Northern exposure for photography tour

Natural habitat photography guide Colby Brokvist had polar bear action right out of the gate for his avid group of image takers. A sow with her coy were found out on the coast road ambling along the magnificent Hudson Bay. Cameras heated as shutters fired away at the majestic pair amidst frosty conditions.
The following three days on the tundra of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) were nearly perfect wildlife and weather-wise. The travelers, aboard their polar rover spent their entire first day near the lodge with several polar bears. Highlighting the afternoon were  some big males sparring in the snow.
Polar bear near the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.

Polar bear near the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.

The following day was “awesome”, according to Colby.  The group reached Gordon Point by early morning and quickly spotted two fairly fresh seal kills attended to by four voracious polar bears. The bears finished their meal before low tide, though blood stains were spotted on the ice and photographs were made of glaucous gulls, ravens and arctic foxes cleaning up leftovers . Some close encounters further along the trail road with a couple of other bears and then a very photogenic arctic fox rounded off the day and provided some great moments for classic shots.
Historic building by the Hudson Bay. Colby Brokvist photo.

Historic building by the Hudson Bay. Colby Brokvist photo.

The third day out in the CWMA was equally exciting as the group headed back to the lodge. Colby received a tip that a new, larger bear had taken up residence out there. Upon arriving and finding six polar bears the group had more than enough interactions to satisfy their passion. Three bears engaged in heated sparring with “unbelievable light”. stated Colby. “I don’t recall ever seeing sparring and sunshine at the same time …making this even more special.” Something new every day out in bear territory.
Inukshuk group photo with aurora over the bay. Colby Brokvist photo.

Inukshuk group photo with aurora over the bay. Colby Brokvist photo.

The group finished off the day with a long session of aurora photography at the huge, stone inukshuk behind the town complex facing the Hudson Bay. Rounding out an amazing day, the ethereal lights were perfect for the photo trip. Mild conditions added a key ingredient for a productive shoot.
Gorgeous red fox on the tundra. COlby Brokvist photo.

Gorgeous red fox on the tundra. Colby Brokvist photo.

Finishing up the trip strong, the group enjoyed their sightseeing shuttle  covereing the area around town in search of smaller critters. An extremely charismatic red fox stole the show before the crew headed out to the polar bear holding facility where they finished off with a bear evacuation lift. Captured polar bears are airlifted by helicopter up north along the bay and released to keep them free from human contact for a period of time. Quite a sight to see the event as they take off from Churchill!

Polar rovers …looking at the past week

 

Natural Habitat guide Elise’s group headed to the tundra on a morning that was a bit breezy but slowly calmed throughout the day..”As the tundra turns the bears actually shook off their hypnotic-like state and started dancing.” Elise stated.

Churchill polar bears.The majority of the day was time out around the lodge. Two polar bears slumbered in the willows near the bay while two other bears cautiously investigated the underside of the lodge once the water delivery vehicle departed for the day. “The stars aligned and two bears started sparring on the other side of the lodge”. reported Elise. Three large polar bears then staked out an area by the south end of the lodge and gave quite a show for onlooking travelers in both Elise’s and fellow Natural Habitat guide Paul Brown’s Rover. Another bear dozed, seemingly unaware beneath the lodge’s propane tanks the entire time..probably the older bear who’s been idle and present for the majority of the last two weeks..

Out around Christmas Lake Esker, the group observed numerous trails of fox and ptarmigan area…followed by a flock of “cryptic ptarmigan” concealed in the willows by fresh snow.
Guide Karen Walker’s group had some tough luck with the wind kicking up to nearly 70 knots. Helicopter journey’s were cancelled and a bear lift out at the compound was also nixed. The group listenedto some northern stories from their driver and then toured the town complex….Churchill’s self contained recreation center and library, school and many other forms of activity all in one building. Watching the waves crash down on the bay from the panoramic windows was soothing and relaxing. Then it was off to the Anglican Church to see the lady Franklin stained glass window aside the altar. The travelers then braved the windy,  snowy conditions and ventured down to the Inukshuk below the complex and out to the polar bear compound by the airport in whiteout weather.
Tundra around Churchill. Megan Koelemay Photo.

Tundra around Churchill. Megan Koelemay Photo.

Later in the day Karen and group enjoyed dog sledding with Kelly at Churchill River Mushing and heard the details of the polar bear break in at his tent compound the previous week. The rides were chilly though the wind had subsided some and the shelter from the boreal forest  Luckily both places were vacant at the time. This weeks incident in town didn’t have as fortunate of an outcome. The bears are restless and moving with the cold.
Dogsledding in Churchill with Kelly Turcotte. Emily Deemer photo.

Dogsledding in Churchill with Kelly Turcotte. John and Becky McKay photo.

The following day out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area Karen and travelers were greeted by a large male bear walking right by their rover as they headed out east. Several polar bear sightings later they were at the coast and two adolescent males were sleeping along the kelp beds. One awoke, picked a fight with the other, and the two bears sparred for a good time just 50 feet from the rover. They then returned to their slumber and sparred again later just inside the willow stands a bit farther out. At lunch another male joined the trio and spareed intermittently just off the back observation deck. A “three bear lunch”, as described by karen. The “best and closest sparring I have ever seen”, added Karen.
Two separate excellent viewings of ptarmigan along the trail as well as a lone snow bunting in the willows rounded out the excursion. A fantastic tundra experience in the CWMA!

Polar bear season going strong

What a season it’s been so far…we’ve had a constant building -up of momentum with haywire activity out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area down east from Churchill proper. Snowy tundra acts as a stage for sparring bears, not quite in mid -season form though working hard at it each new day.

Polar bears have not been the only drawing card either. Natural Habitat guide Justin and his group experienced a truly rare vision of a wolverine only 200 yards out from launch one chilly dawn. The greyish landscape was broken only by the beautiful animal making its’ way across a frozen pond. The sight will be frozen in memories for lifetimes.

Bonnie Chartier’s travelers viewed three Purple Sandpipers on their first morning out from the lodge on a rover. They were the first ones that were recorded in the province this year and Bonnie reflected she thought she and her groups just missed them last year.

Bonnie and guide Paul Brown have had some close encounters of the gyrfalcon kind in some spruce trees abutting the wide open tundra.

Gyrfalcon atop a black spruce in Churchill. Paul Brown photo.

Gyrfalcon atop a black spruce in Churchill. Paul Brown photo.

After leaving the lodge and crossing the lake, guide Karen Walker and group were heading out into the CWMA with driver Bill behind the wheel when he spotted a lemming in his headlights.  “The lemming was running along the edge of the road, in and out of the frozen grass. We got a nice look at it.  Then a bit later, Bill and the three guests at the front of the rover got a quick glimpse at an ermine as it ran across the road.  The weather got very stormy with sideways snow & very strong wind.  We were warm & cozy in our rover.” reported Karen.

Red fox working the tundra. Colby Brokvist photo.

Red fox working the tundra. Colby Brokvist photo.

Natural Habitat guide Colby brokvist and band of travelers experienced comfortable temperatures hovering around freezing…quite comfortable for wildlife viewing.

“We had several sightings each day and a bunch of bears right off the rover including sparring bears at the lodge. Turns out I didn’t take any shots of the bears but I did grab some of a very charismatic red fox we saw out at Cape Merry.” reported Colby.

Early season photo of a sleepy polar bear. Paul Brown photo.

Early season photo of a sleepy polar bear. Paul Brown photo.

This season has provided incredible fox sightings this year including  a long sighting of silver fox for Colby’s group out near along the  flats.  The group watched it hunt lemmings and scare up a big flock of willow ptarmigan. A spruce grouse out near the Tundra Lodge, a strange place for such a sighting, and a late season tundra swan fly by were nice additions to this season’s varied sight list.

The late season shipping news continues to impress as ships relay in and out of Churchill’s port. One ship went out and there has been up to five waiting out in the bay….giving a strange sense of invasion to the normally placidly empty horizon.

POLAR BEAR ALERT BLOTTER

11 bears contained in the compound as of October 27th.

 

 

 

Cheers,
Justin

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