Nothing says springtime more than the appearance of new buds and fresh flowers.  When I stopped at Oakland Nature Preserve last Sunday morning, I found a bush covered in tiny flowers, and a flock of small birds was feeding on insects in the area.  I know the “birdy-birders” must have thought I was crazy, with my big lens and binoculars, photographing Yellow-rumps and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers when there was a Golden-crowned Kinglet in the vicinity. (I didn’t hear the kinglet, by the way).  But the “photography-birders” will understand what kept me at the flowers…

Yep, even a common Yellow-rumped Warbler is beautiful when he poses in a tree of blossoms!  The little birds were very active as they hunted for insects for breakfast.  I just waited for them to hop to my bush, and fired away…

The Yellow-rumps weren’t the only ones who liked the flowers.  A couple of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were out bug-hunting also.  I loved this shot of a Blue-gray with his mouth open…

I was on the lookout for Blue-gray Gnatcatchers with the black bar over the eye, but I didn’t see any.  This one looks like he was starting to get it.

I didn’t have long to stay at ONP, so I didn’t even make it out of the parking lot.  But I was glad I had stopped.  Pretty birds on a pretty morning – it’s spring!! :)