Migratory visitors

OTHELLO — People from throughout the Pacific Northwest gathered in and around Othello to catch a glimpse of an annual phenomenon. Whether they crept down backroads with binoculars and cameras poking out of windows or followed trumpeting and croaking noises to their quarry, visitors to the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival were looking for the majestic bird. 

The 27th Annual Sandhill Crane Festival brought in tourists from across the nation to watch the large gray birds whose heads are decorated with red patches. Around 35,000 lesser sandhill cranes stop annually in South Central Columbia Basin during their yearly migration to Canada.  

“I think it’s exciting to see this many birds in one spot,” Rick Bochmann, from Northern Idaho, said. “It’s exciting that they are still doing this and that the birds are healthy enough to keep doing this. It also tells us how healthy our earth is too, so that makes me happy to see them continue to do this and to see so many of them.”  

The birds, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, are attracted to the area’s rich croplands and wetlands. However, the cranes are listed as a species of greatest conservation need under the state Wildlife Action Plan because their nests are vulnerable to water-level changes.  

“I love this event every year,” Martha McMullen, from Eastern Washington, said. “They are gorgeous birds, and I love watching them interact with one another and the nature around them. I am worried though because the birds are endangered and historically, we have not been great about taking care of endangered animals.”  

After their annual stop in the Columbia Basin, the cranes travel to south-central Alaska to breed for the year. Fewer than 100 of the cranes will breed in Klickitat and Yakima counties during their travels. In the fall, the cranes will return through Eastern Washington back to their wintering grounds in California’s Central Valley.  

“We traveled in from the East Coast because some of our birding friends said this is a must-do event,” said Samantha Ortheline, from New Hampshire. “I think they were right because this has been an unforgettable experience.”  

The weekend was filled with events for enthusiastic birders. Starting Thursday, there were opportunities for boat birding at the Potholes Reservoir. Getting into Friday, there was boat birding, tours of the Othello Community Museum, photography workshops, tours of farms and bus tours for people to watch the birds.  

“I really enjoyed the boat tour on Potholes Reservoir,” Pete Wildman of Spokane said. “The Columbia Basin manager and the irrigation manager on the boat tour were very informative and taught me a lot.” 

Saturday had the most events with tours, lectures, vendors and hiking groups filling the Othello Church of the Nazarene and McFarland Middle School in Othello. There was also the fly-in bus tour, where people gathered at Scooteney Reservoir to watch the birds fly over water and cliffs and nest for the night.  

“It is so beautiful,” Georgeann Silverman from Western Washington said. “There are thousands of birds that flew over us. Then the snow geese came in too, it was like a white tornado in the sky. I have never seen anything like it.”  

The event concluded Sunday with final boating, bus and hiking tours.  

“This was one of the best things to come and see,” Andrew Wildman from Seattle said. “It’s fun for adults, for kids and to see all of these birds, the cranes, the geese, all of them gather in nature like this, it’s really special.”  

    Two sandhill cranes rest in a corn field outside of Othello during the afternoon Saturday. The birds spend their days by the water but at night and in the morning, they like to hang out in the empty corn fields.
  

    Around 100 sandhill cranes hang out on an island. Visitors could view the cranes from the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Unit 1 Overlook. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife had telescopes for visitors to peer through to see the birds.
  

    A Sandhill Crane Festival attendee looks through her binoculars at Scooteney Reservoir waiting for the cranes to do their nightly fly-over. The birds nested on islands in the reservoir during the night.
  

    A sandhill crane picks up corn husks in a field outside of Connell. The cranes like to hang out in corn fields when not by the water.
  

    Two Sandhill Crane Festival attendees watch a flock of cranes flying in the distance at Scooteney Reservoir Saturday.
  

    Sandhill cranes fly above Othello Friday. The birds are listed as a species of greatest conservation needed under the Washington State Wildlife Action Plan because their nests are vulnerable to water-level changes.
  

    Sandhill cranes rest in corn fields outside of Othello on Saturday.