Another tremendous northern lights image from the Canadian north. This is a view over Lake Winnipeg north of the city by Brent Nixon. With the prime northern lights season commencing in about a week in Churchill, the preview pics are starting to roll in. We can’t wait to bring you all the news and aurora borealis sights from Churchill starting soon! Enjoy!
Auyrora borealis over Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Brent Nixon photo.
Todd Salat is a self-described aurora borealis hunter from Alaska. A former geologist, Salat has traveled all over the world tracking the aurora borealis and then capturing them in photographs for the rest of the world to see. He describes his life work schedule as a nine to fiver…however it’s nine pm to five am when the lights are at their peak. This short video gives us a look into his life as a real life northern lights tracker. Enjoy!
Foreground features in incredible images of northern lights can give the photo more depth and make the shot much more interesting to the eye. Scale is also brought into play when including such features as an inukshuk, trees, buildings or any other feature that makes it easier to believe these captivating aurora borealis are truly real and not photo – shopped. Below are two images of each, two with earthly features and two of solely northern lights in the sky. You decide which are more interesting to the eye and mind!
Northern lights over the Churchill Northern Studies Center in Churchill. CSNC photo.
Ribbons of aurora in Greenland. Melissa Scott photo.
Tee pee at Wapusk Adventures in Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Intense northern lights in Churchill. Drew Hamilton photo.
Polar bears sparring on the pack ice. Paul Nicklen/National Geographic photo.
This photo by Paul Nicklen for National Geographic gives us a rare look into life out on the pack ice for polar bears. Sparring polar bears is a common behavior in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area although it’s rare to see these majestic animals going at it out on the ice of the Hudson Bay. The western Hudson Bay polar bear population is enjoying the seal – hunting season finally and we will see them in the spring. Enjoy!
After the red fox photos we posted yesterday this red fox hunting video is a perfect follow -up. The hunting sequence of both red and Arctic fox on the tundra is one of the most phenomenal natural hunting techniques in the world. Foxes sense movement under the snow with their large ears which can be subtly tweaked in different directions to hone in on the exact position of lemmings or other small rodents. Although not always successful, the thrill of the hunt alone is worth watching. For the fox it is a skill that gets better as they age. Learning to locate and anticipate the prey’s movement takes incredible practice and is a key to their survival. The Arctic pushes animals to unique behavior that is truly incredible!
