Tens of thousands of Sandhill cranes have returned for the winter to the fields in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from as far away as Siberia.
It's an annual migration for the stately birds that stand four feet tall and have a six-foot wing span.
About 3,000 people are expected in Lodi for the Sandhill Crane Fesitval to watch the birds return.
Nancy Beckman with the Lodi Visitors Bureau says hotel and motel rooms in Lodi are already booked solid and visitors are expected to spend about a quarter million dollars on lodging, restaurants, and local retail purchases.
"People literally come from all over Northern California and the Pacific Northwest to, you know, view the cranes, what an unbelievable draw it is."
The cranes are one of the oldest species of birds in the world and have migrated to the same area for millions of years.
This is the 18th year for the festival and tours to see the birds in their natural habitat will run daily through this weekend.
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