Consider birding from a boat, canoe, or kayak for a closer view of birds. You might be surprised at just how close you can get to birds on the water. Birds flush at much shorter distances when human observers watch from boats. The same phenomenon occurs when birding from a vehicle, but boats can bring you even closer and allow you to bird in unique locations.

I recently rented a kayak for some birding on a local estuary, and I was amazed by the avian diversity, and how close I could approach the birds without disturbing them. I was able to get some amazing views of hundreds of shorebirds, pelicans, terns, ducks, and gulls. I shot some decent photos, including this one of a Common Loon

If you have never birded from a boat, then I strongly encourage you to give it a try. There are many affordable options for aquatic birding. My all-day kayak rental only cost me $30. There are also many tour companies that sponsor aquatic birding tours, including the very popular pelagic tours.

Photo © William C. Webb