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By David Hartwig
Great Britain’s Royal Mail celebrates duck species found in the United Kingdom on a Sept. 11 set of 10 stamps.
Presented in two horizontal se-tenant (side-by-side) strips of five, the stamps show 10 different species of ducks representing 10 of the 22 duck species found in the United Kingdom, where the waters and farmyards host a diverse cast of ducks ranging from native species to centuries-old domestic breeds.
The five stamps in one of the strips are valued at the first-class rate (currently £1.70) and feature the Aylesbury, pintail, silver Appleyard, shelduck and eider species. The stamps in the other strip of five are valued at the second-class rate (currently 87 pence) and show the goosander, Indian Runner, mallard, mandarin and call species.
Five of the 10 species on the stamps represent wild ducks. The goosander and mallard favor rivers and lakes, and the shelduck and eider reside on the coasts. The pintail is another species that will reside in coastal areas, but for the most part are winter visitors to the United Kingdom. …
A presentation pack included with the issue contains all 10 stamps along with information on the characteristics that make up the species pictured on the stamps.
Royal Mail offers other related materials along with the stamps, including first-day covers and postcards. The first-day covers have two available postmarks.
A Tallents House postmark shows text reading “Quack! Quack! Quack!” The alternative postmark shows three ducks in flight and is from the village of Ducklington, England, about 15 miles west of Oxford.
Additionally, a collector’s sheet with 10 stamps is available. Each stamp on the collector’s sheet is paired with a label with a different photograph of ducks in their natural habitat.
The stamps and other related materials can be ordered from Royal Mail’s website at www.royalmail.com. In addition to the website, ordering information also is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland.
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