Isle of Man spotlights its birds of prey on new stamp series

By Molly Goad

New Isle of Man stamps issued Sept. 1 feature birds of prey images painted by acclaimed wildlife artist Jeremy Paul. The Isle of Man Post Office said it chose “six noble avian predators which can be seen by the eagle-eyed in the skies around our island.”

Paul has produced a number of wildlife stamps for the Isle of Man, including Birds in Winter (Scott 1455-1462), Big Cats (1596-1602), Coastal Birds (1880-1885) and Town and Country Birds (2059-2060).

The award-winning artist was delighted to take on a subject matter that has “always held a fascination for me.”

“I chose to keep the images as simple portraits, focusing on the predator’s staring eyes, and I am very pleased with the results,” Paul said.

The stamps were designed by EJC Design. Ornithologist Chris Sharpe wrote text for the issue, and in an Aug. 9 Isle of Man Post Office press release explained the importance of birds of prey.

“Each species is perfectly adapted to their environment, evolving different hunting strategies to optimize their chances of success. These predators represent the peak of the natural food chain, essential in helping maintain a healthy balance,” Sharpe said.

Belgium’s bpost printed the stamps by offset lithography in sheets of 20.

Products in the Birds of Prey by Jeremy Paul issue include a set, a sheet set, a presentation pack and a first-day cover.

For ordering information, visit the Isle of Man Post Office website.

To read the complete version of this story, subscribe to Linn’s Stamp News.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter