We are sorry to say a fond farewell to a Chicago Audubon Board Member who has served us for 25 years now.

Jeff Sanders has served continuously on the CAS Board since 1998, as well as on the Field Trip Committee (leading many trips over the years for us) and Research Committee (bird counts, summer monitoring, CAS Checklist compiler.)

Jeff’s input on the Chicago Audubon Society “Birds of the Greater Chicago Area” Season Checklist has been most critical. He was on the group of those putting together the first checklist in 1982, and has been involved in review and updates of the checklist since then, for the 1998, 2003, 2009 and 2021 revisions. It was really Jeff’s idea to include 6 columns or seasons (early and late spring, early and late summer also) on the first checklist, and other area checklists since then have also adapted that division!

Jeff has contributed so much to knowledge of birds and birding in the Chicago area. For the Chicago Audubon Society’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, Dr. James Landing included Jeff as one of the “Birding Pioneers” of birders in the Chicago area between 1950 and 1980. Chicago Audubon also included Jeff in our list of Top 25 Birding VIP’s at our 25th Anniversary Celebration also. In 1998, Chicago Audubon gave Jeff our “Protector of the Environment – Avocation” award at our Awards Banquet.

Jeff’s birding history is worth sharing, especially for us so have been birding for many years:

Jeff started birding in 1961, convinced his father to buy his ‘first pair of real binoculars’ in 1963 (for $20 back then!), and considers among his mentors getting started Phil Steffen, Bedford P. Brown, Jr. and Charlie Clark.

Jeff listed at least 20 other birders as his favorite people to bird with. Just mentioning a few here (some no longer with us): Charlie Clark, Larry Balch, his brother Ira Sanders, Muriel Smith, Rena Cohen, Jim Landing, Ralph Herbst and Al Stokie.

It’s amazing just how many birding organizations Jeff has been involved with and contributed to (and is still contributing)! Also how many ways Jeff has contributed to bird research.

He originated the Chicago Urban Christmas Bird Count (CBC) in 1966, and has been the compiler of that count to this day. Jeff has participated in at least one CBC every year since 1963.
Jeff served on the Board of Directors of the Evanston North Shore Bird Club from 1970 to 2007, and was ENSBC President during the 1975-1976 term. He also served as Field Trip Chair of ENSBC for many years, leading many trips, included starting the Ralph Herbst Memorial Palos Preserves Field trip. Jeff served in 6 different positions overall with ENSBC.
Jeff was also the Field Trip Chairman of the Fort Dearborn Chapter of Illinois Audubon from 1972 to 1980, and served as their President from 1976-1977
Jeff served as two years as Field Trip Chair of the Park Ridge Audubon Society
Jeff continues to be Field Trip Co-chairperson of the Lake-Cook Chapter of Illinois Audubon currently
Jeff has participated in almost every Illinois Spring Bird Count since 1972, as well as contributed monitoring and nesting data for the Illinois Breeding Bird Atlas (which ran from 1985-1991) and Cook County Nesting Season Bird Census (1984-1997)
He volunteered at the Illinois Beach Hawk Watch for well over a decade
He was a bird monitor at The Grove and Prairie Wolf Slough and Butterfly Monitor at Somme Prairie Grove and Prairie Wolf Slough for many years.

Although Jeff has birded many counties in the state, and many locations, of course he has his favorite birding locations. Just some of those locations are Skokie Lagoons, Gillson Park, Ryerson and Half Day Forest Preserves, the Waukegan lakefront and beach, Illinois Beach State Park, many spots along the Chicago River, Perkins Woods and several spots in Kane County.

Jeff’s favorite memories locally are the very large numbers of spring and fall migrants he used to see in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, as with many species, those numbers of migrant birds are lower as the decades have gone on.

As you can see, Jeff has given so much of himself and his knowledge to so many bird groups and individuals over the years. Looking at all he has done for birds, birding, bird research and so much more, in the Chicago area, Jeff is deserving of many accolades, appreciation and thanks!

Alan Anderson, March 2023