New Zealand- ,South Island Saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus)

1962 definitive series semi- postal ,health stamps ,South Island Saddleback    Philesturnus carunculatus

European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Eurasian blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

Three Semi-postal (for the youth) songbirds on a registered cover  from Germany. Very attractive stamps of three very pretty little birds with the illustrations clearly seen against  a white background.

Germany- European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

From the latest German series of semi-postal songbirds on stamps , here is the colorful European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)  with a matching pictorial postmark. Cancelled in " Weltvogelpark Walsrode which  is home to a total of about 4,000 birds with 675 different species. It is the world’s largest bird park and one of the ten species-richest zoos in the world. The Park is not only a paradise for animal and garden lovers but also an attraction for international avian researcher." 

What a wonderful place, I would love to visit it one day to see so many birds in the one place.

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.

New Zealand-Game birds

Now here is something different from  Wellington ,New Zealand. Two license fee stamps and one semi-postal stamp cancelled with the one pictorial postmark ,which looks to be a Wellington tram. The NZ Fish and Game stamps are issued annually as minisheets. Bobwhite Quail was 2012 and the Ring-necked pheasant 2011. Although produced by NZ post, these stamps are not valid for postage but proceeds from the sales goes toward habitat protection. The self-adhesive stamps from 2011 is the Takahe or Purple swamphen               (Porphyrio hochstetteri) on a 60c semi postal stamp from a 3v set. Thanks to Holger for this special cover.