Finding a Fulfilling Flight Path.

WHO? Noel Zak, CAE 

WHAT? Assistant Executive Director

WHERE? American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc.

WHEN? Since 1998

Q: How did you become interested in bird watching?

A: I had a couple of peak experiences about 20 years ago while living in Madison, Wisconsin. My husband was in graduate school, so much of the time I was on my own. Since we lived quite close to an arboretum, I often spent time there. One autumn evening, I was walking through a dense pine grove and every time I took a step I heard rustling. Since I couldn't see well in the shadows, I stopped and remained quiet, listening for the source of the noise. It was a flock of Broad Winged Hawks migrating south for the winter. I felt like I had glimpsed another world and from that time birding became my passion.

Q: When you moved to Chicago was it difficult to continue your bird-watching activities?

A: Not at all. Chicago is on the Mississippi Flyway, one of the four major bird migrating paths in the continental United States. Not only are there lots of places to see birds, but I've been able to volunteer on behalf of birds, too. I'm currently active in the Bird Conservation Network. BCN's mission is to ensure that birds and migration are considered in habitat management in city parks, forest preserves, and so on. The organization is having a significant impact on Chicago area projects.

Q: Would it be accurate to say that birding as a hobby or avocation has a lot of inherent flexibility?

A: My birding companions and I talk about this--often when we are wondering why we've decided to get up before dawn and drive for hours in search of particular birds. Characteristics that attract us to birding include the fact that it's portable, inexpensive, and can be either solitary or social. There are many ways you can plug into this activity.

Q: What role does birding play in your life?

A: Birding has given me an important perspective outside of work. In the grand scheme of things, what matters is that life goes on--and that we can have either a negative or positive impact. My interest in birds and the environment lets me have a positive impact. At the same time, it allows me to widen my horizons. At work, we are so intensely focused on getting a newsletter out or preparing for an important meeting. On weekends, if I can enjoy a beautiful day, view these fabulous creatures, and share the experience with good companions, it's like changing the lens on your camera. It changes the depth of field and you see things in an entirely different light.