Silvereye in the heat

["Wendy" <>]

As birds (and many/most? animals) don't sweat like us to cool their bodies
but rely on panting - maybe this was melodically panting??

The other day I was watching a sparrow over a street in Carlton (inner Melb)
in reasonably strong winds up on street light fittings etc calling - contact
call - incessantly. It was alone, and my interpretation was it had been
separated from its group and was trying to re-establish contact. Another
possible explanation for your bird's song?
Wendy