On a blue-sky day in late October – and, let’s not forget that such conditions have been few and far between during this spring season – we thought a walk in a relatively unused part of Heathcote National Park was in order, headed out towards the Woronora Dam and parked at the entrance to the Pipeline Track that heads up and beyond Sarah’s Knob.

At this time of the year, more than any other, it is sacrilege to walk with earpieces, playing whatsoever. All around are the melodious sounds of birds. Even in the first few metres there was a chuckling warning from a Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and beyond that, even with eyes that do not see, the feast of sound included many cooperative Rufous Whistlers, sweet lilting calls of the Grey Shrike-thrush, the energetic and ever-so curious Grey Fantail, the Eastern Whipbird, New Holland Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, the ventriloquial Spotted Pardalote and various tiny bush birds whose sounds emanated from the thickets. “Bird watching” is never so satisfying as “bird listening”, especially when trying to determine whether that is a territorial call, a scolding warning, a song of love, or any other reason why no bird should remain silent in the land of song. Tim Low, author of Where Song Began, would have enjoyed this gentle ramble.

And yet there was still much to see. Indeed, even before we arrived at the track head, we had stopped along the way in to Woronora Dam. The yellow flashes on the side of the road could not be ignored and, indeed, we discovered numerous “Donkey Orchids”.

Diuris aurea

Amidst those delightful gems we also found some Microtis; the tiny onion orchids!

They are indeed gems!

As for the remainder of the walk, amidst the repairs to the fire trail that had become urgent after the recent rains, there were manay other sights to enjoy amidst the sounds.

Caper White at rest

Variable Sword-grass Brown