5 Minutes Ago – 25 March

Hammad’s Weekend Sky #93

I took these photos a bit later this morning. The sun is just above the horizon and blazing through the trees.

The wispy clouds sit atop a bank of heavier clouds below.

The sun is moving further north and the Eucalypts only have a bit of sun

A blaze of light coming through the trees

Life of a Golden Lycra Flower

This is number fourteen in my series looking at the life cycle of flowers. The original bulbs came from my old mate who used to live down the road. He was a wonderful gardener and was always giving me plants. He had a raised garden which was quite large full of Golden Lycras. When they bloomed it did look a treat. I scattered the bulb around my garden in around five or six garden beds instead of a mass planting. Now I have splashes of gold throughout my gardens in Autumn.

I’ll spoil you right at the start with one of the clumps of gold shining in the sun.

Before the plants get to that stage, the bulb sends a spear from the ground to greet the morning sun. Can you see the little one just poking its head out?

These have pushed out with one beginning flowering, while the other spear, the buds are starting to open. The ones from the above photo are in the lower right hand corner with the buds just forming

Each spear bursts open with several buds forming and soon all of these will be flowers

The buds push out and away from each other to give room for the flowers to get full advantage for growth.

Even before the flowers are fully open, the Stingless Native Bees start to gather pollen in their pollen sacs. These bees make a spiral shaped hive in the hollows of trees

The flowers open one by one so it seems that there is always a flower open while the other buds wait their turn

The gradual opening of the cluster of flowers

One flower opens while the others wait

I spent a bit of time seeing there were any other pollinators. I didn’t see any honey bees but a few Gold Bum Ants were inspecting the petals.

I am not sure about this fly. He seemed more intent on watching me than examining the flowers

Once most of the flowers have opened the Stingless Native Bees seemed to come from everywhere.

I am glad I was looking for insects on the flowers when I spotted a Jumping Ant whose bite is most painful. They may be small but it feels like a hot needle has been inserted into your skin and it stings for quite a while. To get around they jump as well as walk and are not just on the ground. I have been face to face with one so it was quite a way from the ground. They are also fearless and can summon a gang if needed

OK back to the Golden Lycra flowers

It is quite difficult to get a good macro. This is one of many attempts

After a while, the older flowers start to die, but there is always more to take their place

This cluster is one of the first to open and most of the flowers are starting to wilt while a new lot of flowers below are just starting to open. There is even a new bud in the background.

All but one flower have finally withered

In their finality the stalks with their bulbous seed heads carry the end of the flowers. I let these go to their end so they can put their stored energy back into the bulbs, ready to flower next year.

I hope you enjoyed the Life of a Golden Lycra flower. I don’t have anything planned for the next flower in the series as yet. Let’s see what pops up in the next few months.

Cee’s FOTD

Checking me out

Don’t hold Your Breaths: Bird of the Week

Well, thanks to Lisa’s post I now have another photo challenge on my list one that will be very easy for me and is close to my heart. Bung up a bird photo, link to IJ’s site and there you go.

First off I was being spied on as I was spying on an eastern Spinebill in a Firesticks Grevillea.

From Don’t Hold Your Breath
There aren’t many places on WordPress where bird watchers can share posts. If you post any photos of birds this week (starting today and up to next Monday), it would be great if you could leave a link in the comments, or a pingback, for others to follow. There is no compulsion to post a recent photo, but it would help others to know when and where you saw the bird. You might consider using the tag “Bird of the Week” in case people search for old posts using it.

Words of Wisdom Y23 – #3

Paula’s WOW – Words of Wisdom Y23 – #3

I found this quote and I had to use a recent photo of a Blue-banded Bee in my garden

“No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap.”
Carrie Snow

Cooperation would be good

Ragtag Daily Prompt Wednesday: Unpredictable

I often am asked about taking photos of birds in particular and how do get such good, they say, photos. It is all about patience and being at the right place at the right time. Nature photography is unpredictable. You can will your subject to just do what you would like. Even something as simple as turn around but…….

Wishes

Sunday Still: I’d #Rather Be…..

I’d rather be….
in the shade of a tree


I’d rather be….
beside the sea

I’d rather be….
drinking tea


I’d rather be….
having a corroboree


I’d rather be….
watching a bee


I’d rather be….
having a coffee

I’d rather be….
sitting in a gum tree


I’d rather be….
making whoopee

Want to be with me?