November 9 – The winds died out overnight and the morning temperatures were still cold, just below 0°F. Without the windchill, however, the air felt mild relative to the past several days. Bear watchers reported the highlight of the day was spending the morning with two polar bears along the coast, which were alternating between feeding on kelp and visiting various tundra vehicles. The afternoon was slower for bears, though smaller creatures like American pine marten, ptarmigan and red fox were all spotted. There were more polar bears seen on the sea ice than on land today. The ice bears were viewed from both the tundra vehicles and helicopters. Helicopters reported that more ice had formed in the bay overnight. In just three days, the Hudson Bay has gone from being totally ice-free to having heavy coverage along the coast. The ice now reaches several miles out from the land and is broken up in places by open water.
A polar bear and two coys peruse the ice of the Hudson Bay. Discover Churchill photo.
By mid-afternoon, strong winds kicked up from the northwest, causing temperatures to fall. About that time, folks from town gathered at the Polar Bear Holding Facility to watch the release of a sow and two yearling cubs. These bears were flown by helicopter further north and away from town, where they can’t get into any more mischief. With so many locals present, the conversation naturally turned to the quickly changing ice conditions. There were many hopeful comments about how early freeze-ups have occurred in the past during bear season, only to have the ice blown back out by strong winds several days later.
A mom and cub polar bear keep a watchful eye on the tundra. Discover Churchill photo.
November 10- Today was extremely cold with a high of -27°F. Windchill made it feel more like -35°F, and the strong, cold winds persisted throughout the day. Conditions alternated between cloudy and foggy, with periodic whiteouts and blowing snow. The weather made for tough bear viewing. Bear watchers found one bear on the eastern side of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. It was present all day, resting and rolling around to clean its coat. Many smaller animals were encountered by the tundra vehicles, including Arctic fox, red fox and ptarmigan. A real highlight for some travelers was a sighting of an ermine that had just killed a lemming. It appears from shore that the ice has consolidated more since yesterday. Helicopters were unable to corroborate, however, since they were grounded due to the high winds. Southern winds are expected soon—this often blows the ice out, bringing polar bears back to shore.
A red fox in the wind and cold in Churchill. Discover Churchill photo.
November 11 – Cold temperatures dominated again today, though, at only -16°F, it felt mild compared to previous days due to less windchill. Winds have shifted to come from the west. Helicopters were back in the skies this morning and pilots reported several polar bears on the ice. Polar bear cubs and a seal kill stole the show, along with a moose cow and calf near the shoreline. By early afternoon, helicopters were reporting that the ice had pushed away from the shore, and polar bears were spotted on land in various locations. From the tundra vehicles, a few bears were observed on the ice from Halfway Point early in the morning, best seen with spotting scopes. By late morning, the tundra machines made it out to Gordon Point to find a sub-adult bear. They watched it for hours as it ate kelp and walked among the vehicles. A red fox was seen on the tundra by several groups, a snowy owl was spotted from the Tundra Lodge, and there have been many red and silver fox sightings right in town. Winds are expected to shift to arrive from the south overnight, and local chatter is that this is the best-case scenario for potentially moving ice out of the region and driving more bears back to shore.
Churchill in summertime is a magical sub – Arctic paradise! Three short or long months, depending on how you look at it, pack in a vast and diverse pallet of nature. The tundra and Hudson Bay come alive as tributary rivers ignite with life and small boats of eager travelers seeking the vibe of the beluga whale pods. The “Arctic Riviera” is shelter for belugas to nurture young, molt their old skin or just enjoy the “warm” waters of the southern Hudson Bay.
Beluga whale underwater in th Churchill River. Alex De Vries -Magnifico photo.
As a guide returning to Churchill each year, I was drawn naturally like a migrating animal and the annual sojourn just became instinctual. Each spring I would start to feel the pull of belugas out on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. After trolling among the pods, kayaking and snorkeling on a daily basis for over 10 years, the feeling takes root in one’s psyche. The draw to migrate for whatever reason is real. The belugas are the main attraction here for sure!
Although belugas, birds and sometimes polar bears are the main draw for the summer season, there are some lesser known features or entities in and around Churchill that have been hidden jewels over the years. Here are some that I really was drawn to.
-Boreal Chorus Frog – One of the jewels of the north and so much fun to search for around the edges of an Arctic pond.2.- Jellyfish– There are a number of jellyfish that thrive in the cold water of the north. On clear water days the sight of them suspended around beluga whales is ethereal.
Aurelia, a jellyfish found in the Churchill River. G. Young, Photo copyright.
3. Sandhill Cranes – Over the years these birds are usually spotted along the railroad tracks where grain drops from rail cars.
Two Sandhill cranes mixed in with Canada geese in Churchill. Rhonda Reid photo.
4.- Orca whales – A rare sight indeed in the Churchill area. Though, over the last few years they have been seen more often.
Orca’s in the Hudson Bay. Dwight Allen photo.
5. – Pack Ice on the Hudson Bay– If you visit Churchill early enough in the Spring there’s a good chance there will still be some pack-ice in the bay and even in the Churchill River. The ice draws wildlife to it such as bears, whales and birds.
6.- Polar Bear Seal kill – The shorter ice season has produced more seal kills in both summer and fall. These kills will often draw up to 10 polar bears to the scene. This is a kill from later in the polar bear season.
Polar bear and ravens scavenge a seal kill carcass in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Brad Josephs photo.
7. – Ross’s Gull – A true incredible check on the life-list if this beautiful bird unveils itself along the Churchill River. Another fun treasure hunt!
Ross’ gull along the gravelly shore. Brian Small photo.
8. Orchids – One wouldn’t think these delicate plants could survive the harsh Arctic weather though these flowers are opportunistic and make the most of their northern environment.
Round – leaved orchid in Churchill. Steve Selden photo.
Some rare footage of a polar bear hunting seals on the ice. This video is from the far northern Arctic as you can see by the mountains portrayed. Polar bears display incredible patience while hunting seals on the pack ice. Some researchers have documented the bears covering their black noses with their paws to avoid detection as they lay patiently on the ice near a seal blow hole or den. Because the seal – kill incidents are very infrequent it’s particularly difficult to capture these interactions on film. This one is pretty cool!
Brad Joseph’s caught this polar bear image at just the right time as ravens were descending on the carcass. The seal kill drew around 30 polar bears last week to the the area around Gordon point in the Churchill wildlife Management Area. Seal kills have become more prevalent on the coast in the time leading up to the Hudson Bay freezing. Polar bears are using their cunning hunting skills to adapt to a longer time off ice. without the ice platform bears are unable to hunt seals in their dens or emerging from blowholes.Learning to find sustenance on land during the shoulder seasons has enable hungry polar bears to sustain their robust population in the western Hudson Bay.
Polar bear and ravens scavenge a seal kill carcass in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Brad Josephs photo.
A seal kill out near Gordon Point attracted nearly 30 polar bears looking for a preseason meal. The congregation of polar bears in this one area has made the viewing incredible for travelers on polar rovers.With snow covering the tundra now the rest of the season will have that wintry look and polar bears will be moving about the land more frequently with decreasing temperatures. While the bay always threatens to freeze up early due to cold, we always seem to make it through to the third week of November. Northern lights have also been an added bonus this year with more action than normal in October. Hopefully the trend will continue. Tomorrow will bring another experience from the north in Churchill!
Polar bear wandering the tundra near Gordon point. Drew Hamilton photo.
Alert polar bear keeping an eye on the other bears in the area. Drew Hamilton photo.
One of the polar bears post seal kill. Drew Hamilton photo.
Polar bear after seal kill with raven. Drew Hamilton photo.
Polar bear licking at the remnants of a seal kill. Drew Hamilton photo.
2.- Jellyfish– There are a number of jellyfish that thrive in the cold water of the north. On clear water days the sight of them suspended around beluga whales is ethereal.
6.- Polar Bear Seal kill – The shorter ice season has produced more seal kills in both summer and fall. These kills will often draw up to 10 polar bears to the scene. This is a kill from later in the polar bear season.
