[bert]

I saw a pileated wood pecker on the ground only 20 feet or so from shore. He was absolutely destroying a big rotting log. l was in my kayak and eased up pretty close and watched for 10 or 15 minutes.

I finally tired and left. I have the solid memory.

For reasons I don’t understand, in a kayak you can ease up on birds very close and they don’t fly. I think the wood pecker had no fear from the water and the herons don’t fly till you get really close, real close.

[Flycatcher]

You're right about kayaks/canoes. You can approach birds VERY closely in one.

Once on a canoe in a marsh, I got so close to a least bittern I could almost grab it.