 Puffin, Gannet,
Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Cormorant, Arctic Tern
Pre-issue publicity image.
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The fourth set of Faststamps depicting birds will be issued on 16 September, one of three sets to be issued this year. As before, these will be sold from Post & Go machines at selected Post Offices across the UK and from the Philatelic Bureau at Tallents House. The third set depicts the seabirds that can be found around Britain’s coasts.
Post & Go terminals allow customers to weigh their letters and packets, pay for and print postage labels and stamps without the need to visit the counter. The first Post & Go machine was trialled in The Galleries Post Office® in Bristol in 2007.|
Puffin, Gannet,
Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Cormorant, Arctic Tern
Pre-issue publicity image.
|
Puffin Fratercula arctica
The portly little 26–29cm puffin looks comical and clown-like waddling in
and out of its island breeding burrow, but underwater it is a skilled
diver, seizing rows of small fish in its huge gaudy bill
Gannet Morus bassanus
With wings spanning almost 2m, 85–97cm long gannets make dramatic dives
from the air to seize shoaling fish, their dazzling white bodies arrowing
down and hitting the water with resounding splashes.
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
This stocky 40–45cm wader rarely takes oysters but eats mussels and
cockles. If they are open, it forces its big orange-red bill into the gap
between the shell halves; if closed, it smashes its way in.
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
With a body shorter than a starling’s, at just 18–20cm, this little wader
has a clockwork-like look-run-stop-run action as it finds food at the
surface of sand or mud by sight, rather than probing.
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
This big (80–100cm), black, prehistoric-looking seabird often perches on a
rock or post, holding out its wings to dry the plumage. It is increasingly
common on lakes and rivers far from the sea.
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Streamlined and elegant, this beautiful 33–35cm fork-tailed relative of
the gulls spots fish while hovering, then often dips down and hovers again
to pinpoint its prey before plunging into the water.
Products issued
The labels will be used in Post & Go machines at Post Offices around
the country.
A mint set will also be available from Royal Mail's Tallents House Bureau
in a pack on an attractive card with details about each of the birds
featured together with an illustration of their eggs. All values in the
pack are 1st Class with a philatelic branch code of 002011. Design is by
The Chase with illustration by Peter Horridge.
Although Post & Go machines are a Post Office Ltd product, Royal Mail
will again produce a First Day Cover and official First Day Postmarks for
these.
Special Postmarks
Postmarks available for the day of issue will be shown here
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| Ref FD1135 Philatelic Bureau Official Postmark illustrated with a map of the British Isles |
Ref FD1136 Bristol official postmark illustrated with a bird's egg |
Ref FD1136NP Bristol official non-pictorial postmark. |
Ref L12256 Folkestone, Kent |
Ref M12270 Beach Close, Birmingham |
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| Ref S7667 Britain's Most Northerly Post Office, Baltasound,
Unst, Shetland (Permanent postmark, rolling date.) |
Ref S12272 1986-2011 World Heritage Site, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides | Ref L12261 Autumn Stampex Post & Go Birds of Britain IV First Day of Issue, London N1 | Ref N12288 Birds of Britain, Seahouses | Ref W12290 Birds of Britain, Marloes, Haverfordwest |
This page created 12 September 2011
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