junco

BIRD OF THE WEEK 

west coaster

bird of the week 

a cutout

 

It may be pedantic of me, but I do not approve - the correct name is Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

heron

 BIRD OF THE WEEK

x, y, z

xeric plants

above, rachet fruits are known for a high antioxident content and are used to reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar

while the chandelier plant helps to relieve belly aches and is used as a tea to soothe coughs, colds and flu

The buff tail on the queen is an orangish brown colour, while the males and workers tails are more a pale off white.   They can stay awake during winter and will continue to forage during the warmer days.

 

A double collared sunbird from southern Africa.  He's an energetic little guy with a bright, metallic green head and breast with a narrow metallic blue band separating the larger bright red band from the green breast.

and so we have come to our final alphabet week for Sunday Stamps (for now).   It has been a fun ride with so many interesting, and sometimes truly unique and unexpected selections!

woody

 

a wood duck a "resplendent denizen of woodland waterways" and a pileated woodpecker which shares many characteristics with the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker

vulture

 

French Somaliland existed from 1896 to 1967 when it became the French Territory of Afars and Isas.  In 1977, after independence it became known asthe Republic of Djibouti

a Vautour fauve is a Griffon vulture in English and can have a wingspan of 2.8 metres (or over 9'!). It is apparently Europe's most social - and populous - vulture.  Most of the ones in western Europe can be found in the Iberian Peninsula, while the ones in the Horn of Africa (where Djibouti lies) are migratory.

stamp from 1962, designed and engraved by Jacques Combet

swans, again

A cygnet from the Abbotsbury Swannery.  This time presented as a postcard, not a stamp

Some royal curves...

We have our own Stratford swans.  Many of these are descendants of of a pair of mute swans gifted by Queen Elizabeth in 1973, but the origins go back to 1918.

swans

1993 

illustrations by David Gentleman

Mute swans from Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset, which has an interesting - and ancient - history!

narcissists?

some spring narcissi from Canada, Germany and China

a diving duck from Poland called a netta rufina

and a nightingale, who may have the most beautiful and varied song

guides

 well behaved

I don't know my dog breeds, but I think this is some kind of retriever?  maybe golden? or a lab?

not so well behaved

from 1952, the ubiquitous Canada Goose

in the wild

 I hadn't realized just how many of these 'Fauna of Belarus' cards I had. These are some I haven't already posted

not from Belarus, but this poor guy is having a bad feather day and I couldn't resist

birds and bees

 

Seeing a bullfinch signifies good luck, new beginnings, love and divine messages

Seeing a male and female bullfinch side by side is indeed divine

sidenote:  Eurasian bullfinches don't make it as far as Canada, except for one who was found, with great excitement, in November '25 up in Yukon.

a western honey bee  from East Germany (1990) 

apis mellifica is actually made from the honey bee (apis mellifera) and is used to treat bee stings

red breast

 

It is raining here.  Here a couple of red breasted birds from Lithuania.  Artist: Raimonda Rauluseviciene

5,000 km

 This has a distinct look of Dick Bruna's work

Japan has a "letter writing day" on the 23rd of each month to encourage people to write and send letters to friends and loved ones to counteract the trend of digital communication.  And to help the cause, there are numerous stamps dedicated to this.  I wish we could adopt this  (in light of our current postal situation in Canada, and the cries of "who gets mail anymore, anyway").

About 5,000 km away from Japan is Nepal and this black  francolin of the pheasant family.  It is considered 'of least concern'

 

Another country that is about 5,000 km from Japan is  Nauru.  Once occupied by Japan (during WWII), it is the 3rd smallest country in the world.  It's highest elevation is about 213' above sea level and there are no rivers, but judging by this stamp it might have magnificent sunrises (and presumably sunsets)

three N countries

egret

 

These don't look so 'little' to me, but the translation is "little egret" which weighs about 310 g, or almost 11 oz.  I rather like the rhyming scientific name.  Above is  the Reddish Egret (700-850 g or 25-30 oz), which is far better displayed on a souvenir sheet than just the stamp.  The $5 in Eastern Caribbean Dollars is equal to 1.58 euros, 1.38 pound sterling, 1.85 USD, and 2.54 CAD

Audubon's depiction of these egrets was made 1827-38.  

thatch

rooftops

Storks are the national bird of Belarus. Their nests are high off the ground, in trees or rooftops, or pylons.  They evolve over time as the pair return year after year  and expand, alter and redecorate. Some nests have grown to 2 metres wide and could be decades old (and are, eventually, passed on to other pairs)

Some people's nests have thatched roofs that require repairs every 10-25 years or so.  It can be eyewateringly expensive, but is environmentally friendly and the materials are sustainable.  And is so pretty.  With the wildfires we are experiencing, it is a good thing that it is not a common practice here.

Some architectural details for Thursday Postcard Hunt.

whimsical birds

robin with a crown of flowers

a charley harper oriole

a singing male cardinal

some songbirds for Thursday Postcard Hunt

beach flamingo

 

walking on a sunny beach with flamingos would be a fun winter escape

birds

This kemphaan is seriously endangered as a breeding bird in the Netherlands and extinct in Belgium

 

 

 

These budgerigars are golden faced blues (from a photo by Leila Jeffries).  They are small parrots and the most popular to be kept as pets in North America and Europe

Below is a kestrel, a small member of the falcon family.  They are highly adaptable and can live anywhere from mountains to the seaside, to urban areas (even nesting at Notre-Dame Cathedral)