Gerry Tietje
A bird festival in January? Very few places have bird festivals in January, but there is one called “Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival” in Cochise County each year. The main “draw” for the festival is Sandhill Cranes, and the best place to see thousands of them is Whitewater Draw, an hour drive south of Willcox. A “draw” in geological terms is a depression where the land slopes upwards on three sides, stopping water from flowing in all three directions. The shallow ponds it creates in Whitewater Draw are a perfect environment for Sandhill Cranes to roost, standing in the cold water to protect themselves from predators, like coyotes.
Sandhill Cranes are one of two species of cranes found in North America, the other being the Whooping Crane. The common name for the Sandhill Crane stems from the sandhill country in Nebraska where an estimated 450,000 Sandhill Cranes stop to rest in the central Platte River valley during their spring migration from wintering locations like Whitewater Draw. These elegant cranes have large gray bodies and long necks, red caps and white cheeks, and black bills and legs. With wingspans up to 7 feet, these graceful birds fly with outstretched necks, legs trailing behind, and distinctive low-pitched bugling cries. The low tones that the Sandhill Cranes make are a result of their long windpipes, like the tones created by a bassoon or large organ pipe. Once heard, their cries are not easily forgotten and can be heard from miles away.
My first encounter with Sandhill Cranes in Whitewater Draw was in February 2022 when Claire and I made the 2 ½-hour drive from SaddleBrooke Ranch early one morning. By mid-morning some cranes were already flying into the draw after feeding in nearby fields. We picked a particularly cold time of year to make our trip but braved the cold to watch the Sandhills as they continued to arrive during the rest of the day. As night approached, the cranes began congregating in large numbers in the shallow water where they would spend the night. As the sun set, we drove to the historic Gadsden Hotel in Douglas, 30 minutes south of Whitewater Draw, and had a delicious dinner there before retiring. We set an alarm for 5 a.m. and drove to Whitewater Draw before sunrise, hoping to witness the fly-off of thousands of Sandhill Cranes as they flew away from the draw. I remember the car thermometer showing 18 degrees as we neared the draw, and a cacophony of cries reverberating through the car windows as we parked. Fortunately, we made it just in time to see one of the most thrilling sights that I have ever witnessed in nature—the silhouetted bodies of thousands of Sandhill Cranes rising together into pink-laden skies as they flew away in search of food. It is highly recommended, but do bring warm clothing and go before the end of March, when Sandhill Cranes start migrating north!