Young Animals - Cricetus Cricetus

The Postal Administration of the Czech Republic issued a single stamp features the young animal, the European hamster or Cricetus Cricetus on June 15, 2011 .

The European hamster (Cricetus Cricetus) is a species of hamsters relative to voles and have prominent distinguishes are  a medium-sized, stout-bodied animal with short legs. The tail is short and furred.Unlike a marmot, the European hamster is more colourful, with yellow to orange brown dorsal fur with black ends, and a dark brown to black chest and belly. The top head fur is reddish, with white or yellow patches behind the ears and on the nose (and on the front legs). The animal changes its rather thick coat colour once a year. 

The European hamster is a nocturnal species. It is an excellent runner and jumper. It lives in separate burrows, consisting of tunnels 6-8 cm in diameter, nesting chamber, hibernating chamber, food and storage chambers and droppings chamber. It can burrow as deep as 2 meters in winter months when it hibernates. The European hamster's diet consists of grains, seeds, plants, insects and baby young nesting birds.

It is native to a large area extending from south-west Siberia (the Yenisey river) to Belgium and north-east France. It started spreading from its original habitat on steppes into central Europe during the extensive deforestation period, significantly earlier than marmots; its remains were found on neolithic archaeological sites dating back some 6-7 thousand years. 

In the Czech Republic it lives in an open landscape.  The population has been steadily increasing, reaching very high levels in some regions (around the Labe River, in south Moravia, etc.), although its occurrence in areas more than 500-600 meters above the sea level is rather rare.

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“WHITE - TAILED SEA EAGLE”

On October 08, 2011, Lithuania Post issued a single stamp features the White-tailed Sea Eagle as member of the Red Book of Lithuanian. The stamp has designed by I.Balakauskaitė.

The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), also known as the Sea Eagle, is the largest bird of prey breeding in Lithuania, the first nest of which was discovered in 1987 in the Čepkeliai Reserve.

The preferred habitats of white-tailed  eagles are the forests located close to sea bays, large rivers or lakes, or fish farms. These birds build their nests in the trees growing close to open localities such as marshes in bare soils, woodcutting places, or sites in forests. White-tailed eagles feed on fish, seabirds, and mammals.

At present, the white-tailed eagle is included in The Red List of Threatened Species and The Red List of Lithuania. The main reason for the decrease in the population of species is active economic activities in forests. Also, they supplement the trophy collections of poachers, die as a result of careless perching on utility poles or affected by chemical pollutants ingested through prey.

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Bush Birds of Norfolk Island

The Norfolk Island Post issued the stamp series features the bush birds on August 18, 2009. The stamps are designed by Tracey Yager and comprised of 4 single stamps with different of face value.

The Bush birds of Norfolk Island depicted in this issued are The Grey Fantail, The Pacific Robin, The Golden Whistler, and The Sacred Kingfisher. The above mentioned birds are unique to Norfolk Island.

The Grey Fantail on 15 c stamp:

Mainly dark grey plumage, paler below with brownish wings. A delicate white eyebrow, and a white line behind the eye are balanced by the white band around the dark grey throat. Sexes are alike.

The Pacific Robin on 55 c stamp:

The male robin has a bright red breast, black head, back and wings, with contrasting white spots on the head and forewing. The female is subdued brown with a pale wash of apricot on her breast.

The Golden Whistler on $1.40 stamp :

Brown plumage on both the male and female. A soft gold is present all year around the under-tail area, the wing edges and flanks, becoming brighter in breading season. Some birds have a brown and white speckled chin and throat.

The Sacred Kingfisher on $2.05 stamp :

Colour can range from deep dark blue through to blue-green and aquamarine on the wings, head and back with a white collar. The breast may be white or shaded to a creamy buff. Juveniles are darker with a black mottled upper breast. Sexes are alike.

Tulip flower

The Marshall Islands Postal Service Authority issued six new stamps featuring beautiful tulips on January 11, 2011. The stamps issued in se-tenant and have many colour.

The meaning of tulips is generally perfect love . Like many flowers, different colours of tulips also often carry their own significance. Red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while purple symbolizes royalty. The meaning of yellow tulips has evolved somewhat, from once representing hopeless love to now being a common expression for cheerful thoughts and sunshine. White tulips are used to claim worthiness or to send a message of forgiveness. Variegated tulips, once among the most popular varieties due to their striking colour patterns, represent beautiful eyes.

Tulip is  graceful garden flower that actually an exotic native of Asia Minor. The first bulbs found in Europe came to Vienna, Austria, from Constantinople in Turkey. A passionate interest in the flower resulted, and by the 17th century the tulip reigned as the most popular flower in many European countries. Tulips became so highly-prized that prices were sent soaring and markets crashing. Tulips are now grown throughout the world, but people still identify cultivated varieties as "Dutch tulips."

Tulip cultivation remains a vital industry in the Netherlands, where hundreds of thousands of cup-shaped flowers herald the advent of spring and the opening of the season's bulb markets.

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