20 February 2019
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A set of six stamps featuring birds which can be sighted in Jersey will be issued by Jersey Post on 5 March as part of the 2019 Europa stamp issue, National Birds.
Jersey Post is one of the first out of the starting blocks for this year’s Europa stamps, on the theme of National Birds.
This could be seen as a tricky theme, since many birds are migratory and can therefore represent more than one country, but the topic is open to interpretation – and Jersey have met the challenge in style.
The six stamps, designed by Mark Wilkinson, feature beautiful illustrations of birds that call Jersey their home for at least part of the year.
Two of the stamps (swan and kingfisher – the Europa values) have a special feature that allows you to hear the birds when you scan them with your mobile phone using the free CEE app.
Find out more at: www.jerseystamps.com
Vision and patience are the qualities associated with the kestrel, shown on the first stamp, a 50p value. This powerful bird, with its pointed wings and long tail, is often spied hovering above Jersey’s many fields, heathlands and conservation areas.
Next (65p) is the swallow, described as bringing ‘hope and renewal’ and pictured against a background of cherry blossom. Swallows are extremely agile in flight and spend most of their time on the wing, with many sightings recorded around Jersey. Swallows have a variety of symbolic meanings and for many they represent a sailor’s life at sea, working class pride, happiness and hope for a new beginning.
The first Europa value in the set (76p) features the swan, symbol of purity and love. Swans are not often seen in Jersey, although the black swan and white mute swan are present, with Whooper swans being resident at Grouville Marsh in the east of the island. Swans mate for life and guard their nest and young diligently, being staunchly loyal and fiercely protective.
As in the United Kingdom, peacocks (shown on the 82p value) in Jersey are ordinarily resident in the grounds of private properties. They are best known for their colourful train of tail feathers, a stunning metallic green with an iridescent eyespot, ringed with blue and bronze, which are elevated and brought forward during courtship displays.
The second Europa stamp features the kingfisher, a symbol of peace and calm (92p stamp). Easily recognisable with their striking blue and orange colouring, kingfishers are most frequently sighted around still or slow moving water. In Jersey, they are often seen around the reservoirs and marinas.
Finally, (£1.12) we see the stork, symbolising new beginnings and commitment. Not a bird to be seen every day, in Jersey the white stork has been reported visiting different locations in the west of the island, or perched upon a chimney pot, for example. Tall and graceful, the stork is commonly associated with babies and family, returning to Europe from their southerly winter migration to hatch their young in late spring.
Stamp details
Issue date: 5 March 2019
Design: Mark Wilkinson
Printer: Cartor Security Printing, France , offset lithography with metallic hot foil
Stamp die size: 30.95mm x 45mm
Souvenir Miniature Sheet size: 85mm x 140mm
Find out more at: www.jerseystamps.com