USA- Northern Cardinal

Northern cardinals  (Cardinalis cardinalis )with their bright red plumage are good subjects for bird stamps. First seen on a USA Wildlife Conservation stamp in 1972 and ten years later in 1982 on state stamps for West Virginia and Kentucky (and other states) The postcard of Audubon's fine painting depicts the birds on one of their food trees. Thanks again to Natalie for taking so much care in sending this card.  Postmarked in Mountain Lakes with the new thin single ring postmark which replaces the  red ink double ring . I'm sorry to see the red postmark disappear, it was always so different to most you get around the world. Please take note of the 2002,  60 cent stamp ..its smaller than the older stamps, which I find  unusual as generally stamps are getting bigger not smaller:)