Sandhill Cranes
Huge audiences witness cranes’ Othello stop For those visitors looking for an interesting and family friendly weekend trip, visit Othello at the end of March. In 2014, the Sandhill Crane Festival kicks off on March 28-30. Visitors witness thousands of migrating Sandhill cranes swoop in during their trek between Alaska and the wintering grounds in California. The festival takes always takes place during the last full weekend in March and provides three days filled with educational experiences and entertaining activities. Each day provides visitors with the opportunity to go on tours or attend other events related to the migration. The specialty tours, which sell out relatively quickly, include Columbia National Wildlife Refuge/Potholes area wildlife tour, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands geology tour, Lower Grand Coulee birding tour and Wahluke Slope/ Shrub Steppe birding tour. Friday’s events generally start around 11 a.m. and end with a crane viewing trip at sunset. Saturday’s tours start as early as 7 a.m. and have tours and lectures continually throughout the day until 9:30 p.m. Sunday starts early but all tours and lectures conclude around 4 p.m. Every day provides the same tours, but Saturday and Sunday offer much more variety. Tours range from $1050 per person. Lectures are free with entrance into the festival. The tours are typically geared towards the migrating cranes, but visitors can take the chance to go to wind turbine wilds or take bike rides through the countryside with tour guides. There is something for everyone, including banquets and art competitions.
Saturday night of the festival, a silent auction and dinner banquet top the festivities at the Othello High School and allow visitors the chance to kick back and eat a delicious meal. The banquet is catered by a local business and typically provides a traditional beef and potatoes dinner. The festival goes beyond a wildlife viewing experience as lectures that vary in topics for all age groups. Former lecture topics have included falconry, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands, Woodland Park Zoo, Owls of Eastern Washington and Spring Migration in the Columbia Basin. As many as 25,000 Sandhill cranes spend the spring in the 24,000-acre refuge before flying to their breeding grounds north of Washington. For as long as six- to eight-weeks, the birds feed in the fields and grasslands of the refuge to stock up on protein for a healthy nesting cycle. These birds and their spring layover sparked a community festival – the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival – in 1998, which was sponsored by the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce and the refuge. A full roster of events and information about guest speakers, art contest and description of events is available online at http://www. othellosandhillcranefestival.org in July. Through financial support by the City of Othello using tourism development funds and logistic support from the Othello School District and Othello Community Schools, more than 500 volunteers contribute to the success of the festival. The festival coordinates with the school district to use the buses, drivers
and gym, so the festival date is based on the school calendar. While watching for the cranes, keep your eyes peeled for long-billed curlews and flocks of Canada geese numbering up to 32,000 in a field. Crane viewing tours takes visitors through some of the best wildlife viewing areas near Othello, with an experienced wildlife guide and a local agricultural expert to describe native vegetation, water, farming and why the cranes and other wildlife choose to visit here. Other events surrounding the festival include a firefighter’s spaghetti dinner on Friday, beginning at 4 p.m. and the Othello Rotary Club serves breakfast on Saturday morning. The Old Hotel Art Gallery is sponsoring an all-day art show on Saturday, but all entries must be in before the event begins. On Saturday, children enjoy the chance to work with origami, a variety of crafts, painting projects and even mask making is available. All of the activities are free for children with adult paid admission to the festival. Among the other events for families are the migration game provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, an insect display for children and 4-H demonstrations. All of these events take place during the daytime on Saturday. Contact the Sandhill Crane Festival at 170 North Broadway, PO Box 542, Othello, WA 99344, registration phone 866-SANDHIL (866-726-3445) or by sending an email Marie Lotz at marie-lotz@conservewa.net for more information about the festival, including the event’s partners, accommodations, driving directions, evaluation forms, poster artwork and art contest rules. 2013-2014 • Adams County Visitors’ Guide • 51