Jeffery's Diary: Trip - Jurong Bird Park (Raining Day)

Good Morning Blog,

This was my first time (in fact 2nd because I went there many years ago) going to Jurong Bird Park with family. My brother insisted on visiting Bird Park with the SG voucher, I guessed why not?!

It is located in the West South of Singapore. Quite a distance away from Zoo and River Safari. It will be nice to have Bird Park near the Mandai area together.

Anyway, I am not a bird expert, I have a hard time remembering names if I don't use them all the times and besides those common ones which will not show up in Bird Park at all; so I might name the birds wrongly here so don't judge me. If you have not visited Bird Park, you should visit there once if you are in SG.

on this date, Miss Sky just poured because yesterday hiking trip, we forgot to appreciate Miss Sky.

So sorry Miss Sky. Chill chill. Thank you for not raining yesterday but... you rained now...

After a long journey in my brother's vehicle, we had arrived at Jurong Bird Park.

Welcome to Jurong Bird Park

Here is an updated map of the park and a list of bird species available in this park (link - credit the forum member for his effort)

Our first stop - Entrance to Penguin Coast

Before we processed, just go for some toilet break and selfie moments with a DSLR.

Great! While it was still raining, a shelter zone will be a blessing

Different size penguins.

With the help of DSLR camera, I managed to capture these animals up-close. I tried with my phone and it is too difficult.

I will try my best to label them out - This is Humboldt penguin. What a handsome bird with a tuxedo suit. I will name it Tuxedo penguin.

This is Gentoo penguin. What a fast swimmer! It looks like a bird flying in the water! I was trying so hard to get a clear picture. This penguin looks like wearing a pair of white goggles. I will name it a penguin! Because can't leave a deep impression on other cute penguins.

Beside Humboldt penguin, is the King penguin. One of the second largest species of penguin, as compared to the largest, Emperor penguin. You can find out more about their difference on YouTube. Sometimes I will forget the difference too.

Credit to whoever drew this. :) An overview of different type of penguins.

Moving onto Toucans and Hornbills zone

Do you know that Hornbill and Toucan? They may look similar but they are two completely different families of birds.

Both adapted and survive in similar ecological places - Toucans find in Central and South America, and while Hornbills are found in Africa and Asia. Their habit and diet are generally similar, include the reason for having such a big bill. The only different between those two, is Hornbills will have a noticeable ridged structure on its bill while Toucan doesn't.

Hmmm... this is a Magpie Goose. Just an uncommonly seen or mention goose. Not as popular as other nasty gooses which go around and scare visitors in the park.

I was busy holding my DSLR, umbrella and my phone, while raining heavily. Just realized, it got rather overwhelming. I can't take a good shot at all.

I don't know what bird is this. In these photos, I will explain the reason why I carried a DSLR for this trip and explain why the pictures are blurry. I need to adjust the focus point as the camera can't even focus well in a dark cage and the cage just get into the way like the picture on the right. We can't even place our phone closer to the cage as there is a gap between the cage and platform. Not easy.

This is a Great Hornbill. I want to hold such interesting bird on my hand and feel it's bill. I can only watch from a distance, amazing its beauty.

This is a Rufous Hornbill. What a difficult name to read. I will just call it as a firey hornbill.

Nothing can compare to a Rhinoceros Hornbill. What an impressive bill.

This one is Oriental pied-hornbill. Slightly less impressive once you had met Rhino hornbill.

Credit whoever drew this. Overview of Hornbills

Credit to whoever drew this. Overview of Toucans

Because of raining... Most of the birds hid elsewhere. I can't find any Toucan here, plus my mother and brother just got rather impatient with me trying to search for a Toucan. We continued to explore to Window of Paradise.

Due to rain or what, even in Window of Paradise, I barely found any birds flying around, besides one decided to check who was stupid enough to visit the park in the rain.

But in the Wood Cafe where we can explore further, but my family members just browsed and exited quickly. Spent no more than three mins here... Just for the tram to the next stop. Anyway here stood a beautiful bird, won't it be nice to see such birds become the common birds?

Next zone

Approaching Dinosaur descendants. Actually, do you know that birds and dinosaurs are related? We might think that the Dinosaur was just a giant lizard but nope. They are closely related to birds.

You don't believe they are closely related to the dinosaur? This one is Black Vulture.

Just imagine that the dino was covered with feathers. Yes, feather! Just a flightless bird. This is a White-headed Vulture, stripping the meat out from the bone.

Credit to whoever drew this. Nice illustration. Overview of Condors and Vultures. Fun fact - what is the difference between condor and vulture? Firstly, its size. Condors have a larger wingspan than vultures and different beak structures. Condors are native to America and vultures are native to Asia, Africa and Europe.

Next zone - Big Birds zone

This is a Marabou Stork. What a scary looking bird! Can imagine birds that look down at you and you will be gone in a second? You can read more about this bird, how Deadly it is.

This one is Saddle-Billed Stork, it looks like a crane with my limited English power.

Credit to whoever did this. Wow! There are so many storks!

Didn't manage to see an Ostrich, but got to see Cassowary. Smaller than Ostrich and Emu. That amazing crown on its head is impressive. This one not so much as compared to Sothern/Common Cassowary. Don't let its look fooled you, it has very powerful legs and claw, it is equipped to kill a human, but it will stay away from troubles, just respect them.

OOOO! Emu! 2nd Largest flightless bird. They look cute but if they stand in front of me... It is liked as if, a tall guy looking down at a shortie.

Credit to whoever drew this. Overview of some flightless Big birds

Just looked at these big birds! Some had extincted!

If I see this, RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Credit to Hodari Nundu/deviantart. One perfect drawing to showcase how terrifying these giant birds (dino descendants) were in the past. A perfect way to scare shxt from us.

Waterway Aviary

Still raining heavily...

After seeing the big birds, time to meet the smaller and beautiful ones

One of my favourite lily - Amazon Water Lily or Victoria Amazonica. It has the largest leaf span which can support a weight of a toddler.

I want to grow such plant in a pot at home, but... nah. I don't have such a big space.

You can learn more about this amazing plant by David Attenborough

Anyway, let's continue our journey

It is a big netted zone with birds freely roaming around

But most of them just hang high up where we can see them. These are Roseate Spoonbill.

My mother loves Peacock so much, can't wait to take a picture with them. For me, I just love the white one :3

The Peacock was like "what the hell are you staring at? have you never seen such a handsome bird before?"

These common doves were having their free feasting.

Wow! Some interesting looking bird here. This is a Nicobar Pigeon. Beautiful glossy feathers! If I didn't research on bird's name. I won't know there is such place/island called Nicobar. Amazing.

Cute Green Parakeet :) Hmm... what is the difference between Parakeet and Parrot? Actually, the parakeet is a large group of a small-middle sized species of parrots.

Credit to whoever prepared this. An overview of those cute parakeets!

Credit to whoever owned this picture. Besides knowing there are different names for parrots like parakeet. There is one more, Budgerigar or budgie in short. Very cute little bird. :3 Overwhelmed by its varieties of colour.

With the netting above... It didn't quite stop the rain but it only made it softer. Better than nothing.

A Milky Stork, not so big but dangerous-looking

Don't know what stork or bird is this, but it seemed like it was injured.

Hahaha! Interesting to see a pack of peahen hiding under the shelter from the rain.

Another interesting bird which we don't get to see often. This is a Masked Lapwing.

It seemed like my brother was looking for something

He pointed to me that we should go there now. Oooo! that famous waterfall in Jurong Bird Park!

I believe if it was not raining or usual time, this place will be packed with visitors, queuing for pictures.

Listening to the splashing of water at the waterfall is therapeutic

A group shot under the waterfall :)

Moved to the Parrot zone - The loudest zone!

Two loving parrots helping to groom one another. What a sight. :)

I can't find its name online. If anyone can help.

Love the golden feature of this parrot - Golden Conure

Didn't catch its name but beautiful parrot :)

Dark blue parrot named Lear's or Hyacinth Macaw. Love this cool coloured parrot.

This is a Blue-headed Macaw. Nice colour though.

Why are you here? Are you in the wrong neighbourhood? This is the parrot zone.

Another Macaw - Red-bellied Macaw. I wondered where is the red?

Scarlet Macaw (L) and Green Wing Macaw (R) BEAUTIFUL PARROT! :D That rainbow! Yummy!

Maybe this one is an Eclectus, who knows.

Rainbow feathers are the best and this Sun Conure is beautiful too.

Blue-eyed Cockatoo. White parrot yes!

Very curious parrot, but don't be fooled. Don't let your fingers get too close to them, they will bite, as they thought it is a food.

Grey and mean look parrot which stares into your soul - African Grey Parrot. Hmm.. Why is this named ends with parrot? Not Conure or something?

I was thinking you might be Brown faced parrot but you don't seem to look like it...

I thought it will be Pink Macaw but nope! Hahaha This is Major Mitchell's Cockatoo. Too bad, can't see its beautiful flashy crown! Seriously... Parrot, just how many groups under parrot!!!?? We already have Budgie, Macaw, Parakeet, Conure, now Cockatoo?!

Last one - Cockatiel. What a cute shy-looking bird.

Credit to whoever made this. Just an overview of some Macaws

Cockatoo and Conure.

Time to get out from the loudest zone to the last zone and the rain had stopped. My mother and ZQ got a bit tired.

Oh! Pelican - the bird with the impressive throat pouch.

Pelicans are one of the large water birds - they used their large throat pouch to catch preys by scooping up the contents and then drain the water before swallowing.

Personally, I don't like this bird... because it also preys on smaller birds too.

But I can't hate it. It is how nature works.

Smaller birds better stay away from them. Very cute and calm Black-crowned Night Heron just chilled there, allowing me to snap pictures.

Any smaller will be ignored.

Coming to Flamingo zone. Funny name for flamingo. This one is named Greater Flamingo.

and this group is named Lesser Flamingo. What the... After reading, this is the conclusion. The greater flamingo tends to be more white than pink and have light pink beaks with a dark tip. Lesser flamingos are more pink in colour and their legs are shorter and their beaks are a dark red with a black tip. But who named an animal like that?! Hahaha!