When restrictions swept across Melbourne in 2020 a stark change was the almost instant silence of familiar sounds. Listening to sentence snippets as people passed had always been a great reward for walking or catching public transport but now I was riding my bike and no-one was talking anymore. Masks interfered with everything; conversations, recognizable smiles and of course, transmission of the virus. A combination of less traffic, less talking and less laughter amplified the birdsongs. On a cold morning bike ride through Yarra Park, a large black bird flew above me and cried a mournful call. I loved hearing it so much that I stopped riding just to watch him pass by. A Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo soared black against a clear morning sky. An unusual sight for inner city Melbourne, the YTBC had it's own adjustments going on - recent bush fires pushing them to forage further afield, to the unfurling pine cones hanging from Richmond trees.
We occupied the same space for a brief moment.