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Birdland

Birdland Park and Gardens, often called Birdland, is a wildlife park in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England. First opened in 1957, the park moved to its current location in 1989. Birdland originally existed in the 5-acre (2.0 ha) grounds of a Tudor manor house called Chardwar and was started by Len Hill, who was often referred to as the Penguin Millionaire.

The park’s founder Leonard W. Hill was a bird lover who wanted to open a British bird park, and did so in 1957 with this one.

In 1970, Hill bought the Jason Islands, the most north-westerly islands in the Falkland Islands archipelago, comprising Grand Jason Island and Steeple Jason Island, both uninhabited. The islands (including some sheep bred by their owner) were offered to Hill for ?10,000; after negotiation, he paid ?5,500 for the islands without the sheep. Hill made them a private reserve for the many species of bird life visiting or living there, and supplied birds to various wildlife refuges in exchange for different birds for Birdland. Although Hill was a successful businessman, the purchase of the islands and the costs of the Birdland park took a financial toll on him.

In 1970, Hill commissioned a postage stamp for the Jason Islands to help fund his endeavours. The stamp was printed by Harrison and Sons, the company which printed British postage stamps for many years. Beneath the words ?Conservation Year 1970? was a portrait of Hill and a picture of Grand and Steeple Islands alongside some gentoo penguins.

In the late 1970s (the exact date is unknown), Hill issued a series of bank notes, purportedly authorised by the Jason Islands. They were in five denominations with different sizes and colours. ‘Jason Islands’ appeared in the top centre, alongside the value (from 50 pence to ?20), with Hill’s signature and portrait and a picture of one of his beloved birds, various species of penguin. The banknotes were: 50 pence (green) ? a Humboldt penguin; 1 pound (purple) ? a jackass penguin; 5 pounds (red) ? a rockhopper penguin; 10 pounds (blue) ? a gentoo penguin; and 20 pounds (brown) ? a king penguin. The reverse of each note contained the words ?Valid until 31 December 1979?. That stipulation rendered them useless after that date; it is of a kind often used on private banknotes. The Falkland Islands Government took no legal action, seemingly considering it a private initiative, as only it had authority to issue currency for the Falkland Islands.

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