Northern hemisphere - Sunday Stamps II

Around 90% of the earth's population lives in the northern hemisphere which also contains most of the world's land.

A bird we see in our garden regularly is the  

Wren

This is one of three birds on my stamps this week.

Bulgaria - 12 Oct 1987

Another bird, on the endangered list, also on a Bulgarian stamp issued at the same time is one I have not seen for years.

Yellow Hammer

Issued slightly later, also by Bulgaria is one I rarely see.

Hooded crow - 6 June 1988

The hooded crow is sometimes known as the Scotch or the Danish crow. I have a photo of one of these taken, appropriately, in Denmark some years ago.

For other northern hemisphere stamps check out the links at Sunday-Stamps-II.

Yellow - Thematic Photography

While we are waiting for Storm Doris to catch up with us I'm pleased to say that there is some colour about.

Crocus in roadside verge

and

Worm's eye view

While in the garden these have weathered the winter so far.

Primulas

For a bigger splash of colour look no further than -

Euonymus bush

Elsewhere you need to pay attention to the no waiting times.

And exercise caution to avoid the stump of on old street lighting standard.

9 months later

Now LED lights rule!

There is no need to get yellow with jealousy just check others' shots at  Thematic-photographic-401.

Out east - Sunday Stamps II

72% of all countries are in the eastern hemisphere;
82% of people live there.

20th March 1896 is regarded as the inaugural date of the modern Chinese postal service for which China issued a 50th anniversary commemorative stamp in 1947.

China - 16 December 1947

The globe and map of China surrounded by a train, a steamer and planes was to show how the world is linked by then modern means of communication.

Pongo pygmaeus is one of Malaysia's protected animals.

The Borneo orangutan belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. 

Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is divided into three countries - Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

For other eastern hemisphere stamps visit Sunday-Stamps II

Wonderful, wonderful, Copenhagen.

I'm not a great lover of cities but I would make an exception for Copenhagen shown in this week's prompt.

I've spent many hours there with some time in that selfsame square.

I've doctored this picture to remove the colours and to draw your attention to the pattern on the ground. I guess I must have stood close to where the three people on the right of the prompt photo were located.

No birds, no-one selling food for the pigeons and much more crowded in the 1980s.

I did find a bird feeding elsewhere on the way to Rosenborg Castle.

But like most visitors to Copenhagen I just had to send time admiring - 

The Little Mermaid

To see other posts this week, just follow the links at Sepia-Saturday-355.

Favourites for Thematic Photographic's 400th Outing

Congratulations to Carmi for having the dedication to run Thematic Photographic for over 8 years and for this, his 400th theme.

You always have to think about how to take photos which you interpret will match his theme.

This week choice of your favourite shots enables me to show four of what are/will be among the all time best for me.

In the days before digital cameras my photographs of people were never very good and frequently out of focus as well. However one I'll always cherish is a particular close up - 

Summer portrait at the Yorkshire village of Hutton-le-Hole

Last year I took pictures of hundreds of wild flowers and one beside the River Tees turned out better than I expected.

Another with a water theme was taken on Labour Day at Lake Orion, Michigan. What we thought was a metal statue hidden away in a stream turned out to be -

A rather splendid heron

Dogs have figured in many of my 261 thematic photography posts. This, from September 2016, will always be a favourite with me.

Scout - telling me to put my camera away.

He did not like to hear a camera click and usually turned away.

Unfortunately he crossed the Rainbow Bridge last Christmas and we all miss him so much.

Check out all the favourites for Carmi's 400th anniversary at Thematic-Photographic-400.

Sunday Stamps II in the western hemisphere

The West Indies seemed to be the natural place for me to go this week, starting with the short lived political union that existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962. Ten British West Indian territories with Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados as the principal members and many of the Leeward and Windward Islands became - 

The West Indies Federation

This stamp, issued 22 April 1958, shows their location. It was accompanied by two others of the same design - a 3c green and a 6c blue.

The seat of government for the Federation was in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, where

Trinidad & Tobago - 12 September 1960

Whitehall was used for the Federation offices.

Built in 1904 by Joseph Leon Agostini, a cocoa planter, it later became the office of the first prime minister of Trinidad & Tobago after independence and was occupied by prime ministers of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago until 2009.

A Royal Visit made to Jamaica in  1966 is recorded by the overprint on this stamp issued on 3 March.

Jamaica - Palisades International Airport

The airport, renamed Norman Manley Airport in 2011, serves Kingston - the capital of Jamaica.

For other stamps from the western hemisphere check out the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-113.

Hat trick - Thematic Photographic

I hope that you will agree to accept Samwin as a hat.

Samwin

After all he was the head cover I used for my driver when playing golf.

Now he makes a perfect model for the 'hat' I wear throughout the winter.

Bob's insulated beanie

I found some other hats in my archive from earlier years.

'Chef, please tell me which dishes are garlic free.'

And then there was a wedding where I'm only allowed to show the hat worn by my wife.

Even a golfing snowman needs a hat.

The hat is from 2004 and the 35th Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills. Samwin gives you a closer look.

Signed by Paul Casey
A victorious European 

Sorry you cannot see what Samwin thinks of this. For other hat tricks check out Carmi's Thematic-photographic-399.

Sunday Stamps II from the Southern Hemisphere

I have been touring islands and atolls in the South Pacific this week, calling in at

French Polynesia - 1 November 195

where the 118 volcanic islands and atolls cover an area the size of Western Europe including Tahiti. In 1971 the atoll of  Mururoa was the site of a French nuclear test.

French Southern and Antarctic Territories include the Archipel des Crozet, a sub antarctic archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean.

French Southern and Antarctic Territories
18 April 1956

Penguin Island, one of the six Crozet Islands, is home to four species of penguin - Macaroni, King, Gentoo and Eastern Rock Hoppers. I believe it is the Rock Hoppers on the stamp.

For more stamps from the southern hemisphere please visit the links at  Sunday-Stamps-II-112.