PRESS RELEASE
SGA/21/08/11
South Georgia Petrels by the artist John Gale
There are 125 species of tubenose birds, which include the petrels and albatrosses. The four species
illustrated on this set of stamps represent three species of fulmarine petrel and one species of diving
petrel. These birds inhabit an oceanic environment, feeding on the abundant food supply present in
the Southern Ocean. They nest and breed on many islands in the Southern Ocean, including South
Georgia, the three species of fulmarine petrel also breed on the South Sandwich Islands.
I have been fascinated with seabirds since early bird watching trips took me to the remote headlands
off west Cornwall in Britain. I would go during the early autumn, just before going back to school,
hoping to glimpse mythical storm blown seabirds pushed close to shore by Atlantic depressions.
Since those early days my interest in seabirds has grown greatly. Over the last ten years especially I
have made many trips to the Southern Ocean, Antarctica and South Georgia to study and draw these
birds along with the other fantastic wildlife that inhabits the region.
60p - The southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus along with the northern giant petrel Macronectes
halli is the largest of the fulmarine petrels and has to be one of my favourite birds of the region. It is
an exceedingly powerful and aggressive bird, but none the less beautiful. The vulture of the region,
the males feed on the carcasses of seals and penguins and it is a truly remarkable site watching them
feed in large numbers. Dominant birds will repeatedly fight and knock other birds out of the way in
order to get access to a carcass. Meanwhile, smaller skuas patiently wait at a safe distance sneaking
any opportunity to dive in and grab a morsel of food while the giant petrels are squabbling. While
drawing a dead giant petrel found on South Georgia examination of its bill revealed how incredibly
sharp and powerful the cutting edge is, the perfect instrument for tearing flesh.
70p - The snow petrel Pagodroma nivea is perhaps one of the most beautiful Antarctic birds. Called ‘the
fairy of the south’ by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, they can frequently be seen associated with icebergs
and pack-ice. They nest and breed amongst boulders and small rocky crevices as shown here on the
stamp, often high up on cliff faces. My first encounter with snow petrels was perhaps the best
experience I have had with these delightful birds. Going south from the South African sub-Antarctic
islands of Prince Edward and Marion we encountered a huge tabular iceberg at 54 o south. As the ship
approached the berg we were greeted by hundreds of snow petrels. They flew alongside so close that
one could almost reach out and touch them. I could even see the dark feathers at the base of the eye
without using my binoculars.
95p - Seeing large flocks of cape petrels Daption capense flying alongside a ship is perhaps one of the
most memorable birding experiences of my time in the Southern Ocean to date. One individual bird I
identified by a broken wing feather stayed with us for four consecutive days. These birds feed on
crustaceans, particularly krill, sometimes brought to the surface by the movement of the ship and one
can always get stunning views as they glide back and forth in the wake occasionally dropping down
to feed. Also known as the pintado petrel, they have a beautiful chequered feather pattern on their
upperparts as depicted here.
£1.15p - South Georgia diving petrels Pelecanoides georgicus are small birds and are always difficult to
observe well at sea. With perseverance however, positioned on the bow of a ship one may eventually
get some reasonable fleeting glimpses. They fly very fast and will suddenly disappear into a wave
never to be seen again. Discriminating between common and South Georgia diving petrels is difficult
as the individual features are very subtle. The pale braces on the back of the bird are a good feature to
look for. While I was working on cruise ships I would patrol the decks at night looking for seabirds
attracted to the ships lights. Birds that were found were put in a safe box and released in the morning.
Diving petrels would always be present and I was amazed how incredibly strong these little bird
were; very gentle all the same.
Three of the original paintings making up this set of stamps will be on display at the ‘Artists for
Albatrosses’ exhibition, at the Air Gallery, Dover Street, London, 5-15th October 2011. The exhibition
is raising funds and awareness for albatross and petrel conservation.
Technical Details
Artist
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John Gale
BDT International
Stochastic lithography
14 per 2cms
27.94 x 44.45mm
50 (2 x 25)
10 August 2011
Creative Direction (Worldwide) Ltd
For additional information, please contact John Smith,
Pobjoy Mint Ltd, Tel: (44) 1737 818181 Fax: (44) 1737 818199
email: jcs137@pobjoy.com