Registration opens for Sandhill Crane Festival tours, some already sold out

Nearly 35,000 sandhill cranes will stop in Othello for just a few days in March as they migrate north to their breeding grounds in Alaska.

For those who want to take it all in, registration for the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival tours opened Monday. Co-Chair Kurt Braunwart says all the tours fill up fast.

"Friday and Saturday are crane viewing tours, plus some other birding tours about the Lower Crab crick and the Waluke slough. One of the Sunday ones is a Palouse Falls tour, which is really popular," says Braunwart.

One of the tours also includes a bike ride, or a boat ride or just learning about how to photograph the cranes. For the first time you can register for tours online, or you can always call the organization at 1 (866) 726-3446.

A few of the tours already sold out on the same day the registration opened. If you don't register for a tour, Braunwart says there is still plenty of things to do and seminars to attend at the festival.