WINTHROP, Wash. — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced a seasonal closure at the Big Valley Unit of the Methow Wildlife Area after a pair of sandhill cranes returned to nest there for the sixth straight year.
WDFW said the closure will run through Sept. 14, 2026, to give the birds a quieter place to raise their young. The agency reported that sandhill cranes are especially sensitive to disruptions and said off-leash dogs create the biggest problem.
The nesting pair is one of about 40 breeding pairs in Washington and the only known pair in the Methow Valley, according to WDFW. The agency said the birds have hatched nine colts and successfully fledged five over the past six years…