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Bees Here Now

Lots of Spring flowers in the Sydney bush at the moment and lots of accompanying bee interest. Below are photos that I managed to take of these busy creatures: the quite spectacular glossy green native bee beauty - the peacock carpenter bee, European honey bees and the mini stingless native bees.  

A stroll down Macquarie Street into Hyde Park

Another pre-pandemic city field recording taken at approximately 9:00am Monday morning in mid February. The recording begins at the corner of Martin Place just as a bus trundles past. From there I walked up the super historic street that contains important old sandstone buildings such as the Sydney Hospital (1811), the NSW Parliament House (1810), the Historic Houses' headquarters (1854 - formerly the Sydney Mint building), the elegant St James' Church (1824) and Hyde Park Barracks (1811) just to name a few. I pass lively cafes and morning bustle, stopping for a minute at a popular cafe that was doing a roaring trade. From there I walked to the end of the street past the statue of Queen Victoria gazing at the law courts on the right which is in turn being gazed at by a statue of her Consort, Prince Albert on the opposite corner to the left. I then crossed the road and walked into Hyde Park. I walk up to the splashy sound of the Archibald fountain which is accompanied by the cheery sound of rainbow lorikeets calling to each other in the large fig tree canopy overhead.      

Macquarie Street walk

 

The Martin Place of Before

Before the pandemic, when it was some distant "something" happening "somewhere else" i.e. two months ago, I had started getting interested in field recordings. One morning in early March I woke up bright and early, caught the express bus into town, got off at Wynyard station and got my recorder out to witness the loveliness of the GPO/ Westin hotel bell chime for nine O'clock. That was the last time I have been on a bus, and more or less the last time I went into town. 

So, here for three minutes of listening pleasure is the nine O'clock GPO/ Westin clock chime (approximately 1 minute in), a tram dinging along George street, nearby construction of the Sydney metro line, morning workers hustling to work, a passing hot rod, and a very vocal Australian raven amongst other things. 

Martin_Place_GPO_Clock

 

Out and About in Sydney in September/ October

Lots of firsts over the past couple of weeks! I visited West Head, more than likely for the first time, because boy! you wouldn't forget that view in a hurry (although I can't believe I haven't been there before). It's absolutely the most astounding view I've seen in Sydney for a very long time. Then there was finally visiting the Manly/ Queenscliff Wormhole, which has been on my 'to do' list for a while. It was everything I'd hoped it would be: a rough 110 year old hand crafted sandstone tunnel that goes through the rocky outcrop headland between Queenscliff and Freshwater beach. Following on from that there was the close encounter with a very young echidna who foraged about for food just in front of me and then came over and inspected my foot in a very enchanting manner. Other than that, there has been masses of wildflowers and plenty of birds building nests and singing.

Above, all fairly self explanatory: Mountain Devils very fit and out at the moment, flannel flowers, pink spider flowers and bees, a young active echidna, another variety of wattle, a pretty planting of white and purple statice accompanied by maroon daisies in a local park, a lady duck and an elegant white egret.

Below: red bottle brush, the 100 plus year old wormhole dug by local fishermen apparently. One of my favourite buildings in the city - the Grace Hotel. Did you know that this terra cotta clad art deco gothic beauty was used as a Pacific base by General Douglas MacArthur in the Second World War and has an escape tunnel in the basement that leads all the way to Circular Quay? I was lucky enough to see the entrance to the tunnel one Open Sydney in addition to the fabulous pent house that includes space in the fancy tower you see in this photo. Finally: bachelor buttons, sometimes also known as pinnk buttons - still going strong in parts of the bush around Sydney.    

Early Spring Bush Blossoms in Sydney

Here are some (yes, that's right - some!) of the Spring flowers that are blossoming in the Sydney bush. It is by no means a comprehensive gallery, as there are many that I have not included. I feel pretty certain I will be an updating who's who in the bush flower scene in a week or two. Meanwhile... 

Clockwise from left to right: 1) A pink boronia - but uncertain of the exact type. My money is on it being a Pinnate Boronia. 2) An Austral Indigo (a pink pea), 3) a pale yellow gum blossom, 4) a mauve wax flower, 5) Short Purple Flag/ Fragile Iris - these are absolutely everywhere is some parts of the bush and are especially eye catching as they tend to cluster around the bush paths in a very fetching manner, 6) Blue Dampiera which is really quite abundant also along paths in attractive electric blue clusters, 7) the tiny and delicate Slender Violet Bush, 8) the small but all of a sudden (like just today) everywhere Violet Kunzea.

Clockwise from left: 1) Large Leafed Bush Pea, 2) Smooth Parrot Pea, 3) a maroon Boronia (which I only see in one particular sandstone heath), 4) Slender Sun Orchids, 5) Fine leafed Bush Pea, 6) Coast Coral Heath, 7) Pink Wax Flowers. 

Clockwise from top left: 1) the beautiful Waratah I photographed a week or two ago opening up as the days get warmer, 2) Red Spider Flowers absolutely everywhere - I had thought they had had their season, but no they seem to be only just starting! 3) Grey Spider Flowers also really only just hitting their stride, 4) the very delightful and showy Rose Boronia or Sydney Rock Rose that I only see in one location, 5) a mumma sooty swamp wallaby with a joey in her pouch - OK not a flower, but anyway... 6) the pale green Common Chloanthes which actually flowers for most of the year, 7) an erect Guinea Flower, not to be confused with the Bundled Guinea Flower I blogged about in July, 8) the Narrow Leafed Hovea. Phew!

Most of this info I got from my trusty Cronin's Key Guide (Australian Wildflowers) by Leonard Cronin, and the very comprehensive Sydney's Wildflowers and Native Plants blog which helped out when I couldn't find something in Cronin's book.

Sydney flora and fauna: July

Top left hand corner and down as follows: Acacia longifolia or Sydney Golden Wattle, Slender Rice Flowers (a lot along bush paths but only in one park!), Sweet Wattle, a mum Swamp Wallaby (joey in pouch), Long-leaved Fivecorners, Gingko tree, white duck, and black and white duck.

Sydney Wildflowers - Autumn/ Winter

The many and varied banksia aside, I would have thought the Autumn/ Winter Sydney bush flower scene would be relatively quiet as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop. However, I have been amazed at the amount and variety of pretty flowers scattered around the heaths and  forested areas here in Sydney at the moment. Below are just some of the Sydney bush flowers now on display:

Clockwise from top left: 1) Red Spider Flower 2) Mountain Devil 3) Clustered Scented Myrtle 4) Mauve Wax Flowers 5) Sunshine Wattle 6) Red Fivecorners and 6) Needlebush

Autumn in the Sydney bush: 'Little Eric' banksia and friends

Autumn in the Sydney bush is full of banksia of one sort or another. One of the most prolific banksia flowering in the bush at the moment is the bright orange heath banksia: Banksia ericifolia, or "Little Eric" which you can see below in the top left hand photo. The second most common is the Banksia spinulosa cunninghamii or "Lemon Glow" (I think!) as seen in the bottom right hand corner. Other than that the most well known banksia in Sydney is the big "Old Man Banksia", or Banksia serrata (bottom left hand corner) with its distinctive long flat serrated leaves and enormous flowers. It has been very enjoyable to watch otherwise non-descript bushes burst into life with these robust fluffy bright candles.

Info about banksia's: Oz Native Plants.

The Archibald Fountain - A Sydney Art Deco Beauty

One of the loveliest fountains in Sydney city is the very art deco Archibald fountain. Designed by the French artist François-Léon Sicard, this pink granite and bronze Sydney icon features figures from Greek and Roman mythology including Apollo, Theseus and the minataur, Pan, Diana and various tortoises, dolphins, goats, deer, dogs and horses. It is named after the keen Francophile newspaper proprietor and editor J.F.Archibald who commissioned the fountain to celebrate the French/ Australian alliance during World War One. Fortunately, I often get to walk through the delightful Hyde Park and admire this Art Deco gem.  

All information from here.

Sydney Icons

Late November Sydney icons as follows: Flannel Flowers, a swamp wallaby (and suspected joey in pouch), an industrious echidna digging for insects,a Manly Beach pine, Yellow Tea Tree, and Grevillea.