Peafowl in western's eyes (2) - Giuseppe Castiglione

India Peafowl (藍孔雀) ; Peony (牡丹)
Taiwan (1991)
18th March, 2011. Neihu, Taipei

It is the second peafowl drawing to show here, and also it was painted by western during 18th century. Giuseppe Castiglione (19 July, 1688 - 17 July, 1766) was an Italian Jesuit who born in Milan, he began to have interesting on Chinese culture during visiting Lisbon and Coimbra of Portugal in 1714. After a year he arrived Macao for studying Chinese, and having a Chinese name Lang Shih-ning.

He stayed in China more than 50 years, participated the design work of the Old Summer Palace, the imperial gardens of early Qing dynasty. Also he painted couple of paintings with emperors and concubines, nature, horses. Above souvenir sheet is one of his painting finished on 1758, now the ancient painting is a collection of National Palace Museum, Taipei.

The postage label is another ancient painting collection of National Palace Museum, painter Yun Shouping (1633-1690) also an important artist in early Qing dynasty. He specialised in flower painting and regards as one of the "Six Masters" of the Qing period.

Peafowl in western's eyes (1) - Jean Kefalinos

Greek engravers on 20th century (二十世紀希臘雕刻匠)
Greece (2011)
10th March, 2011. Dafni, Attica

Jean Kefalinos, in Greek : Γιάννης Κεφαλληνός (12 July, 1894 - 27 February, 1957), was a well-known engraver in Greece and mostly all of the works were printed in books. famous works were printed on books like Slaves in their chains, writing of Costas Varnalis (1928) ; The death of the Medici, writing of Prevelakis Pantelis (1939) ; The peacock, writing of Zacharias Papantoniou (1946) and The Ascetic, writing of Nikos Kazantzakis (1927). Jean also designed couple of Greek stamps during 1950 to 1954.

The stamp on the above envelope and maxicard titled as The Peacock engraved on 1942, which is a single coloured printmaking. However it is hard to find the detail of the work when writing this essay.

Here is the blog of Jean Kefalinos, in Greek only : http://efthymiades.blogspot.com/

MaxicardIndia Peafowl (藍孔雀)
Greece (2011)
20th January, 2011. Athens

⭕️Endangered birds of Belize (II)

L : Green Honeycreeper (綠旋蜜雀) ; R : Harpy Eagle (角雕)
Belize (2009)
21th February, 2011. GPO (Belize City)

Continue to write about the endangered birds of Belize. The last two, Green Honeycreeper actually is not endanger in the world but in Belize, it to be found from southern Mexico to Brazil. The body in green colour can make it is easily to be invisible in wild area, the stamp illustrate male bird as feather colour of male is bluish-green while female is grassed-green. Harpy Eagle is the strongest bird of prey in America, also to be found in southern America to Brazil. As the inhabit loss and illegal bird trading, the population of the eagle is decreasing and now listed as Near Threatened class in IUCN list.

⭕️Double Yellow-headed Amazon

Double Yellow-headed Amazon (雙黃頭亞馬遜鸚鵡)
Belize (2009)
21th February, 2011. GPO (Belize City)

In last year, here has shown you a cover features latest endangered bird issue of Belize, it was not an excellent cover as not sent by registered mail. Later on, I found a parrot postcard from online dealer and decided to do some stuff of left stamps. Now begin to show in this and next post, the first one is a maxicard of Double Yellow-headed Amazon.

Double Yellow-headed Amazon only endemic to most forest area of Belize and Honduras. As it has three inhabit area people divided the species to three sub-species. The stamp probably shown the one endemic to Belize A. o. belizensis. Unfortunately until now, the Double Yellow-headed Amazon is near extinct in the wild and now listed as endangered species, it is according to inhabit lost and illegal hunting.

Originally the maxicard matched with first day special postmark which illustrates head detail of parrot, but so pity now only ordinary postmark.

Owls of topical Africa

From left to right :
300F : Pel's Fishing Owl (橫斑漁鴞) ; 500F : Marsh Owl (沼澤貓頭鷹)
90F : Barn Owl (倉鴞) ; 205F : Fraser's Eagle-Owl (弗雷氏雕鴞)
Congo, Republic of (1996)
15th October, 2010. Brazzaville

Although Republic of Congo not as well as its neighbourhood country Democratic Republic of Congo has attractive Mountain Gorilla (山地大猩猩), along the Congo River, it still finds rich biodiversity environment. This range area to be found different kinds of migratory or resident birds during October to next March. Two years ago, here selected White Stork (白鸛) and Northern Pintail (針尾鴨) which are two of regular migratory bird of Congo, this time are four owls, they are common to be found in Congo.

Pel's Fishing Owl and Marsh Owl are resident of sub-Sahara area also Madagascar. Pel's Fishing Owl is a large, brown owl normally catch fishes or frogs as its diet. However small mammals, or insects are main diet of Marsh Owl. Local found Barn Owl mostly is a sub-species T. a. affinis, it looks grey in upper part and light buff with extensive speckles of lower part. Fraser's Eagle Owl is endemic to sub-Sahara area, also a common owl in Congo.

In the same time to fulfil enough postage, a set of Calabar Angwantibo (金熊猴) stamps which is a series of WWF also affixed on the envelope. Feature details has been posted to sub-page.

Buzin 2011

Northern Pintail (針尾鴨)
Belgium (2011)
0,05 € : Little Grebe (小鸊鷈) ; 0,57 € : Black Tern (黑浮鷗)
Belgium (2010, 2002)
15th January, 2011. Asse

The Buzin series seems never end, the first two came out in this 26th year are Northern Pintail and Osprey (魚鷹), low-value stamp for make-up rate value and high-value stamp for registered mail. Here it is, the first day cover with low-value stamp and some old Buzin issue.

Northern Pintail is a migratory bird as shown before. The pintail in Eurasia area mostly breeds in northern Europe and migrates to south from western Europe to sub-Shara Africa area and southern Asia.

Little Grebe and Black Tern are also common grebe and tern in Europe. The black turn has been recorded hybridisation habit between White-winged Tern (白翅黑燕鷗), the chicken of them are features characters of both species.

Aerogrammes of Great Britain

From left to right :
British Coastal Birds
Atlantic Puffin (北極海鸚) ; Black-legged Kittiwake (三趾鷗) ; Guillemot (普通海鴉)
British Moorland and Upland Birds
Willow Grouse (柳雷鳥) ; Eurasian Golden-Plover (歐金斑鴴) ; Black Grouse (黑琴雞)
British Birds - the Crow Family
Jackdaw (寒鴉) ; Eurasian Jay (松鴉) ; Common Magpie (喜鵲)
Great Britain (c. 1995)
12th December, 2010. Mount Pleasant, London

A set of 6 aerogrammes issued by Royal Mail during mid-90's year of last century illustrates British domestic birds in variety situations. Each aerogramme illustrated by famous artists with colourful backgrounds. One of artist is Norman Arlott, he illustrates birds since 50's years, some of illustrates published in reference books of bird-watching and special topics. recent years he also writing about bird handbooks and guides. Now he lives in Norfolk and over 100 books with his illustrations. Another one, Noel Cusa, also an artist of fauna. He begun to draw wildlife with watercolour since 60's year, above two of aerogrammes are illustrated by him.

25th anniversary of Buzin, part 2

From left to right :
Common Buzzard (鵟) ; Eurasian Hobby (燕隼)
European Honey Buzzard (鵰頭鷹) ; Red Kite (紅鳶)
Northern Goshawk (蒼鷹)
Belgium (2010)
30th November, 2010. Bruxelles de Brouckere, Brussels

In last year, a souvenir sheet issued for the 25th anniversary of Buzin definitive stamp and thanks to Thomas he sent me a nice cover with one stamp and Buzin's autograph. When today is one year after its issue, here shown another cover with whole souvenir sheet. Thanks to Yoram of London who spent a day trip to Brussels for Christmas shopping. The sheet illustrate five birds of prey are common in Europe, but the main feature of the sheet is Buzin drawing a buzzard in countryside. It seems the first time he appears on stamps - even only in frames.

So pity that the postmark is not clear enough to read, the date and place of sending only to be found in the ugly postage counter label.

Europa 2011 : Forest

Azores : Azores Bullfinch (亞速爾紅腹灰雀)
Madeira : European Robin (知更鳥)
Portugal / Azores / Madeira (2011)
9th May, 2011. Lisbon
L : Trocaz Pigeon (長趾鴿) ; R : European Robin (知更鳥)
Madeira (2011)
9th May, 2011. Funchal
R : Azores Bullfinch (亞速爾紅腹灰雀)
Azores (2011)
9th May, 2011. Ponta Delgada

This year, the United Nations proclaimed that 2011 is the International Year of the Forest. Many countries issue stamps or post stationery related theme, PostEurop also decided Forest is the theme of Europa stamp 2011. In here is a set of Europa issue of Portugal, and its territories Madeira and Azores. The stamps shown how people use resource of the forest (Portugal), enjoy the forest (Madeira) and live together with forest (Azores). Those stamps appear three species are endemic to Madeira or Azores, except the robin.

In the meantime, the Portugal Post issued a special pre-paid postcard made with cork, to commemorate the International Year of the Forest. The postcard and special postmark feature the logo of this activity.

International Year of the Forest (國際森林年)
Portugal (2011)
9th May, 2011. Lisbon

⭕️Caribbean's birds (7) - Antigua & Barbuda

From left to right :
75c : Red-billed Streamertail (紅嘴長尾蜂鳥)
90c : Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (黃腹吸汁啄木鳥)
$2,00 : Spectacled Owl (眼鏡鴞) ; $1,20 : Rufous-tailed Jacamar (棕尾鶲鴷)
Antigua & Barbuda (2000)

1st December, 2010. GPO, St Johns
5th January, 2011. Hongkong

The post of Antigua & Barbuda always selected different birds which can or not to be found in its country, perhaps it is because the stamp issue policy controlled by IPGS and this is a quite shame dealer in the world. Above stamps still under controlled by IGPS but acceptable when the species are endemic to Caribbean area. Red-billed Streamertail is a beautiful greenish bird, another name is doctor bird. However it is endemic to Jamaica not Antigua. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a woodpecker to be found in North America, Central America and Caribbean, it probably also lives in Antigua. Spectacled Owl is a common owl lives in the range of southern Mexico, Trinidad to Argentina. It's eyes specially in black colour similar to wearing glasses. Rufous-tailed Jacamar lives in whole America except Canada and United States ; and also not to be found in Caribbean.

Four species are not endangered species to this area, they are commonly to be found in variety countries.