I've just returned from a driving trip to UT, NM, AZ, NV and OR with several hundred photos of birds I took while on the trip.  I'll be posting some of those photos over the coming weeks. 

However upon returning home I think I've found that the spring migration has reached our yard.  Not only is our yard filled with American goldfinches, but I've observed two warblers in the past few days.  Favorable weather has also allowed me to spend some time in the yard since my return and I've been fortunate in being able to obtain some photographs that I think are some of the best I've taken of some of the common birds we have in our yard.  So I'll probably be alternating photos of yard birds with photos I took on the recent trip. 

Yesterday I manged to photograph a Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon's race) that visited the yard.  I was watching about six or seven male American goldfinches visit our watercourse when I noticed one that looked a little different.  When I looked more closely I realized that it wasn't a goldfinch but the warbler.  I missed the brief opportunity to photograph the bird when it was close to me, then temporarily lost it among all the other goldfinch activity in the yard.  But I again acquired it by behavior when I saw a bird leave the yard and fly to the top of a young fir tree.  I quickly brought my camera to bear and realized that it was the warbler.  I took several photos and normally wouldn't post this one since I have many better photos of birds of the same species, but this is a Yellow-rumped warbler photographed in our yard so it bears publishing! 

I've been frustrated in the past in trying to photograph male American goldfinches.  The lighting is tricky and it's easy for the bright colors to be washed out.  However for whatever reason I've obtained some good photos over the last couple of days, some with the birds in our Golden Chain tree, and so I'm posting a few of them. 

 

And finally, a female American goldfinch...