Eight members joined me for a gentle stroll in beautiful autumn weather around the arboretum. The weather was in sharp contrast to that on a memorable walk I led a few years ago, when the temperature was around four degrees, with snow flurries. Today we enjoyed the leaf colours and discussed the new plantings, trying to identify unfamiliar species. We visited the feijoa plantation, hoping for ripe fruit, but found chewed fruit instead. Our mystery bird of the morning, found by call, was moving around in dead blackberry plants in the conservation zone. At first sight it looked like a fairywren but the tail wasn’t long enough. It was identified as a Golden-headed Cisticola from photos taken by Richard. Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, Australian King-Parrots and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were abundant and we were entertained by several Grey Fantails. There were few smaller birds, but they included Brown Thornbill and Silvereye. A small number of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters was the vanguard of a large flock of around 40 that flew over. Our bird total for the morning was 32 species, with the highlights being flocks of Little Black Cormorants and a skein of Great Cormorants, lit by the sun as they circled on a thermal. Margaret Robertson