Friday, May 30, 2008

My day at Jurong Bird Park


This morning when I woke up, I decided to go for some photo shoots.
So I thought of Singapore Jurong Bird Park.
I haven't visited the park since I've got my Nikon D60 DSLR.
Happily, I packed up my camera stuffs and set off!
While driving... I realised I might have not fully charge my batteries.
After checking, it indeed IS NOT CHARGED!
So I went home again to get the batteries charged.
It was then about 12.30pm that I set off again to the Jurong Bird Park.
15 minutes later... AHA, I arrvied my destination!
S$2.00 for full day parking and S$18.00 for admission.
I'm so excited and the first attraction I rushed to see is of course...my favourite!
"The PENGUIN Expedition"
I will be posting an entire post on the penguins alone in another post.
I've tried my best to find the species & infos of the photographed birds but if I've made any mistakes, please let me know.
So, let's enter into the PARK :

The Flamingo Pool
These Flamingo is nearer to the main entrance of the bird park.
Colours are brighter and stronger with these Flamingo.
If you go further into the park to Flamingo Lake, there are hundreds more over there.
But the colours of the Flamingo there is of a lighter pink.

Flamingo (Phoenicopterus Ruber)
Up to 127 cm long, has extremely long neck and legs.
It's "bent" beaks enables it to forage through muddy bottom.
Habitat : Lagoons, Lakes, Marshlands
Found : Africa, Asia, America and Europe
Breeding : 1 or 2 eggs and are incubated by both parents for about 28-32 days.
The young bird would leave the nest after about 4 days and follow their parents.


Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus Ruber)
Habitat : Riverbanks, lakes and marshlands
Found : South America
Breeding : Males will scout for materials to build a nest and the female would do the building.
Generally about 2 egss and need to be incubated for about 21-23 days. Young are reared by the parents and leave nest about three weeks. Matured at 2 years.



Brahminy Kite (Haliastur Indus)
About 43-50cm long.
Feeds on fish, crabs, frogs and also insects
Habitat : Coastal zones, Paddy Fields, Marshlands
Found : India, Sri Lanka, Asia, China and Australia
Breeding : Nest is built on tree with branches, leaves. paper, fish bones...etc.
Lays about 1 - 4 eggs, usually 2 and is incubated by the female for an average 26 days.
The young leaves their nest after 50 - 55 days.


Eagle
Looks like a statue!
I'm amazed birds can actually hold on to the same position for a long long time.


Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus)
About 85-105 cm in length.
Wide wing span aprrox. 2.45m.
Females are usually larger than the males.
Feeds on fish and mammals.
Habitat : Rocky seacoast, lakes and riverbanks
Found : America
Breeding : Nest build by large amount of branches and is built in trees or among rocks. 1 to 3 egss are laid and incubated for about 35 days. Youngs leave their nest at about 10-11 weeks.


Two-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius Casuarius)
About 1 meter in length and can weight up to 85 kg.
The head looks like a helmet, hence sometimes it's also called helmet head bird.
Habitat : Lowlands
Found : Northern Australia and New Guinea
Breeding : Female lays 3-8 eggs. Incubation between 49-56 days by the Male, which also takes care to the young.







Pelican Cove :
A large lake in the bird park that houses many Pelicans.
The environment is very well created for these Pelicans.

White Pelican (Pelecanus Onocrotalus)
About 113-135cm in length exlcuding the beak which is about 35cm.
Feeds mainly on fishes.
Habitat : Lakes, Marshlands, Lagoons
Found : Europe, Asia and Africa
Breeding : Nest is made up of branches and twigs. Average 2 eggs and incubated by both parents for about 30 days.
Youngs are ready to leave at 10 weeks.




Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida Meleagris)
Habitat : Open Terrain, Lowlands, Savannah, Scrub
Found : Africa
Breeding : Each clutch has about 8 - 12 eggs.
Incubation on an aveerage 25 days.



World of Darkness :
It is Asia first bird house that has a reverse lighting system turning day to night and vice-versa.
This is an enclosed air-conditioned and dark walk around the Owls display.
A must visit for Owl's fans and maybe also Harry Poter's fans too!!!
My favourite is the Snowy Owl. I think ther're very beautiful.

Burrowing Owl (Speotyto Cunicularia)
About 25cm long.
Feeds on insects, birds and rodents.
Habitat : Prairie, Deserts and open terrain
Found : America
Breeding : Between 6-11 eggs and incubated by both parents for 3 - 4 weeks.


Great Gray Owl (Strix Nebulosa)
Approx. 57cm in length.
Feeds mainly on rodents.
Habitat : Forest
Found : Europe, Asia, America
Breeding : 3-5 eggs with each eggs laid at intervals of 2-12 days.
Nests in trees and will also use old nests from other birds.
Young can leave their nest at 3-4 weeks but can fly only after about 5 weeks,
Young stay with parents and are fed by parents for many months.


Snowy Owl (Nyctea Scandiaca)
About 52-65 cm.
Mostly perches on trees or rocks.
While hunting, it kills its prey in flight!
Feeds on rabbits, mice, birds and invertebrates.
Habitat : Arctic, lakes, sea
Found : Arctic areas
Breeding : About 4 - 10 eggs and female incubates it for about 32-37 days.
Nests on grounds in hollows.
Young leaves nest at 3-4 weeks and able to fly about 8-9 weeks.



African Wetlands :
A exhibit that houses many birds from Africa.

The photo below seems like an african darter from my book. Not very sure.
Please let me know if I'm wrong.
This bird is quite funny.
He was standing on top of the roof for about half an hour.
I wonder what's up there!!!

African Darter (Anhinga Rufa)
These birds are generally shy. Feeds on fish and aquatic animals caught in water.
About 85-91cm long
Habitat : Lakes, Marshland
Found : Africa and Asia
Breeding : Female lays about 3-5 egss and incubates it for about 1 month.
A big nest is made of twigs.


Shoebill (Balaeniceps Rex)
About 120cm long, with deep and wide beak.
Solitary nature, feeds on fish.
Habitat : River, Marshland
Found : African
Breeding : 2 to 3 eggs. Nest is made up of aquatic plants.


Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhychus Senegalensis)
About 150cm long, with wing span opening up to 240 cm.
Feeds on fishes and invertebrates.
Habitat : Lakes, Marshlands
Found : Africa
Breeding : Can lay up to 3 eggs.




Crowned Crane (Balearica Pavonina)
The size of these crane is approx. 95 cm.
Feeds on invertebrates and vegetables.
Habitat : Savanna, Open Terrain
Found : Africa
Breeding : Usually lays 2 eggs.
Nest is made up of scrubs and bushes.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

TAG MAD

Updated post on 27 February 2009

I was tagged by JamJarSuperstar, so the following rules goes :
1. link the person(s) who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog .
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours...
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them…
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged..

So here it goes:
1. Done !
2. Posted Above!
3. 6 Unspectacular quirks of yours???

3-1) I'll buy at least three different types of foods for my aquarium fishes or pets.
Because I feel it's too boring to always eat the same thing.
Also if only eat one type of food, one day when this one of the food is out of stock, the fishes or pets would not eat other foods readily.
3-2) All the TOYS in the world would interest me.
3-3) I'm handheld games CRAZY! From the flat platform Nintendo Popeye Game to Game Boy, then DS and PSP... Not a day without them!
3-4) I love eating Mushrooms.
3-5) Some love songs makes me very sad but I still listened to them...Over and Over again...
3-6) My dream is to travel to SPACE in a space shuttle.

4. Tag 6 others... I'll probably have to leave this aside for the time being.
(Truth is...aha I've no one to TAGGED! )
Or if anyone is reading this post and would like to be tag here, you can also leave a comment in this post and I'll have you tag!
Tag1) Yun - Disney Anime Toys (Added 27 February 2009)

5) Well, one day... When 4th is done, 5th will be completed!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Speed Racer Movie Collectibles

Updated post on 23 August 2008

This movie is an adaptation of a Japanese anime named Mach GoGoGo in 1960.
I love the speed and colours of the racing tracks in the movie.
Not forgetting the funny chimpanzee call Chim Chim!
Personnally, I like this flim because overall there was never much of a dull moment.
But I've also seen reviews that many people dislike this movie!
Well everyone has different perferences.
In this movie, I like Racer X the best.
His sacrifice for the family and loneliness added some hints of sadness to the movie.
Same as the LEGO car, I like his car the best among the four!

Speed Racer Movie
Director : Andy and Larry Wachowski (Brothers)
Runtime : 135 mintues
Main Cast :
Speed Racer - Emile Hirsch
Young Speed - Nicholas Elia
Pops Racer - John Goodman
Mon Racer - Susan Sarandon
Rex Racer - Scott Porter
Racer X - Matthew Fox
Trixie - Christina Ricci
Snake Oiler - Christian Oliver
Taejo Togokahn - Rain

A Speed Racer Movie card giving by Golden Village with purchase of a movie ticket.



Hot Wheels - Speed Racer - Mach 5 and Mach 6



Speed Racer 8158 LEGO - Speed Racer and Snake Oiler



Speed Racer 8159 LEGO - Racer X and Taejo



Haven't fix LEGO in years!
Quality of the bricks seemed to have improved a lot.
The LEGO design for all four cars are different.
So it makes fixing them up fun.
There is one thing I worried is that the decals on the cars might peel off as time goes.
Also for the Snake Oiler and Taejo car, the wheels of these two cars would look much better if they have a wheel cap or something...



Speed Racer LEGO car



Snake Oiler LEGO car



Racer X LEGO car



Taejo LEGO car



Post Additions on 23 August 2008 :
Speed Racer Mach 6
Huge car with 4 movie sounds
Make : Hot Wheels
Year : 2007
This is quite a big car.
Length of car is 43cm.
Another released of this series is the Speed Racer Mach 5 car.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

John Williams (Composer)

This autograph came in today.
Quite a surprised as US mails don't usually come in on a Saturday.
I've mostly recevived US mails between Tuesday to Thursday.
Anyway, I'm very happy to recevived this.


John Towner Williams
Born : 8 February 1932
An American Composer and Conductor
He is famous for film scores like Jaws, ET, Star Wars, Harry Potter..etc.
Below are some of my favourites Film scores that Mr John Williams wrote:
Jaws (1975)
Star Wars
Superman (1978)
Dracula (1979)
Indiana Jones (1981, 1984, 1989)
ET (1982)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Star Wars Plastic Models

AT-AT Imperial All Terrain Armored Transport
Make/Year : AMT/1989


Tie Fighter w/ Flight Display
Make/Year : AMT/1996
This is a rather nice model. The Flight display is actually a round transparent arcylic plate on a stand. Able to hold on to the Tie Fighter.


Jabba the Hutt - Throne Room
Make/Year : AMT/1995
An interesting model with so many Star Wars characters inside.
But the figures are all very small with the exception of Jabba of course!LOL!


Shuttle Tydirium
Make/Year : AMT/1996


Typical plain back view.
Not as attractive as the front.


Although I love fixing and painting plastic models but I didn't fix up all these Star Wars models.
I've only opened up the box to see what's inside.
I didn't want it to end up like my Gundam models... fix but unpaint!
I'm so behind my Gundam schedule...Hee hee!
Does anyone like these Star Wars Model BOX ART?
I like the Shuttle Tydirium box art the best.
I think it is very well designed and drawn!