They were initially high in the trees. I could also hear a noise like something heavy hitting wood and I initially thought there may have been some large rain drops but the sky was blue. I then realised there were pardalotes on an exposed branch. They appeared to be “chopping” at the wood with their beaks. I am not sure if they were after insects because in looking at the photographs I could see both birds at different times had small bits of wood in their bills.