Delta Greens

1955: Fauna of the Danube Delta (Design - Aida Tasgan; Engraver - Ion Dumitrana)

Europe's largest wetland is where the mighty Danube River meets the Black Sea.  The delta is home to a massive congregation of waterbirds such as the Great Egret, above, but also home to many varieties of freshwater fish

1994: Environmental Protection of the Danube Delta (Design - Simona Bucan)

which include four species of sturgeon, the stamp features the Beluga (Huso huso). The map shows another of the deltas iconic bird species, the pelican.  There are also ancient woods

1958: Mushrooms (Design - Harald Meschendorter)

so there must be fungi.  Whether there is saffron milk cap, probably not, as it likes pine forests and I think in the Delta there are oaks and willows.  For the birder winter time is a good time to visit as there will be hundreds of wintering birds (and no mosquitos), warm clothing essential.

1994: Winter Olympics (Design - M Vamasesu)

Although it will be icy only the oldest inhabitants can remember that in the past (70 years ago) you could skate on the river.  Since the second half of the 20th Century it is rarely thick enough because of the rising water and winter temperatures.

1967: Definitive 'Diesel Train' (Design - Ion Druga)

This must be one of the unique places to dream about traveling to while locked down.  It may be a pale imitation but 1,500 kilometer of  its channels and roads can be seen virtually on Google Maps (a short film clip here)

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Green - see how green it is on - See It On A Postcard

Mongolian Mushrooms

1991: Fungi

The woods and wild places are full of fungi at the moment and these stamps show a few edible mushrooms that might be seen.  On the left is Scotch Bonnet or fairy ring mushrooms (Marasmius oreades)  I always find a fairy ring a delight to see but it is not always appreciated by owners of pristine lawns.  On the right is an oak mushroom or Slippery Jack (Boletus luteus).  When photographing fungi there is always a certain amount of pruning required around them so I like that the artist has painted in some grass poking up.

Next is one I had never heard of the March Mushroom (Hygrophorus marzuolus), a so called snowbank fungus because they occur adjacent or within melting snow, a fact that gave me the wow factor. In Spain it has  the same name, Seta de Marzo, but the Italians call it The Sleeping Mushroom.  On the right is the chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) a prize for the gastronomic mushroom hunter.

Next is the Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris) and the Bronze boletus (Boletus aereus),  also called the Black fungus and described as "an edible mushroom par excellence" which grows in abundance from spring to late autumn in woods in warm climates such as the southern Mediterranean.

Lastly we have Caesar's Mushroom (Amanita caesarea) which is said to be the best fungus raw, cooked or in oil.  No doubt the Roman Emperor agreed.  Make sure those gills are yellow when picking for it can be confused with the poisonous Fly Algaric (Amanita muscaria) with its white gills, you will be ill but usually not life threateningly so.

1971: Livestock Breeding

Camels are known for eating everything and anything. I wonder if that includes mushrooms.

Common Earthball

 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Eastern Hemisphere - travel to See It On A Postcard