Great Crested Flycatcher

I was with my sons, Sam and Andrew, in North Carolina in May 2024. We drove to the coast in Carteret County and spent time on the Patsy Pond Nature Trail and the Croatan NF. Then we decided to drive out to Cape Carteret via the B. Cameron Langston Bridge. My recollection is not clear, but it was either in the Croatan NF or while walking on Cape Carteret to find access to the ocean that I photographed a great crested flycatcher flying overhead. 

This link to Birds of the World has a wonderful photograph of a great crested flycatcher that catches the yellow underparts and rufous colored tail which identifies it. 

Illustration from Birds of the World. 

It is identifiable from all other birds in the eastern U.S. by its bright yellow belly and rufous wings and tail. It also has an olive brown back and dark gray throat. It spends the summers in all of the eastern states and southern eastern Canadian provinces. It arrives by early May and departs by late September  where some winter in Florida and Cuba, but most travel to southern Mexico, Central America and northwestern South America. 

Range from Birds of the World.