots, one is Indo-Burma, and other one is Western Ghats.

Indo-Burma is a biodiversity hotspot designated by Conservation International, which extends from eastern India and southern China across Southeast Asia, and includes Australia, but excluding the Malay Peninsula. The Conservation International hotspot includes all of the World Wildlife Fund's Indochina Bioregion, but also includes the Meghalaya subtropical forests, which the WWF includes in its Indian Subcontinent Bioregion.

Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east. Altitude ranges extremely from 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft).

Those 2 bird species appears on the stamps are endemic to Indo-Burma or Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Biodiversity SOAR of Ireland (2013)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (大斑啄木鳥)
Ireland (2013)
1st August, 2012. Dublin

As last few years, Ireland An Post continues to issue Biodiversity definitive SOAR this year and it is the fourth series of 2013, eight labels issued cover variety family as well as before. The two birds chose as Great Spotted Woodpecker and Black-legged Kittiwake.

The Great Spotted Woodpecker can be found in both broadleaved and coniferous woodlands and forests and recently has been spotted in gardens and parks. They feed on seeds, invertebrates, and occasionally bird eggs and nestlings. During spring they can be heard ‘drumming’; a sound produced by rapidly pecking on a dead branch or other resonant object.

The Black-legged Kittiwake is a small, cliff-nesting gull, named for its loud, nasal ‘kitti-wake’ call. Its short legs are usually black, helping to distinguish it from the Red-legged Kittiwake. The hind toe of each foot is reduced to a mere bump, meaning it has only three functional toes instead of four, giving the Black-legged Kittiwake its scientific name, tridactyla, which means ‘three-toed’.

Black-legged Kittiwake (三趾鷗)
Ireland (2013)
1st August, 2012. Dublin

Great Spotted Woodpecker (大斑啄木鳥)
  Ireland (2013)
1st August, 2012. Dublin

⭕️Ducorps' Cockatoo

Ducorps' Cockatoo (杜氏鳳頭鸚鵡)
Solomon Islands (2013)
21st June, 2011. Honiara

The Ducorps' Cockatoo, also known as Solomons Corella or Broad-crested Corella, is a species of cockatoo endemic to the Solomon Islands. This small white cockatoo is larger than the Tanimbar Corella yet smaller than the Umbrella Cockatoo. The species is common across most of the Solomons, absent only from Makira in the south. It inhabits lowland rainforests, secondary forests, cleared areas and gardens. The Solomons Cockatoo nests in tree cavities. The eggs are white and there are usually two in a clutch. The eggs are incubated for about 25 days and the chicks leave the nest about 62 days after hatching.

The northern common cuscus, also known as the grey cuscus, is a species of marsupial in the Phalangeridae family native to northern New Guinea and adjacent smaller islands, but is now also found in the Bismarck Archipelago, south-east and central Moluccas, the Solomons and Timor, where it is believed to have been introduced in prehistoric times.

Two species are not endanger species but appear on the stamps.

Northern Common Cuscus (灰袋貂)
Solomon Islands (2002)

Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park

Nationalpark Wattenmeer (下薩克森瓦登海國家公園)
Germany (2013)
1st July, 2013. Berlin

The Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park was established in 1986 and embraces the East Frisian Islands, mudflats and salt marshes between the Bay of Dollart on the border with the Netherlands in the west and Cuxhaven as far as the Outer Elbe shipping channel in the east. The national park has an area of about 345,800 hectares. The National Park organisation is located in Wilhelmshaven. Since June 2009 the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea and the Dutch Wadden Sea.

The first day cancellation illustrated Common Gull (海鷗), an ordinary seabird of North Sea.

New bird series of Latvia (2)

From left to right :
Left : European Bee-eater (黃喉蜂虎) ; right : Long-tailed Duck (長尾鴨)
Latvia (2013)
24th July, 2013. Riga
31st July, 2013. Riga

As well as last year, I contacted philatelic office of Latvia Post again, they issued the forth issue of new bird series. Here is the first day cover and maxicards shown the two species European Bee-eater and Long-tailed Duck.

The European Bee-eater breeds in southern Europe and in parts of north Africa and western Asia. It is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, India and Sri Lanka. This species occurs as a spring overshoot north of its range, with occasional breeding in northwest Europe. This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly-coloured, slender bird. It has brown and yellow upper parts, whilst the wings are green and the beak is black. The Long-tailed Duck is a medium-sized sea duck. It is the only living member of its genus, Clangula; this was formerly used for the goldeneyes, with the Long-tailed Duck being placed in Harelda. An undescribed congener is known from the Middle Miocene Sajóvölgyi Formation of Mátraszõlõs, Hungary. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

European Bee-eater (黃喉蜂虎)
 Latvia (2013)
7th June, 2013. Riga

 

Long-tailed Duck (長尾鴨)
Latvia (2013)
7th June, 2013. Riga

Black Crowned-crane

Black Crowned-crane (黑冠鶴)
The Gambia (2006)
7th July, 2013. Banjul

Black Crowned-crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although in nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This species and the closely related Grey Crowned-crane (東非冕鶴), which prefers wetter habitats for foraging, are the only cranes that can nest in trees. Like all cranes, Black Crowned-crane eats insects, reptiles, and small mammals. It is endangered, especially in the west, by habitat loss and degradation.

Black Crowned-crane (黑冠鶴)
The Gambia (2006)
27th February, 2006. Banjul

New rate stamps for Ireland

Golden Eagle (金雕)
Ireland (2013)
2nd April, 2013. Dublin

March 1, 2013, An Post welcomes the approval by ComReg of its application for an increase of 5c in the standard domestic letter rate from 55c to 60c. The international letter rate for all destinations outside the island of Ireland will increase from 82c to 90c. Old price has remained unchanged for six years and new rate still among the very lowest in Europe.

As the new rate effective on April 2, An Post released couple of new coils and booklet stamps, those stamps still as well as Biodiversity definitive series. However An Post did not have special postmark to match those stamps, here are the maxicard and first day cover of the stamps.

Goldfinch (紅額金翅雀)
Ireland (2013)
2nd April, 2013. Dublin

Berchtesgaden National Park

Berchtesgaden National Park (貝希特斯加登國家公園)
Germany (2013)
1st July, 2013. Bonn

Berchtesgaden National Park is in the south of Germany, on its border with Austria, in the municipalities of Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden and Schönau am Königsee, Berchtesgadener Land, Free State of Bavaria. The national park was established in 1978 to protect the landscapes of the Berchtesgaden Alps. Headquartered in the town of Berchtesgaden, the park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1990.

The first day postmark illustrated Griffon Vulture (黑白禿鷲) which is one of ordinary bird of prey to be found in the national park.

Owls of Taiwan (3)

From left to right :
NT$5 : Collared Scops Owl (領角鴞) ; NT$10 : Tawny Fish Owl (黃魚鴞)
NT$25 : Ryukyu Scops Owl (蘭嶼角鴞) ; NT$5 : Eastern Grass Owl (東方草鴞)
Taiwan (2013)
18th July, 2013. Lanyu

After releasing “Owls of Taiwan” stamp sets in 2011 and 2012, Taiwan is following up with last set of four stamps in 2013 featuring 4 owls, 12 owls have been shown while 13 owls was discovered in whole islands.

Specially with Ryukyu Scops Owl, it only to be found on Orchid Island, which is off the East Coast of Taiwan proper. It has a brown facial disc and ear tufts. Its head and upper body feathers are brown with dark brown and tan stripes. Its breast and belly feathers are tawny. It lives mainly in forests.

  

NT$5 : Collared Scops Owl (領角鴞)
 NT$25 : Ryukyu Scops Owl (蘭嶼角鴞) 
Taiwan (2013)
26th June, 2013. Postal Museum, Taipei

26th June, 2013. Taitung

  

NT$10 : Tawny Fish Owl (黃魚鴞)

NT$5 : Eastern Grass Owl (東方草鴞)
Taiwan (2013)

26th June, 2013. Nantou

26th June, 2013. Pingtung