March Fieldtrip-Sandhill Cranes!
Sandhill Cranes displaying-Photo by Jim Parrish
There are many options for your own personal field trip in March.
March means Sandhill Cranes, so here’s how to make sure you find them. Choose a day with nice weather in the second half of March and head out.
Here are two great options.
Closest- 56 miles: Head to Snively Road, which is in West Richland.
Take Hwy 12 to Tri-Cities. After Crossing the Columbia River, stay in the R lane and take exit 4, Hwy 240W. Stay on 240 W (it makes a L hand turn at signal after airport) and continue past Horn Rapids Golf course to Twin Bridges Rd. Take a L on Twin Bridges and then a R onto N Snively.
After a few hundred yards, pull over, roll down the windows and enjoy the cranes. Morning and late afternoon are usually best.
FYI: There is a bathroom at the Sun Market on R side of Road across from Horn Rapids.
Sandhill Crane Festival in Othello: March 24-26
This annual event is definitely worth the drive. Everything from birding tours, to photo workshops, to live raptor displays and lectures can be found. As well as lots of Sandhill cranes!! Saturday Mike Denny will lead a bird walk in Othello as well as a lecture on getting outdoors. Sunday Mike will lead a Lower Crab Creek Birding Tour. There are tons of options so check out the website to find them all: othellosandhillcranefestival.org
sandhill cranes flying by Jim Parrish
Sandhills at Snively by Bob Hanson
Sandhills at Snively by Bob Hanson
One thought on “March Fieldtrip-Sandhill Cranes!”
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
An update on the Snively Rd field – this morning of March 14th, it is covered with water from the rains. Ducks there now but not the cranes.
They are flying overhead but landing on higher ground farther away from the road. Just a few near the road, where the
water has not reached yet.
Earl Blackaby