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Attractions
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Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway
Birding Adventures along the Coulee Corridor
Ancient Ice Age floods left behind remarkable majesty and beauty
in the form of coulees in Washington State. Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway
showcases this beauty and much more. Enjoy the sights and sounds of an
exceptional birding trip in the heart of Washington State. The byway is
a birder’s delight, and it is not hard to discover why. Join other bird
watchers year-round to see the thriving bird populations along the byway
or attend bird festivals throughout the year.
Grab your warm clothes, a scope, binoculars and a camera before you stop
in at the “Balde Eagle” Festival in the Grand Coulee Dam Area during
February. Even if you can't make it to the festival, up to 300 Bald
Eagles winter in the Grand Coulee Dam Area from November through March
so you are sure to catch a glimpse. Make sure to visit Othello in late
March to catch the three-day Sandhill Crane Festival. Take a crane
viewing tour or a special tour of Columbia National Wildlife Refuge
during the festival.
Birding opportunities flourish almost anywhere along the byway. A
choice place for birders to start along the corridor is Columbia
National Wildlife Refuge. Soda and Migraine Lakes, Crab Creek Access,
McManamon Lake and other sites throughout the refuge are home to Canada
geese and mallards, tundra swans, peregrine falcons, belted kingfishers,
soras, Virginia rails, loons, pelicans, and more. The variety of the
birds in the refuge will astound you.
Birding adventures also lie outside of the refuge. Stop at O'Sullivan
Dam to see a variety of waterfowl. Get a glimpse of rare Glaucous and
Glaucous-winged Gulls in the spring and American white pelicans and
ospreys in the summer. Explore Potholes State Park to see Lewis's
woodpeckers, black-headed grosbeaks, red-tailed hawks and other birds.
Wherever you decide to stop along the byway, birding opportunities are
sure to arise as more than half of the state’s 365 species of birds can
be spotted along Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway.
Photo Credits
1. © 2004. Karen Haire.
2. © 2002. Sunny Walter.
3. © 2004. Teri J. Pieper.
4. © 2005. Teri J. Pieper.
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