Thursday 12 December 2013

Christmas Island- White-tailed Tropicbird

Each year Christmas Island produces colorful Christmas stamps which are a joy to collect with the quirky humor and special birds.
 White-tailed Tropicbird   ( Phaethon lepturus


Wednesday 11 December 2013

Indonesia- Bird Life International 2012

An attractive block of four endemic species from Indonesia promoted by Bird Life International 2012
 Siau Scops Owl (Otus siaoensis) Flores Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus floris)
Elegant Sunbird   (Aethopyga duyvenbodei) Invisible Rail  (Habroptila wallacii)


Singapore- Rose-ringed Parakeet

Rose-ringed parakeets  (Psittacula krameri ) are trained to work with astrologers.


A parrot astrologer/fortune teller typically sits beneath a tree or by the side of the road where people congregate in numbers. He has a cage which contains one or two trained parrots. The tarot like cards are either spread out or stacked in front of him. They are 27 in number representing the Indian cosmic system. Each card contains the image of a Hindu deity and some cards contain images of Buddha or Virgin Mary with Infant Jesus. When a patron sits before the fortune teller, the latter opens the cage and lets the parrot out. He instructs the parrot to pick a card for the patron. The parrot walks over to the cards, picks one from the stack or the spread with its beak and gives it to the astrologer. It then walks back inside its cage. The astrologer opens the card and based on the image tells the fortune of the patron.[1][2]
The practice of Parrot astrology is diminishing in Tamil Nadu due to lack of patronage.In Singapore it is a tourist attraction in Little India along the Serangoon Road. A variant is practiced in Pakistan.[4]   (Wikipedia)

Ireland- Golden Eagle

Golden eagle  ( Aquila chrysaetos) with a fine roller cancel from Dublin , Ireland


Australia- Eagles

An unusual approach for a personal stamp is to use pictures of eagles on the tabs.


Pakistan- Chukor Partridge

2009 was national Environment Year in Pakistan.  The Chukar Partridge (Alectris chakor) , native to Asia and a popular game bird is the National Bird of Pakistan.