Gee, bees

I was sitting on our deck when I spotted a bee working its way across the yard. I grabbed the camera and started zooming in on the wee beastie...

Here are my best shots.  

Across the yard I spotted it...

Coming closer...

Oh good, it's heading for these calendulas right next to the deck. (All of these pictures will be of the same bee.)

You can easily see the corbicula (pollen basket) on each of its hind legs.  

With such close-up shots, I feel that I'm getting to know this bee really well...

Look at the condition of this bee's wings in this photo and in the next two.

You'll see that its wings are tattered. I think that must mean that this is an older bee who has been using its wings for some time.  

I read that a bee's wings beat at 230 beats per second and that a bee might fly 500 miles in it's lifetime. (measured in weeks)  Little wonder this one is showing some wear and tear. I wonder how much longer this one has... 

Notice too, in this picture and others, that at rest, this bee's left wing overlaps the right one slightly. I wonder if all bee's wings are like that, or if they vary? Are they right or left winged?  

I was reading that some beekeepers think that bees might enjoy music. One guy asked in fact, "What kind of music do your bees enjoy?" That got me thinking, and thinking...

I imagine that my bee, the one I photographed today, is quite musical. And I think that bees especially love disco. We already know bees love to dance. In fact, I wouldn't bee surprised if my bee had written a bee song, set to an old, but very popular disco tune.  And beeing such social creatures, they would love karaoke too.  

Here is a link to the music it used. I think that it especially liked the frequencies of the singers' voices in this piece. 

Start it and then click right back to this page. The words to the bee's version of this song are below. See if you can keep up.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N5UZKPvYQE

"Sustainin' the hive."  by the Gee, bees.  

[verse 1]

Well, you can tell by the way I use my wings, I'm a worker bee. No time for talk 

Buzzin' away from my hive warm, I been workin' hard since I was born. 

But it's alright, it's okay. You could say flyin' makes my day. 

You could try to understand, just how fast I really am.  

[Chorus]

Whether you're a worker or whether you're some other,

You're sustainin' the hive, sustainin' the hive.

Feel my wings a breakin' and pollen baskets shakin,' 

I'm sustainin' the hive, sustainin' the hive.  

Ah ha, ha, ha, sustainin' the hive, sustainin' the hive. 

Ah ha, ha, ha, sustainin' the hi-i-i-ive.  

[Verse 2] 

Well now, I fly low and I fly high, in any kind of weather I really try,

Got the wings from Heaven upon my back, and this insect has got no lack,

You know it's alright, it's okay, I'll live to see another day.

You could try to understand, just how fast I really am...

[Chorus]

Whether you're a worker or whether you're some other,

You're sustainin' the hive, sustainin' the hive.

Feel my wings a breakin' and pollen baskets shakin,' 

I'm sustainin' the hive, sustainin' the hive.  

Ah ha, ha, ha, sustainin' the hive, sustainin' the hive. 

Ah ha, ha, ha, sustainin' the hi-i-i-ive.  

[Bridge]

I'm over loaded, Somebody help me.

Somebody help me, yeah. 

My wings are tattered, somebody help me, yeah. 

Sustainin' the hiiive.

[back to verse 1]  

-djf

All new

Three or four years ago, 'the powers that be' decided to close a block of downtown Auckland, which happened to be directly across from Britomart, and knock a bunch of it down. I had thought that it was a very nice area as it was. The shops didn't look old or worn and they seemed to be doing good business, so I wondered, "Why mess with it?"  

Time passed...

Recently, it all opened again. They radically changed the area.  A large public square featuring a fountain of both water and flame, to which Jeanne and I had sometimes brought purchased lunches to eat as we watched the crowds go by, was gone. It had been swallowed up by a new building that featured four levels of shops and lots of restaurants. The area extends through the entire block. It was a massive rebuilding.  

Just after the first Covid lockdown was lifted here, I decided to explore this new warren of investments. This post will show you some pictures I took there. It's very nice. Impressive even. There were crowds of people and money was being spent. This is a new and glitzy enterprise and the prices were commensurate.  

I got to thinking about it. I just learned that about 270,000 people visit Auckland annually on cruise ships. This new venture is located directly across the street from the wharves where these ships tie up. Talk about location, location, location. This will be the first thing tourists see after they cross the street. What a gold mine.  

It's a shame that just as it was ready to open, Covid cycloned across the globe and anchored the cruise ships. I hope that local customers are sufficient to keep these businesses afloat until the world's pleasure flotillas can sail once more.  

Most of the diners I saw when I visited seemed to the business types. I also saw a few older folks who were, like me, wandering the many corridors between the retailers. While I didn't see any of them actually shake their heads in amazement at the transformation that had taken place, I could tell from their expressions that they weren't far from doing so. Like me, they were thinking that while this was certainly impressive, they'd probably rather do lunch elsewhere, where the prices would be lower and the portions larger. (I just can't see me standing at the oyster bar and knocking them back at $4 -$5 per shell.)

I did enjoy myself here though. I think I'd like to bring Jeanne here when her knees will once more allow her this much freedom. A cup of coffee and a scone would be nice and even in these surroundings, wouldn't break the bank. Take a look.                                

That's the Ferry Building across the street. That is 'tourist central' for downtown Auckland.  The cruise ships lie just beyond it. (when they're here) 

Beyond the windows, you can see Britomart. Up until recently, walls surrounded the 100 foot deep excavation in front of it. This was to allow the construction of a new underground rail line. I don't suppose it will be too long and the finishing touches to the the surface will be complete. I'll have to come back for some more pictures.     

As I finished this post, I sat back, read through it again and looked at the pictures. I thought about my impressions of the space inside this colossal structure.  The corridors head off from the central hub in all directions. As you wander, you're given numerous opportunities to criss-cross other passages and head off in yet other directions.  (I eventually found myself on an escalator to the roof.)  It reminded me, I realized of a Menger Cube, aka Menger Sponge.  

A Menger Cube can be described mathematically. But not by me. I also understand that it is a fractal. But again, I'll pass on explaining.   

To me, the Menger Cube looks like a giant cube, with other, smaller cubes cut out of the first one in a precise arrangement. And then more, and smaller cubes cut out of the remaining cube, and more and smaller and more and smaller and more, to infinity.  I could try to describe it all day, but if you watch this video, you'll get the idea.       -djf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-dI_pu_Z0g

Sunset

On December 27, 2020, in the evening, I noticed that it was raining to the north of us.  The lighting looked a little odd, so I thought that I'd watch and see if I could get any interesting photos.  Well, it's a good thing I did.  Watch, that is. Because I did. Get interesting photos, that is. 

Not long after this first shot was taken, colors started to explode everywhere.  

(Fish eye lens) 

I thought that if all this was happening on the northside of the house, what was happening on the south and west sides?  

I walked out the front door and looked straight up.  Wow.  

Then, to the west...

And the south.   

At this point, I went back to the north side...

Shortly after I took this one, the colors started fading to grey, and quickly too. The light show didn't last long, but it was great while it lasted.  The last one of the year, as it turned out.

The next morning at 8 a.m.  Back to normal.     -djf

Some of the blackbird family's neighbors over Christmas/New Year.

I wanted to show you both the whole flower and this close up. I think it looks like a cat's face. 

Now, on with the new post...

I so enjoyed learning about the blackbirds in our backyard recently that I decided to continue to watch and take pictures of who else was hanging around. This post is the result.  

I also have just a few updated shots of the blackbird family at the end.   

It's summer in our backyard.  

That's a tui.  It must be windy way up there at the top of the tree.  

A house sparrow is picking up materials for his house.  

A couple of myna(h)s

A spotted dove

A few more shots of mynahs

This is a starling. 

He's a tough looking character.  

A starling's feathers are known for their iridescence. It shows a little bit here.    

This is his 'Arnold Schwarzenegger' pose.  

"Yah, dis is me, Ahnold Starlingnegger!  I'm going to fly away now but, I'll be back."  

Starlings and mynas are related.  

Here is a silvereye. So tiny compared to the juvenile blackbird. (and well camouflaged)

Update on the blackbird family. 

This is Dad blackbird 'sunbathing.'  He spread his wings, puffed up all his feathers, and held this pose for at least 15-20 seconds.  After doing this, he shook back his feathers all around and hopped into the shade, panted a while longer, and then groomed himself.  I think he does it to clean his feathers.  I read that blackbirds will pant when they're hot. That's why his beak is open.

I took this picture at about 1 pm on a very sunny day. Dad blackbird had chosen a clear spot in the garden for his 'treatment.'  It was the hottest spot I think he could find. I think he might get rid of pests in his feathers this way.  

This is New baby (above) and Baby blackbird (below) in our orange tree. They are both doing well. I don't see tailfeathers yet on Baby.  

A photo based on a Christmas song.

A partridge in a (real) pear tree.  (No, it does Not look like a turkey! It's a partridge!) I'm not drawing it again! Have you ever tried the 'draw' feature? It's not easy! Go ahead. Let's see you do better. I dare 'ya.  

After almost nine years here in New Zealand, I've grown accustomed to experiencing Christmas in the summer. I don't believe however, that it will ever feel quite right to me. A white Christmas is hardwired into my brain and that's that.    

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Have a happy New Year!              -djf