Birder You Should Know - Judy Cheske

This story originally appeared in the Oct/Nov 2022 edition of The Chicago Birder, COS's bi-monthly member magazine. For more information about The Chicago Birder and other membership benefits, take a look at our membership page.

What got you into birding?
Although I’ve always loved birds, I’m relatively late to birding, and just started going on official bird walks and documenting my sightings on e-Bird a few years ago. Two of my hobbies are hiking and photography, and combining these, the beauty of birds soon became a focus—it’s impossible to not get entranced by birds. I guess my first official birding experience was going to see a Snowy Owl at Montrose in 2013. I was lucky to find the bird waiting for me in the middle of the park right as I drove up. I got some nice photos, and I guess then I was hooked.

The evolution has been slow; I’m not a morning person, and none of my friends or family bird. I think I may have “birder imposter syndrome.” It’s actually kind of a family joke now that I always protest, “I’m not a birder,” but in the last few years it’s hard to deny. And I’m getting my family interested in birds!

Do you have a favorite bird?
I love all birds and don’t have a favorite, although some years certain birds delight me more than others. At different times, I’ve been obsessed with crows, Snowy Owls, Cerulean Warblers, Pileated Woodpeckers—and I always love robins.

What is your favorite bird song?
There’s something special about the Black-capped Chickadee—the two-note “fee-bee” call reminds me of a calm, relaxed summer afternoon. And their other song “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” makes me laugh, such a tiny bird sounding so mad.

Where is your favorite place to bird in Chicago?
Montrose is always a favorite place, and I like to bird close to home at Thatcher Woods and Columbus Park. I also love to explore new birding spots. This year I finally got to Bartel Grasslands and Big Marsh, which were both beautiful, with lots of new birds for me. Birding in my backyard is a constant—adding native plants has helped a lot, and a hummingbird feeder ensures I always have some visitors to watch from my deck. Sometimes I’ll get some surprises, like a Red-breasted Nut-hatch eating pine cones from my White Pine tree. Lately I’ve been kayaking, and that’s a great place to bird: in the water, immersed in bird habitat, such as the DesPlaines river and Saganashkee Slough—so many Belted Kingfishers, and Herons, and lots of hawks. At Busse Lake I saw an entire tree full of cormorants!

What is your best birding experience?
I was a monitor for Monty and Rose (the Great Lakes Piping Plovers) for the few years they nested at Montrose, and overall, that was my best birding experience. I got deep into how they live and spend their seasons and days, and I felt like I really got to know their personalities. I know the general rule is to not anthropomorphize animals, but I do believe animals are individuals with unique personalities. I felt honored to be a part of protecting an endangered species and to help educate the general public. And I met a lot of great people.

What is your most unforgettable sighting?
Not a single sighting, but I’ll never forget the first time I saw so many warblers, in May 2020 at LaBagh Woods. I saw on social media that a Cerulean Warbler had been sighted there, and though I’m not usually a chaser, I really wanted to see this beautiful bird, so I went, not sure what to expect or where to find it exactly. I found the trestle and a large crowd of birders, and everyone was so friendly and helpful, and two Cerulean Warblers were giving great views on branches below the trestle, above the river—perfect for them and for us birders. There were so many other beautiful warblers too, like jewels flitting about: Blackburnian, Common Yellowthroat, Black-and-white, Yellow, Magnolia. Warblers everywhere! How did I not know about warblers before this? I took photos and identified them all later. I’ve been in love with warblers ever since.

What birding competitions have you participated in?
I don’t think of birding as competitive, but I’ve really enjoyed participating in a few Spring Bird Counts, which forced me to be more observant and aware of the importance of documenting birds.

What are your non-birding hobbies?
I love to paint and make art. But of course, birds have found a way into that too! For many years I’ve painted abstracts, but about five years ago (before I became a “somewhat real birder”) I found myself drawn to painting crows and ravens, so I did. For about six months I painted crows and ravens (and started to learn the differences between the two), and I felt kind of silly, painting representationally as it is not my style at all. And Crows? I wasn’t sure why I was compelled by this bird; I’ve never really thought much about them. Later that year I went to Ireland for vacation, and I saw ravens everywhere! I visited my grandfather’s hometown, and learned about his name, O’Brien, which according to some sources is based on the word bran meaning “raven.” Suddenly it all made sense. I haven’t drawn a raven or crow since, but I’m still fascinated by them!

Do you have any advice for new birders?
The best time to start birding is now—all your birds are lifers! Take your time and enjoy the birds, their songs, and movements. Don’t be intimidated by “real birders”—it’s not a competition, it’s a learning experience. Ultimately birds just help you connect with all of nature. They are messengers. Go on bird walks and meet other birders. It’s really fun to be with your tribe of fellow bird lovers. Learn about the importance of bird conservation—plant native plants, use recycled paper products that don’t destroy bird habitat, reduce or eliminate animal consumption. Get the Sibley field guide, and use e-bird and the Merlin app. Get other people hooked on birds!

Are you a photographer of birds?
Birding has kind of taken over my photography hobby. For birding, I use a Nikon Coolpix P-1000, which has an insane zoom lens—it compares to many scopes. I like that it’s relatively light and easy to carry on hikes, takes pretty great photos of faraway birds, and it’s easy to use. There’s an automatic setting for bird photos that works pretty well. I love to take pics of birds and then later identify them from my photos—it’s really helped me learn and remember birds.