Here are two video cam views into the lives of the beluga whales in Churchill, which by all accounts seem to be very different worlds indeed. Life below the surface of the Churchill River and the Hudson Bay is serene and a cacophony of communication between the whales all at once. Above the surface, whales feed and glide through the water while often investigating whale watching zodiacs. The mammals come close to the vessels and ride in the slipstream of bubbles flowing from the engines. The two worlds of the beluga whales merge together and provide travelers one of the most incredible wildlife experiences on Earth!
Polar bears roaming the tundra in the CWMA. Bill McPherson photo.
A large male polar bear keeping a weary eye on the area. Don Walkoski photo.
A polar bear family rests on the rock outcrop at Bird Cove in Churchill. Don Walkoski photo.
Churchill’s polar bear season officially isn’t for another couple of months though you wouldn’t know it by the recent sightings around town and out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) lately. Polar bears are beginning to congregate in the area and most seem to be healthy and non-confrontational. We are excited to see what the coming weeks will bring as far as polar bear activity goes. The rest of summer and this fall should provide more exciting wildlife excitement for all ages!
Three magnificent photos from Andy Murch in Churchill. The Arctic tern is an amazing bird with the longest migratory path of any bird travelling pole to pole throughout the year. Watching terns scavenge capelin from the waters surface in Churchill after being churned up by feeding beluga whale pods is quite an experience. Arctic Terns are truly an opportunistic species!
Dwarf fireweed near Starvation Cove, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Mia Rachel photo.
Arctic cotton in Sylvia Grinnell Park in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Gwenyth McQuarrie photo.
Wolf pups in Alert Nunavut. Peter Gilhuly photo.
These three outstanding shots from Nunavut characterize the northern Arctic summer in Nunavut. Churchill has its fantastic beluga whale season though the further north one goes the more there is to discover across the tundra! Enjoy!
These are some of the coolest photos we have seen from the Churchill River of the beluga whales. Andy Murch from Bigfish Expeditions took these on a recent visit to Churchill. He has refined his ability to capture these animals in their natural habitat with incredible clarity. Beluga season has been revealing incredible treasures and these “canaries of the sea” are the focus of an incredible northern experience on the Hudson Bay. Enjoy!
