Birds

 

1976: Bird Protection (Design - Froitsheim)

A Golden Plover wearing its full finery which on this stamp almost looks like a hooded gold cloak.

1981: Birds (Design - Þ Magnusson; Engraver - G Betemps)

No dazzle on this monochrome Golden Plover but one could count its feathers.

2019: Europa - National Birds (Design - Tamer Lucarvic)

Another distinctive bird, the lapwing.  One of my favourites, I love its peewit call .  "Hark Hark the lark at heaven's gate sings" and our little beauty is the Horned (the male has tufts of feathers in summer) or Shore Lark.

1991: Animal Definitives 1990-02 (Design Celestino Piatti; Engraver Max Muller) 

Barn owls in their Sunday best

2001-04: Eagle Owl (Machine Stamps)

 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week - Birds - fly over to See It On A Postcard for more fine feathers

Autumn Colour

 

2016: Autumn Colour (Photo: Christopher Collin; Design: Carina Länk)

To stand close to a tree and look up is always a thing of wonder whether one sees the fresh green of spring or this glow of autumn.

It is thought this is the first series of stamps using photos from Instagram. The person behind the camera is Christopher 'Wisslaren' Collin (@wisslaren) with a million followers.  We go from the rust leaved silver birch by a lake to

1999: Deciduous Trees (Design - H Staun; Engraver - M Morck)

the golden yellow of a small-leaved linden tree.

2015: Jersey Seasons - Autumn (Photos - Andy Le Gresley)

Take a walk down a country lane near St John's village in Jersey.

2012: Flora (Photo: Lars Gejl)

or cross a meadow where autumn hawkbit grows (Leontodon autumnalis) in profusion.

2016: Autumn Colour

 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Autumn Colours - reflect the season at See It On A Postcard

Arts and Crafts

1968: German Crafts and Trades (Design - Karl Oskar Blase)

Remnants of the Medieval craft guild banners still live on in German towns as wrought iron signs hanging on shops, mainly in the historic centres of towns. Sometimes the symbols have altered over time such as the tailor's scissors changing to a sewing machine.  On this stamp it is definitely still a pair of scissors.  I wonder what the sign for Embroidery is?

1976: Embroidery

Where art meets craft. Korea has a long history of embroidery, traditionally made with silk thread and cloth.  I don't know where these beautiful designs are from or where they hang.  This is 'Azure Winged Magpies'

Roe Deer; Black naped oriel and magnolias

These were issued as single stamps and as a stamp sheet

This is described as 'fairy with a flute' which will be the nearest English translation but these also appear in Chinese art and are more like heavenly beings or immortals.

The tiger stamp was also issued as a miniature sheet surrounded by bamboo.

Church Kneeler, Polstead, Suffolk

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Arts and Crafts - See It On A Postcard



 

Waterfalls and Rivers

 

2008:Gorgeous Australia

The tiered cascades of Russel Falls in Mt Field National Park, Tasmania are a popular tourist attraction and just a half hour walk will take one there.

1953: Definitive 'Local Motives'

A little more effort is needed for the Tamarind Falls in Mauritius which is a days hike but with the opportunity of a swim. It is also called the 7 Cascades although there are 11 waterfalls that tumble down the canyon to Tamarind Bay.  Alternatively one can see two of the falls at a distance from behind the Herietta bus station.

1960: Opening of Kariba Hydro-electric Scheme

Although the mighty Kariba dam is more famous, the stamp features the Kariba Gorge, down which flows the Zambezi River, today the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.  The Kariba Gorge is 21 kilometers long and it took David Hume and Jephita Jumwi three days to walk it. I definitely would have taken the nearby dirt road for the hike was not for the fainthearted.

1964: Nature Preservation (Design - M Stage; Engraver - Cz Slania)

Or even better idle by the Karup (known for its very large sea trout) in Denmark

1977: Navigation on the Danube (Design - CV Carnabatu and C Bucur)

or relax on a ride down the Danube. Here the Carpati is seen at Cazane cruising through the Iron Gates gorge in the Carpathian Mountains.

Stepping Stones, River Esk, Cumbria

 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Waterfalls and Rivers - flow over for more to See It On A Postcard