This evening I tried getting a count of the Sandhill Cranes using the Corfu area. I wasn't completely successful, but had a count of 15,000 at the roost around 5:30 pm. Some took off before I left the roost view area and reached the fields, but my count there at 5:45 in alfalfa and corn was nearly 7,000. My estimate of cranes using this one area is 18-20,000. The estimates for the interior-migrating population od Sandhills is often quoted as 25,000. I'm interested in hearing about other cranes being seen in Eastern WA, and if there are still cranes in OR or already into interior BC.

My guess is these cranes will be here through the weekend as there is still plenty of corn available in the field. Best viewing is in the evening. Before 5:30 pm go to Corfu Road (Road B SE) 13 miles west of Othello. Go all the way south to the base of Saddle Mountain ridge, jogSW, then turn left (east) on Lower Crab Creek Road. Go about 1 1/2 miles to an elevated area of the road and view to the north. After 6 pm best viewing is from Road C SE (a mile east of Road B) from near the hay stacks. This evening the cranes were still arriving from the day roost until around 7 pm. There was a very large flyoff at 7:25 associated with tractors driving on Road C, probably 8,000 leaving to the west, but geese continued coming in from east and west as late as 7:40 when the remaining cranes slowly filed out to the west. Corfu Road is the best location for the evening flyover after 7 pm. I also noticed that 90% of the ducks coming in at dusk were Northern Pintails, and 8-10,000 are enjoying the corn.

Randy Hill
Othello