by Steve Selden | Nov 11, 2015 | Tour News
Natural Habitat Adventures guide Colby Brokvist has experienced quite the polar bear season so far in Churchill! One of his initial groups of travelers witnessed unbelievable sparring sessions on a sunny day close to the Tundra Lodge. The scene became even more intense when the three sparring male polar bears were interrupted by a smaller three year – old female approaching from first tower to the east. One of the males pushed her off into the willows where she laid down for a rest. After the sparring had cooled off she returned and checked out all the polar rovers in the area and gave thrills to all travelers aboard!
Sparring polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Colby Brokvist photo.
Another sparring session that same afternoon matched two huge male polar bears going at it for about 25 minutes. ” I’d thought they would be overheating by now!” Colby expressed to his travelers. Amazing how polar bears can expend so much energy in a time when they are trying to conserve in a big way. It just shows how important this ritual of mock fighting is to the species survival. This year has been filled with outrageous displays..more so then years past.
Polar bears wrestling in the willows. Natural habitat photo.
With a more recent group Colby and driver navigated the rover out to the Tundra Lodge after spotting a sow and her cub close to launch. The morning seemed “quiet” reported Colby so they decided to move inland a bit toward an esker to the east. Just below the esker back toward the Hudson Bay the group sighted another sow and her coy (cub of the year) on the flats with amazing views toward the bay and surrounding lowlands. What a way to spend the late morning..beats an office coffee break by far!
Sow and cub test the land fast ice of the Hudson Bay. Colby Brokvist photo.
Around lunch, camped in the same spot, patience paid off big time. An adolescent polar bear wandered up to the rover and investigated the rear deck of their polar rover. if one got any closer to a polar bear there would be teeth marks at best. The steel grated deck provides the needed protection here. Nearby a number of sleeping bears worked on conserving the energy spent in morning sparring sessions in the squared tundra.
Later on at Halfway Point the day concluded with a superb 15 minutes observing a rough – legged hawk hunt along the tundra. Not much more of a nature experience then that. All in all an incredible trip in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area!
wolverine in a spruce tree in Churchill. Colby Brokvist photo.
One of the most exciting aspects of a trip to Churchill is a helicopter flight over the north land. This rare shot of a wolverine was captured by Colby as they flew over the boreal forest. Amazing! And for good measure a polar bear chugging through some land fast ice in the Hudson Bay!
Polar bear making his way through the slush ice of Hudson Bay. Colby Brokvist photo.
by Steve Selden | Nov 10, 2015 | Tour News
Amazing experiences have come from this polar bear season in Churchill, Manitoba for Natural Habitat Adventures guide Moira Le Patourel! “I am thoroughly enjoying my third season in Churchill and have been absolutely thrilled with the sights that have come my way while guiding the six-day and seven-day Classic adventures this season. My guests and I have been lucky enough to enjoy encounters with snowy owls, arctic fox, red fox, arctic hare and LOTS of incredible views of polar bears (and polar boulders too!).” reported Le Patourel.
Magnifecent light over the tundra in Churchill. Moira Le Patourel photo.
“One of my favourite moments of the season thus far was a late-in-the-day sighting of a female polar bear. She was spotted laying beside a frozen pond, along our road home. We were able to sit with her for a while, as the sun began to set on the tundra and on this beautiful bear. At first it seemed like only one adult bear was laying down, until a small black nose and a pair of ears poked out from behind. Smiles shone all around our Rover as we realized that we had the privilege of being in the presence of a mother polar bear and her cub of the year. The light faded slowly and all too soon we had to head home, leaving the mother and cub behind; our Rover crew silent in communal contentment, and smiling, appreciating all things polar bear.” stated Le Patourel.
As we come down the stretch of another
incredible polar bear season in Churchill, excitement is overflowing from guides and travelers as well. Fresh perspectives from guides in Churchill enable us all to see the polar bear world with a clear mind and vision.
by Steve Selden | Nov 9, 2015 | Churchill Photography
Natural Habitat Adventures guide Drew Hamilton’s photo group travelers snapped these pretty cool polar bear shots from their cell phones. Granted, the majority of the group posses numerous fancy, high powered lenses as one photo depicts, though it just shows that these days the quality of cameras in phones can produce excellent images. These polar bear photos are from photographers with all the gear and they still got the shots using minimal technology. Polar bears are curious animals and are attracted to most foreign smells out on the tundra. This allows travelers to usually get close and personal with bears as they approach the polar rovers.
Polar bears have an incredible sense of smell. Robin Snow photo.
Polar bear up close and personal in Churchill. Dean Snow photo.
Photo group with all the gear. Emily Chang photo.
Polar bear face through the Rover deck grate. Dean Snow photo.
by Steve Selden | Nov 8, 2015 | Churchill Photography
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.
by Steve Selden | Nov 6, 2015 | Tour News
Amidst the magnificent diversity of wildlife viewing this polar bear season, another phenomena has captured the attention of many travelers to the north country. Clearly the highlight of this polar bear season in Churchill has been the fairly consistent northern lights and their multi – colored displays in the northern sky. Polar bear sparring, particularly out around the Tundra Lodge in the Churchill Wildlife management Area, has been steady and exciting over the past couple of weeks. Clear skies have provided the opportunity for northern lights viewing for almost every Natural Habitat Adventures group this season. Incredible night shows!
Northern lights above the confines of the boreal forest in Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Over the years, Churchill has revealed some other, less visible wildlife such as moose, wolves, pine martens and perigrine falcons. This image below by Natural Habitat Adventures guide Colby Brokvist of a wolverine is one of the best I’ve ever seen out of Churchill. Colby reported that, “the animal climbed up the tree to try and swat the helicopter out of the air, protecting his ground.” just an amazing shot!
Wolverine climbing tree out on the tundra. Colby Brokvist photo.
These next few polar bear photos by Natural Habitat guide Drew Hamilton are great shots of the relaxation process polar bears go through during this time of walking hibernation. Polar bears do engage in sparring and active walking and hunting if possible though much of their time during the fall is spent conserving energy in the snow, kelp or willows.
Polar bear in a kelp bed. Drew Hamilton photo.
Polar bear sporting a battle scar. Drew Hamilton photo.
Relaxing polar bear in Churchill. Drew Hamilton photo.
This closing shot by Natural Habitat guide Colby Brokvist is typical of what this season has delivered with regards to incredible aurora borealis. This could be the best season for northern lights we have seen in a decade in Churchill…lets hope it continues for the next few weeks.
Magnificent northern lights over the inukshuk by the Hudson Bay in Churchill. Colby Brokvist photo.
