What a wonderful Spring Experience - thousands of Sandhill Cranes.

Thanks to those people who described where and how to see these birds.
Before this I had seen maybe 20 or so together. Then on my way to Hood
River from Spokane, I saw maybe 300 sandhills on Drumheller Rd on the SW
corner of Spokane County.

But on my back home I decided to try Crab Creek. Well sure enough, I
rolled the windows down and listened (I think Andy recommended this).
Soon enough I heard their calls, and found about 150 in a nearby field -
on Lower Crab Creek & the Red Rock Coulee Rd E SW. I then heard a ruckous
- east so I continued a little further and just N of Lower Crab Creek Rd
was about 1100-1200 sandhills!! What a sight - red heads flashing and
bustles wagging in the breeze. I enjoyed this sight for some time and
then decided to head N to HWY 26 since I saw some birds flying N. Once I
hit HWY 26 I headed East toward Othello. About a mile down the road, now
6:30 pm getting pretty dark, I began seeing long long lines in the sky.
Rolled down my window and Sandhills it was. I pulled over and other cars
began to also. Lines and lined, some Vs all heading south toward lower
Crab Creek. This continued until 6:45. But I estimated, and roughly about
6000 birds!! It was quite a sight. I advise anyone that might be near to
give it a visit.

That was the highlight of the visit. Other than that at Toppenish Refuge:
Bald Eagle (imm)
gadwall (I'm beginning to see more & more)
green-wing teal
meadowlarks
shoveler
pintail
turtles
Pac Chorus frog
coyote

Also in White Salmon I saw some scrub jays. Are they there year round?

Thanks,
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Howard L. Ferguson ferguhlf at dfw.wa.gov
WA Dept. Fish & Wildlife 509-456-4420
N 8702 Division Street 509-456-4071 (fax)
Spokane, WA 99009
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