Bird watchers spent their weekend in the Columbia Basin, taking part in an annual rite of spring. 25,000 sandhill cranes descended on Columbia National Wildlife Refuge near Othello, as they have for the last several decades.
The birds have been flocking to the refuge in large numbers since the 1970's. For the last 14 years, the town of Othello has celebrated their arrival - and the arrival of those who come to see them - with the annual Sandhill Crane Festival. The festival, held this past weekend, brings in more than a thousand people each year. In addition to boat trips and bird watching from the shore, those visitors spend money, supporting local businesses.
