California Sandhill Crane Wetland Tour Program Celebrates 20 Years

By Vanessa Torres

California -(Ammoland.com)- To give residents a chance to see an annual bird migration, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Sandhill Crane Wetland Tour Program offers weekend tours October through February at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve outside of Lodi.

The cranes are a great draw to the Lodi area and CDFW Interpretive Services staff relishes the opportunity to provide important messages of conservation to many people. More than 20,000 visitors have attended the docent-led tours over the last two decades.

The cranes typically arrive in large numbers in late September, but in some years, including this year, scattered reports of the arrival of small groups were reported as early as late August by Central Valley Birds Group and Lodi Sandhill Crane Association.

Preparation is currently underway by CDFW to make the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve hospitable habitat for these birds and many other waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway. The flooding of the reserve will be underway mid-September along with the mowing of high grasses supporting the foraging and roosting needs of the migrating cranes. Due to …read more

Source:: AmmoLand