Nine intrepid members gathered under the shelter of the Visitors Centre for a walk in the Australian National Botanic Gardens. The weather was very promising for drought stricken farmers, but less positive for birders with the rain varying between steady and heavy the whole time. As a result it was the shortest Wednesday outing I can recall. We walked up the western side of the Rainforest Gully, noting a tall eucalypt which had fallen across the gully. Superb Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren and Brown Thornbill were the only birds seen or heard. Emerging on to the main track we followed it up to the top of the gardens. and down to the CSIRO fence. Two Eastern Yellow Robins were seen perched on a fence near the Red Centre Garden and various small, silent and generally unidentifiable silhouettes were seen in the canopy. Once down at the lower levels, where many Banksias were flowering, there were good numbers of New Holland Honeyeaters and a couple of Red Wattlebirds. We also recorded White-eared Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebills in a few spots. In total, we recorded 13 species in 83 minutes. There were a number of surprising missing birds: the absence of Crimson Rosella, Galah, and Gang-gang and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, was commented on. There weren’t even any White-winged Choughs hanging out at the café.