Latvia- Oriole & Plover

From the seaside town of Jurmala in Latvia, a   Eurasian Golden Oriole    (Oriolus oriolus)& European Golden Plover   (Pluvialis apricaria) issued February 2015.

Germany- Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

A perfect SON, socked on the nose, of  the newest  semi postal Eurasian Bullfinch ( Pyrrhula pyrrhula) from Germany. Thank you Tom.

Romania- Eurasian Bee-eater

Eurasian Bee-eater ( Merops apiaster) :These spectacularly colored small birds are true to their name and do eat bees, as well as wasps, hornets and other insects which they catch  mid-air when they fly off from an open perch preferably in a dead tree.
Bee-eaters are migratory , breeding in warm climates where they next colonially and build tunnel nests in sandy river banks .Seen here, with the 12-12-12 tri-date and cancelled in Bucharest, on a pre-paid cover plus a matching stamp for correct international postage. Cover commemorates the Bucharest  Ramsar convention July 2012.

Switzerland-Kingfisher 1966

This is the first bird stamp produced by Switzerland , 1966 River Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) for a publicity issue for the Preservation of Natural Beauty. Other names for this bird are Common Kingfisher and Eurasian kingfisher. Postmarked in Zurich, its a very colorful and popular bird seen on more than 100 different stamps.