New LEGO Ideas project announced

WOW - it's been over two months since I last posted here on my blog. And my boy, has a lot happened in those few months.

But continuing in the trend of A Boy Named Ben, this post is going to be about LEGO.

I'm absolutely, super-duper ecstatic with the latest LEGO Ideas announcement! Say g'day to LEGO Birds 21301, coming to stores (and online) in January 2015.

LEGO Birds perched nicely on their stands

This ninth instalment in the LEGO Ideas series follows on most recently from the Ghostbusters Ecto-1 (which I proudly own), the Research Institute (which I missed out on, and is now sold out), and the Exo Suit (which doesn't interest me in the slightest). Okay, the more I look at the Exo Suit, the more I think I like it...

The three birds are a Hummingbird with flower from South America, a Blue Jay from North America, and a Robin from Europe.

The first element of this exciting set that caught my eye was the striking colours - green, blue, yellow, and red. I also like LEGO's mounting plates. They're really smart, and the description plates remind me of those that you'd see at the zoo. My only gripe is the lack of common name on the description plates (young LEGO fans are unlikely to be able to pronounce their Latin names). Heck, I'm 22 and can't either!

Poulsom proud as punch with his LEGO Ideas project

Bird enthusiast Thomas Poulsom is the man behind the concept, and his story is detailed in the booklet with the set. There are three separate booklets; one for each bird species. 

Contradictory information provided on the LEGO website

The details on the website are a contradictory, because the artwork for the box states 442 pieces, while the set specifications say 580 (see screenshot above). That is a HUGE difference in a set of this size, and numbers like that can make a big difference to the price. Regardless, the current RRP is $44.99 in the USA (about 8c per piece), which is likely to be around $60 in Australia. I've also seen artwork showing 580 pieces (see below), and I've read that elsewhere, so I'll go with that.

580 pieces according to this box artwork

Lastly, I'm very, very happy with the stands used to support the LEGO birds. The Hummingbird is supported by a clear pole, giving it the illusion it is hovering while suckling from the flower. The Robin looks to be perched atop a wooden branch, while the Blue Jay is sitting on a metal stand. The box also has a nice map printed on the rear showing where the birds come from, and real life photos of the three birds compared to their LEGO counterparts.

Reference material printed on the rear of the box

I'm looking forward to seeing a YouTube video from the LEGO designers responsible for turning this prototype into a reality (if you see it before me, comment below). Let's hope this set is mass produced, so that wildlife and LEGO lovers alike aren't disappointed when it sells out within days of release like the Research Institute. This next month and a bit are going to drag on forever now...