LOL, that's a good one.

Um, wasn't trying to be funny. I guess I was expecting too much from such a poor description.

I think it's a somewhat common bird around here (S. Ontario, Canada) same as N.Eastern US / NY area.

I've tried a few bird call sites with no luck.

The 'breet' is a high-pitched, rising note, pure in tone, much like some of the warblers I've heard. The 'chk' is just that - sounds like the noise a squirel makes.

The whole call lasts about as long as it takes to say - maybe 4 seconds.

Maybe a House or Winter Wren?
Have you checked Patuxent?
They have calls and/or songs
for many North American birds.

ICA,
Sophie ^i^

Here is a link that might be useful: Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

I was just sitting here listening to a Northern Cardinal sing and it occurred to me it sounded a lot like what you described. There's a wav file of one of the cardinal's songs at the page linked below.

ICA,
Sophie ^i^

Here is a link that might be useful: Cardinalis cardinalis

flicker?

HAH! I nailed it! (Only took me a year!)

Close your eyes (see if you can get it without the visual) and
listen here.

{{!gwi}}.