Tweeters,

I received a call from Virginia Vredenburg (founded with her late husband
Harold and maintained the now-famous "Wenas Bluebird Trail") that "thousands
and thousands" of Sandhill Cranes were over Crab Creek in eastern Grant
County today March 7. The spot was on the road through Red Rock Coulee
(DeLorme p. 52 B-4). Virginia has seen cranes in good numbers on many
occasions over the years and was quite sure the numbers along Crab Creek
today far exceeded anything she has witnessed before. It seems likely a
sizeable portion of the 22,000-odd "Bristol Bay" population of Lesser
Sandhill Cranes are in our midst.

To see these birds, drive the roads bordering corn stubble along Crab Creek
from about Smyrna east or the farmfields that contain corn stubble west of
Othello (14.7 Se and 15.1 SE are good). From now until about the first week
of April is advised in this area. By the first of April, many are on the
Waterville and Colville Plateaus - try near St. Andrews west of Coulee City
or Sims Corner east of Mansfield.

The sight of enormous numbers of Sandhill Cranes in eastern Washington in
both spring and fall is surely one of the most impressive sights birdwise
here. Its worth the trip.

You will also see many other birds too!

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA