A dusting of snow and frost settled on the tundra overnight. Numerous ponds froze, and now only the largest still contains open water. The day began bitterly cold and foggy, with strong winds coming off Hudson Bay. By early afternoon, however, the fog gave way to blue skies and sunshine. Polar bears are currently being seen all along the coast within the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, with a concentration of polar bears out east between First Tower and The Flats. Two males were spotted sparring in the afternoon, and some younger females were quite active, approaching several tundra vehicles. An array of birdlife was encountered, while foxes have remained elusive for several days.
Polar bear resting on the Precambrian Shield in Churchill. Drew Hamilton photo.
A content Arctic Hare near Cape Merry in Churchill. Alex De Vries Magnifico photo.
A regal polar bear roaming the Hudson Bay Coast in Churchill. Alex De Vries Magnifico photo.
Polar bear crossing the tundra in Churchill. Alex De Vries Magnifico photo.
Polar bear mom and cubs on the tundra. Jason Luoma photo.
Polar bear taking a look into the polar rover. Kry Walczak photo.
Two sparring male polar bears near the tundra lodge in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Jason Luoma photo.
With snow already covering the tundra in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, polar bears have become more active and are up and about sparring and moving along the coastal region near the Tundra Lodge. Numbers of bears being spotted by Natural Habitat Adventures groups are close to 15 or more.
Here are two Natural Habitat Adventure guide reports from the past week in Churchill:
“Wildlife is exceptional for this time of year, and some exceptional moments in general. These include snowy owl and raven “playing” and gyrfalcons hunting and fighting over kills. Also a nice cross fox, three Arctic foxes and tons of polar bears. Sow and two coy were a highlight and we had young bears at the rovers and lodge for up-close encounters.”
“Wildlife is OFF THE CHARTS. A true banner week for this early in the season. We had three diverse weather days and incredible wildlife sightings, including: eight polar bears with close encounters, Arctic fox, red fox (silver morph),gyrfalcon, harbor seal, snow bunting, snowy owl, semi-palmated plovers, semi-palmated sandpipers, glaucous gulls, herring gulls, willow ptarmigan, common raven and common eider!!”
This short film, Eye of the Storm is set in Iceland. Storms of all kinds form in Iceland with, sand, ash, snow, rain and solar being the most common. Storms often demonstrate the power of nature and its effects on our planet Earth. Natures mystery is unveiled when we see the landscapes created from They reveal nature’s beauty and its hand in creating the landscapes visible today. This compilation was filmed in Iceland between February and March of 2014 when a phenomenal solar flare and coronal mass ejection collided with Earth’s atmosphere. The northern lights emanating from particles colliding with the atmosphere are just supernatural in appearance. Enjoy!
A hellacious blizzard is continuing to bury Churchill with heavy, drifting snow. People have been advised to remain inside and stay safe until the weather lets up sometime on Thursday. In many cases leaving the house isn’t a choice as snow buried any access to doorways anyway. Northern lights will obviously be obscured for awhile as the storm rages on. This is by far one of the most incredible storms in a long time that the town of Churchill has experienced! Stay safe and hopefully the newly updated Hydro system will keep power on!
Check out this video on location in Churchill!
Snow creeps up to the edge of window in Churchill. Kelly Turcotte photo.
“Snowed in” just got real! Kelly Turcotte photo.
Blizzard causes havoc in Churchill! Jodi Grosbrink photo.
Buildings are barely visible in Churchill. John Hrominchuk photo.
Dogs getting out in Churchill blizzard. Jodi Grosbrink photo.
These boreal forest images with the glow of the receding sun in the background gives an aura and feel only the Arctic can provide. Trees in the north define the landscape in such a way we only can understand by experiencing the north firsthand. The cold air and snow on the ground and trees gives the eyes and mind a different perspective that the photos transcend. Churchill photographer Alex De Vries – Magnifico has refined his style to capture that distinct Arctic feel by continually searching for those subtle details of the region that make it unique in the world.
Snow covered boreal forest in Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
A krumholz “flag tree” in Churchill. Alex De Vries Magnifico photo.
Magnificent boreal forest with snowy covering. Alex De Vries – Magnifico.
Snowy boreal forest outside of Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.