I have noticed most afternoons around 2-3pm there are a lot of bees flying around the hive & entrance is this normal?
There are still the same amount coming & going collecting pollen & nectar
But lots are just flying around then landing & going back in the entrance.
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Probably new foragers (older nurse bees) orienting themselves to the hive. Very cool to watch as the don’t go far from the hive, just looking at landmarks so when they go on longer journeys they know where to come back to! Home sweet home.
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Nax, New bees including mine do this mesmerizing flight a lot. As the worker bees continue up the work chain they become forager age n must orient themselves to their individual hives before heading off. Usually if you watch closely individual bees take flight facing their hive n rock back n forth widening that flight more n more ! And higher n higher. When there are hundreds it is quite amazing to see. This is the all important orienteering flight. I really enjoy the bees come up the frank n file then begin their new job.
So much to learn n see around bees,
Gerald
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Thank you for the responses much appreciated
I was hoping that was what it was!
Cheers
That is prime time for drones to leave the hive to go off gallivanting in the local DCA (drone congregation area). It may also be new bees orienting to the hive surrounds, as others have said. But drones like to sleep late, eat a late lunch, then seek fun in the afternoon… 
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Hi Dawn
I have not seen any drones at all or drone brood!
It’s coming info winter where I am so from what I understand (not a lot)
& have read That is normal for this time of year!
Please correct me if I’m wrong?
Thanks
You are not wrong, it is just another possibility - I hadn’t registered that your hives are in upside-downland. 
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I saw this just this afternoon - quite a few bees hovering outside the hive, facing back to the front. I was a little worried, though heat is still not a huge issue in coastal Sydney right now. This forum and thread really helped; I figure the bees were going through orientation.
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If they are moving about in their position and remaining the same distance from the hive and facing it they are tomorrows forager bees doing orientation flights to learn the landmarks around the hive. They will progressively fly further away from the hive. If you get a real heatwave the bees won’t be flying, except for water to cool the hive, most will be bearding hanging on the outside of the hive to reduce the inside of the hives temperature by reducing the accumulated body heat in the hive.
Cheers
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Hi Keith, welcome to the forum.
It’s not a good policy to have neighbors freaking out about our bees doing orientation flights. Can you position your hive in such a manner that your neighbors are not freaking out over bees doing orientation flights?