Mali- Common Kingfisher ( Alcedo atthis )

Common Kingfisher ( Alcedo atthis

) to commemorate the 200th anniversary of John James Audubon

USA- Roseate Spoonbill

Another delightful postcard with a very special date, from the Audubon set with a matching stamp of the colorful Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) which is a gregarious bird of the Ibis and Spoonbill family. Thanks again to Natalie for this great combination. The USA stamp is from the 1987 series.

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:)

USA- Tanagers & Snowy owl

here's that unique date again, this time from Mountain Lakes in NJ, USA  a pair of 2002 s/a  Western Tanagers (Piranga ludoviciana) and Scarlet Tanagers ( Piranga olivacea)  together with a Snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) to send this beautiful postcard of Audubon's Snowy Owl painted in 1831. Thank you dear friend Natalie.

Band-Tailed Pigeons

From a painting by world renowned wildlife artist, John James Audubon, here you see a pair of Band-tailed pigeons posted from Essone in France. Conservation efforts halted the decline in numbers of these large  pigeons, but it appears they are still under pressure from over-hunting.