Fourteen new and not-so-new Canberra birders met at CIT Bruce on a warm, sunny morning after a couple of days of drizzly rain. We crossed the road into Bruce Ridge and immediately noticed several Australian Wood Ducks in the trees, along with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Galahs. The search for hollows seems to be in full swing, with both rosella species and Rainbow Lorikeets also surveying the available real estate ahead of the nesting season. Most of us heard Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos, but few managed to see them through the trees. We crossed to Gossan Hill on the other side of Haydon Drive, and almost immediately came upon a group of Double-barred Finches. We watched these birds for some time, as they gradually moved along the edge of the reserve. Red-browed Finches were much more elusive, but we eventually managed to see four of them. A single Scarlet Robin drew my attention back in the bushes, but it flew immediately. A couple of Golden Whistlers showed nicely, as did White-throated Treecreepers next to the track. Our route was cut short to avoid some large groups of school students, and it was surprising to see very few parrots on Gossan Hill. Sandra Henderson