Crestwood Village 5/2--Great Crested Flycatcher

Yesterday, I didn't use Barn Swallow for my Bird A Day entry because I thought that today I might need it. I had to drive the car to Lakewood this morning for maintenance; I wanted it checked over before our big road trip to Ohio next week. Knowing that there was the possibility of my not getting much birding in, I thought I might have to fall back on Barn Swallow, which I've seen above the dealership parking lot in the past. But there were none today.

Fortunately, the car needed a part that wouldn't be in until mid-afternoon so they ferried me home instead of making me wait half the day in their "lounge," where Fox News seems to be the default channel on the blaring TV. I decided to take my walk in Crestwood Village instead of the WMA--that way I didn't have to worry too much about ticks. I walked over to Schoolhouse Rd, through the woods along there, looked at the pond, looked at the power line cut, then walked around the drainage basin behind CVS. I was surprised to see and/or hear 5 warbler species, and I was especially happy to find a new year bird: Great Crested Flycatcher--it was a relatively huge bird with a bright yellow breast. I also finally saw a couple of Ovenbirds today--the trick is to look for them at eye level even though they're ventriloquists and sound like they're much higher up in the trees. I was going to use the flycatcher for B.A.D. until walking along the stream that parallels the power line cut I heard a couple of Prairie Warblers singing their ascending buzzy notes. Warblers are more transient than flycatchers, so I used the warbler instead. I'm a third of the way through the year with 122 days in a row with a unique bird listed. There a few challenging days ahead in this month which may not permit me to bird much. If I can make it through May, I think I have a good shot of at least getting through the summer.

Today's list from sleepy Crestwood Village:
Canada Goose  9
Turkey Vulture  1
Mourning Dove  4
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2    Heard
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Blue Jay  2    Heard
American Crow  1    Heard
Fish Crow  5
Tree Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  3    Heard
Tufted Titmouse  5
Carolina Wren  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2
American Robin  7
European Starling  1
Ovenbird  5
Black-and-white Warbler  1    Heard
Common Yellowthroat  2    Heard
Pine Warbler  2
Prairie Warbler  2    Heard
Eastern Towhee  5
Chipping Sparrow  15
Song Sparrow  4
Northern Cardinal  4
Common Grackle  2
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  1