When the fish aren't biting, all Stan Nelson has to do is peer in the mangroves or along the shoreline to lift his spirits. There he can see, in just a few hours, great blue herons, kingfishers, loons, oystercatchers and many other species. "You can always salvage a bad day of fishing by looking at birds," says Nelson, who boats with his family near his home in Fort Myers, Fla. "It's always a good plan B. When I'm with my 9-year-old daughter, we usually make a list to see how many birds we see over the course of a day. Boats allow us to get the most out of birding, and it's something we really enjoy as a family."

Bird watching may seem like a frivolous activity to some ultra-hardcore wakeboarders or waterskiers who barely take notice of waterfowl as they wing away from oncoming powerboats. But for families who enjoy the more reflective side of boating, like fishing in a quiet cove or just sitting at anchor to relish nature, birding can open up a new world of possibilities.

"I saw three bald eagles, one adult and two juveniles, when I was on the water yesterday," says Nelson. "We have dolphins and manatees around here, but birds are the star attractions."

While most family boaters may not be lucky enough to spot the national bird in their own backyards, many might be surprised to note how many bird species, both migratory and year-round residents, inhabit their local waters. And in some waters, birds are fishermen's best friends. "Any time you see diving birds you know that predatory fish are hitting baitfish, so we keep an eye on the horizon," says Nelson.

Nelson isn't as fanatical about birding as some boaters, who make "life lists" and rush to see rare species. But he does appreciate the access that boats provide his family to birds in natural habitats. "We can often get within 10 feet of a great blue heron," he says. "It's a treat to see birds like kingfishers and black-crowned night herons. We even see the odd roseate spoonbills, which are pink birds that tourists often mistake for flamingos."

Florida, in fact, is a bird watcher's heaven, the crossroads of native birds, migratory species from up North, and even the odd species that fly up from the Caribbean or Central America. "Despite all the development down here, there's still a lot of pristine habitat for birds," he says. "If you're running along shallow or more undeveloped waterways, you can turn a corner and run into a tremendous amount of marine life."

George Clayton, also an avid angler, appreciates the birdlife he sees on boating trips along the Siuslaw River in Oregon. "We go after Dungeness crabs, and when we're not having much luck, birding is a secondary pleasure," says Clayton. The Eugene native sees blue herons and cormorants, and during the migration season, flocks of Canadian geese. "I often just stop the motor and enjoy the peacefulness of the river," he says. "We can watch the osprey and eagles diving for fish and frogs, or herons roosting in trees."

Clayton, now retired, taught his daughter, Betsy, to enjoy the pleasures of boating and bird watching, and has seen her grow up to teach the same respect and awe for nature to her daughter.

Brooke Langston, director of the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sancutary, near San Francisco, agrees that boating can provide access to the beauties of birdlife. But she cautions families to be careful about approaching the birds. "We close the sanctuary to boat traffic - even kayaks and canoes - from Oct. 1 to March 1," she says. "Even our research boat doesn't go out then."

"Then" is breeding and migrating season, and Langston says that birds can burn much-needed "calories" when they get spooked by boats. "It can be a major setback if you scare them, and they have to take off unnecessarily," says Langston. She says that approaching birds on stretches of open water almost guarantees they'll fly away. "They feel exposed and vulnerable out in the open," says Langston. "But if they're nesting in trees or mangroves, they feel safe. It's almost like they believe they're invisible."

Langston says that the best time for families to see birds is during migratory periods in the spring and fall, though she adds that both global warming and El Nino have changed the patterns of migration for some species. "The Audubon Socitey has been keeping 100 years of bird calculation data, and every year during that time, the swallowtail kite have returned to Southwest Florida on March 16," she says. "Last year, they were two weeks early. Everyone is curious to see what they'll do next year."

It almost goes without saying that intruding or destroying bird habitats is a boating no-no anytime of the year. And it's often illegal. "There are national wildlife refuges and protected areas in many waters where you can't get within 100 yards of the habitat," says Langston. "It's exciting to watch them, but it's more exciting to let them breed."

But birding can still become a favorite family boating pastime. Langston says that over 500 Audubon chapters across the country typically have phone hotlines and website chat rooms that report bird sightings. Websites like www.audubon.org and www.ebird.com are also good starting points to help families get into birding.

And, of course, there are other unexpected sightings while out on the water. "I saw a family of river otters swim in front of my boat recently," says Clayton. "I've been on this river every year for 15 years, and that's the first time I've seen them."

1. Buy a field guide for the region and a pair of binoculars for your family to share.
   
   
2. Take a guided hike at a local nature center to learn bird species quickly.
   
   
3. Start out simply by learning one bird family at a time. Decide to learn about herons first, for example, and then terns or sandpipers.
   
   
4. Have your kids use the field guide to help iden-tify birds and detect specific markings on the eye, head, wings, tail and breast. Note the beak shape, size, length and color, and check out what it's eating.
   
   
5. Know the local laws and regulations since they are different in many places. Your family should always maintain a respectful distance from nesting birds and rookeries, and put the boat in idle to keep engine noise to a minimum.

It's no mistake that many professional birding tours use pontoon boats as their vessel of choice. "The winds can be gusting, but we're still able to run at 25 knots through pretty rough stuff to get to the more secluded areas," says Capt. Sterling Kennedy, who runs bird-watching tours in the Florida Keys. "The triple-log pontoon boat we own runs like a deep-V hull, but the layout is great for carrying a small crowd."

For a family or group of friends, a pontoon boat makes an excellent platform for bird watching. The open deck layout, minimal draft and inherent stability allow most pontoons to transport a dozen or more people into fairly shallow waters. The spacious deck also lets bird watchers with cameras set up rigs with telephoto lenses for recording migratory species or to avoid getting too close to nests.

Brown pelican photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service