Birds Perched, Birds Flying, Birds Aground

China 1953


Russia 1990


Germany 1963


Zaire 1979


Zaire 1982

Here are images of four se-tenant bird stamps, lithographed and engraved, and issued by Sweden on November 29, 1984, Scott Nos. 517-20, Facit Nos. 1324-27.

- nethryk

Christmas birds, designed by S. Ullström.


Hawfinch, engraved by Lars Sjööblom.


Waxwing, engraved by Czeslaw Slania.


Woodpecker, engraved by Czeslaw Slania.


Nuthatch, engraved by Lars Sjööblom.

Let's not forget the Canadian Millennium collection, which included three souvenir mini sheets with a dove, for peace.








The blob on the first stamp is a holographic dove in flight.
My classic sensibilities prefer the third steel engraved stamp.

Also included in the set was a small medallion, my fingerprints were extra.

Oh yes. Also included in the Canadian Millennium set is a pre-paid post card to, and I quote Canada Post, "send your millennium message to friends and loved ones anywhere in the world."

Assuming of course that you only had one.
Happy Canada Day (July 1st)

Holy flock! (oops, family site, sorry )

Marius,
nice birds,
the China is a "Picasso Dove"

Germany is 1973 not 1963.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a tiny bird, Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), designed by Luxembourgian sculptor Auguste Nicolas Trémont (1892-1980), engraved by Pierre Béquet, and issued by Luxembourg on March 9, 1970, Scott No. 487.

- nethryk

What was the worlds first postage stamp with a bird on it?
Regards
Gavin

What is that ultra-snazzy engraved Canada sheetlet??? Yummy!

Nice cardinal


<edit>

and Eastern BlueJay

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), designed and engraved by Pierre Forget, and issued by Andorra on May 27, 1972, Scott No. 212.

- nethryk

Here are a few of the most fiesty little birdies on the planet.

Hummingbirds.
Found only in the Western Hemisphere, they belong to a family made up of some 320 species.
The greatest variety and numbers are natives of South and Central America.
The wings never rest in flight with avg of 50-58 beats per second wing motion which gives them the ability to fly not only forward, but sideways and backwards.

The smallest is the Cuban Bee hummingbird, which is only 2-1/8" and 2 grams (and the bill and tail make up 1/2 of that length).
The largest is the "giant" hummer of South America at 8" and 20 grams.



The Ruby throat lives only in the eastern portion of the US.


The Broadtail and Costa's Hummingbirds frequent the American Southwest, living in canyons and eating nectar and microscopic bites of protein in the form of insects.


The Smallest of the north american varieties is the Calliope which weighs in at 2.5 grams and about 3" in length - yet it will take on even a hawk intruding in its' territory.

And another favorite - the Owl.

Owls are birds of prey, eating small rodents, insects and sometimes fish or other small birds. Primarily nocturnal, they have acute hearing. Unlike other birds, their eye is largely fixed in socket, and so they rotate their head to see at angles.

Like many other things in nature these beautiful creatures are threatened by loss of habitat, the natural forests.

Hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures. A green-thumbed aunt had a sugar and water hummingbird feeder outside her large kitchen window in her garden. You could sit and eat and watch the birds. Once she showed me a nest they had built close by.

Yes indeed - I have been very fortunate these last five-plus years to live where I am able to see four, sometimes six varieties at a time with my morning coffee or evening toddy.

The simple sugar water is a ratio of 4:1 water to sugar. Heated just til boiling and dissolved, and served up in a variety of feeders mostly glass with red base and yellow flower around the holes.

The pet stores here sell "fancy" stuff, that is colored red, costs 10X as much to buy than to make, all because they are drawn to bright colors and it's easier? The sad thing is that red dye isn't any better for them than us.

<edit> and trying to catch them on film is most difficult. a couple of poor attempts. Note the color differences in the varieties at the flash on the throat and head. The Purple is a Lucifer. The orange is Rufous female. The male is almost entirely orange and gold flame.