Eastern White Pelican

Eastern White Pelican (白鵜鶘)
Ukraine (2007)
12th October, 2009. Kiev

Thank you Philipp of this mail from Kiev, actually this stamp set I waited for a long time and wanted to do it during stamp exhibition, however the Ukraine sale booth sold the stamps in HK$50, it was quite unreasonable as dealer only sells it in cheap price. The mail so pity that cancelled by machine postmark, it seems too heavy and two stamps couldn't been cancel.

Eastern White Pelican is one of large pelicans in the world, it breeds in south-east European countries and have short migration to southern Africa or south-west Asia for winter. This species is not endanger species but as more than 50% pelicans breed in the Danube Delta, where is an important breeding place of the pelicans in Romania and Ukraine. Especially only approximate 706km² of left bank of the Chilia area is situated in Ukraine, Eastern White Pelicans seem is a small settlement in this country.

Kakapo - it has been near extinct

Kakapo (鴞鸚鵡)
New Zealand (2005)
8th October, 2009. Te Anau, Fiorldland

Nowadays, near 110 kakapos are living in Chalky Island and Anchor Island, where are located in Fiordland National Park, the largest conservation area in New Zealand. Kakapo is one of original resident in New Zealand since pre-history, and it lost flying ability as there did not have main preys. Before the colonisation of there by Polynesian and European, kakapo is widely to be found in both north and south Islands, afterwards the population were largely decreasing to it become endanger species when the pets come with these colonial. In 1890, governor of New Zealand began to conserve this species, unfortunately this action was not successful, during the year of 1990 to 1995, only estimate 50 birds to be found in protection areas and they were facing danger by wild cats and other invasive species. Until 2005, all of kakapos moved to four special islands where all invasive species are cleaned, the population were increasing back to nowadays quantity.

Fiorldland National Park is in the south-west of the South Island, just near the largest lake in the island Lake Te Anau and the town Te Anau. Another famous endangered species Takahe (南秧雞) also to be found in this area.

Above cover affixed with whole set WWF Kakapo issue sent from Te Anau, features with New Zealand Demoiselle (紐西蘭鯛) and Kotukutuku (倒掛金鐘) stamps, which issued on 1979 and 1999.

Whale-headed Stork

Whale-headed Stork (鯨頭鸛)
Central African Republic (1999)
6th July, 2009. Bangui (Philatelic Bureau)

Whale-headed Stork is one large species in Balaenicipitidae (鸛形目) family, it only lives in tropical rain forest and wetland. Its bill looks similar with whale but it coloured in pink. From eastern African countries like Sudan, Chad, Uganda, Central Africa to southern countries like Rwanda and Zambia can find its image, it also appears in West Africa but rarely can see them. The bird now listed as endangered species due to the population decreasing, it caused by illegal hunting, the change of resident area and there damaged by human. Only 5000 to 8000 birds mostly can be found in Sudan.

Aquatic wildlife

FrontFrom left to right :
100 F : African Elephantnose (箭形長頜魚)
160 F : White-faced Whistling Duck (白臉樹鴨)
70 F : Collared Kingfisher (白領翡翠) ; 120 F : Ornate Horned Frog (鍾角蛙)
Burkina Faso (1988)

BackRed-fronted Gazelle (紅額瞪羚)
Burkina Faso (1993)
29th July, 2009. Ouagadougou
via France

Here is another mail from newest African series, Burkina Faso is located in West Africa and southern of Sahara. As Volta River flows through its country, Burkina Faso was named Upper Volta but it renamed on 1984. Same as other African countries, Burkina Faso also can find many species inside its national parks and reserve areas.

Above cover franked a set of aquatic wildlife stamps and a set of Red-fronted Gazelle WWF stamps on both sides, unfortunately only White-faced Whistling Duck and Red-fronted Gazelle can be found in West Africa, White-faced Whistling Duck is a resident bird mainly lives in south of Sahara and South America, it normally appears waterfront of ponds and lakes, mostly eats seeds and plants. Red-fronted Gazelle also widely lives in south of Sahara, from Senegal to Ethiopia, it now facing decreasing of population.

The mail sent by philatelic bureau of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso via France to Hongkong. The post office of France affixed one more registered label on the mail to record the status, however it overlapped the stamps at front side and I moved to back side when the mail arrived.

Red Kite in southern Europe

Red Kite (紅鳶)
Gibraltar (1996)
25th June, 2009. Gibraltar
15th July, 2009. Hongkong

It is the third time to show Red Kite stamp in here, last two are Great Britain and Switzerland separately. In last post says that Red Kite is very common in continent of Europe, however in western and southern of Europe, especially along the seashore of the Mediterranean, it is rarely to find its appearance. In winter, there are small number of Red Kites fly over Gibraltar when they migrating from northern Europe to North Africa, this WWF issue illustrated the birds bleed and live around the fort at the top of Rock of Gibraltar.

On the back of this cover franked with one extra stamp Honey Buzzard (鳳頭蜂鷹), it is one of newest Gibraltar definitive stamps but will not show in here.

Congo Grey Parrot, part II

Congo Grey Parrot (剛果灰鸚鵡)
São Tomé e Príncipe (2009)
25th June, 2009. São Tomé

One of latest WWF issue of 2009, illustrates Congo Grey Parrot of São Tomé e Príncipe, an islands and poorest country of Africa. The country located outside Gulf of Guinea and nearest Equator.

Congo Grey Parrot is one of sub-species of African Grey Parrot (非洲灰鸚鵡), this species has been shown here before, the Taiwan and Angola stamps separately. Congo Grey Parrot only can be found in Ilha do Príncipe of this country, and nearest island Bioko of Equatorial Guinea. Congo Grey Parrot owns grey-whited feather, reddish tail with dark-grey bill. Another sub-species of African Grey Parrot is Timneh Grey Parrot (提姆那灰鸚鵡), it is smaller size than Congo Grey Parrot and rarely can be found in natural environment. Population from Guinea-Bissau to Cote d'Ivorie, the different is it owns dark-reddish brown tail and the bill with yellow colour.

Congo Grey Parrot is popular pet over the world, most of parrots are bleeding humanised. Wild lived Congo Grey Parrots are being endangered, unfortunately they are facing illegal catching and trading.

Pheasants of Bhutan

From left to right :
2Nu : Kalij Pheasant (黑鷴) ; 8Nu : Satyr Tragopan (紅胸角雉)
5Nu : Blyth's Tragopan (灰腹角雉) ; 15Nu : Himalayan Monal (棕尾虹雉)
Bhutan (2003)
22nd May, 2009. Thimphu

Bhutan is one of secret countries in the world, it was closed until 60's year of last century, no visitor could go inside the country. However many people known that it is the most happiness country in the world now but it still is a poor country in southern Asia. As the country lays on the southern Himalayas, weather is cool in whole year so many species live in there.

Above WWF stamps are illustrated four Phasianidae (雉科) species which can be found in south Himalayas, those species are resident birds widely live in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and northern part of India, Burma and Thailand.