by Steve Selden | Dec 9, 2014 | Churchill Photography
Nearly all polar bears in the Churchill area have ventured onto the Hudson Bay pack ice. Although the northern winter seems unending in the far north, the time for polar bears to gather the sustenance they need from seal-hunting is relatively short. With the extreme weather and ice conditions working consistently to minimize the kill success of polar bears, every opportunity is treated as a golden one. Whatever fat-storage polar bears need to survive the increasingly ice-free summers, the majority must be accumulated through these “ice-solated” interactions. This season most polar bears seemed very healthy overall and hopes for another long ice-season are high.
Polar bear on the frozen thermakarst near the hudson Bay. Photo: Paul Brown
Aurora shines brightly in the Churchill night.
by Steve Selden | Nov 28, 2014 | Churchill Photography
Now that the polar bears have headed out onto the ice-pack of the Hudson Bay, here are some parting shots from this polar bear season by Natural Habitat guides. This was one of the best seasons in a long time with numerous sows and cubs, sparring males and Arctic fox galore. Many other various sightings of wildlife as well as some true Arctic weather made this a very memorable season. Up next…aurora borealis trips at the end of January and going through most of March. Can’t wait for the images of northern lights!
Two polar bears sparring in Churchill, Manitoba. Melissa Scott photo.
Aurora in the northern Churchill sky. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear resting in a snowbank. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bear sniffing around the polar rover. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear print in the snow. Karen Walker photo.
Polar bears grapple in the willows. Colby Brokvist photo.
by Steve Selden | Nov 16, 2014 | Churchill Photography
Roaming polar bear on the tundra. Melissa Scott photo.
Polar bear season is coming to a close but the superb photos keep arriving from Natural Habitat guides in Churchill, Manitoba. These four pictures from longtime guide Melissa Scott represent an amazing season that started fast and has continued strong. The Hudson Bay is starting to freeze up and polar bears are testing the ice. In another two weeks most bears will be on the ice hunting seals and the aurora borealis season will start in Churchill. If it’s anything like this fall polar bear season, it will be a great one!
Sparring polar bears in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Melissa Scott photo.
Polar bear in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Melissa Scott photo.
Polar bears emerging from the willows in the CWMA. Melissa Scott photo.
by Steve Selden | Nov 14, 2014 | Churchill Photography
Another amazing Tundra Lodge photo trip this past week with Natural Habitat guides Rinnie and Colby provided ample photography chances for ecstatic travelers. Polar bear season is in full thrust with Arctic weather setting up a winteresque transition into the season’s final two weeks. Although the frigid cold has accompanied the snow and once again cast the annual doubt on how the season will conclude before the Hudson Bay freezes over, nobody seems to want these beautiful bears to vanish just yet.
Polar bear resting in a snowbank. Colby Brokvist photo.
The adventurous start of the journey included getting delayed by a blizzard before charter pilots capably landed in Churchill through a “weather window”. “We arrived to the remote tundra lodge in full whiteout conditions, which really means we got to truly taste what arctic conditions are all about. In the morning we awoke to crisp blue skies, fresh snow, and a big male bear sleeping right outside the window of some of the guest bedrooms. Their first bear was right from their bedroom window!,” reported Colby.
Inquisitive polar bear inspects the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bears get hot and heavy on the tundra. Colby Brokvist photo.
Sunset over the tundra in Churchill,MB. Colby Brokvist photo.
A polar bear greets Natural Habitat travelers at the Tundra Lodge after the previous day blizzard.
Over the next four days of shooting photos, mostly blue skies prevailed, so very rare during bear season, which was a pleasure for photography. Highlights included many sparring bears right at the lodge, several sets of sows with cubs, a couple of charismatic young female bears, and incredible opportunities for colorful landscape shots.
Aurora in the night sky at the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
If that wasn’t enough, two of the nights the aurora borealis was dancing within openings in the cloudy night skies. What a trip out on the Tundra lodge!
Join us on the trip of a life time to photograph polar bears and the northern lights!
by Steve Selden | Nov 9, 2014 | Churchill Photography
Brad Josephs and his Natural Habitat photography group witnessed some incredible action-packed polar bear sparring. A very severe blizzard moved in and another a few days later as cold air was accompanied by 80 kilometer per hour winds. On the last day of the trip a tantalizing sun dog appeared and the travelers photographed silhouettes of the inukshuk behind the town complex. While doing so an Arctic fox ran up the beach right past our group. An awesome trip with wild weather and many, many great photo opportunities.
Check out Natural Habitat Adventures’ amazing trips at nathab.com
Sparring polar bears. Brad Josephs photo.
Sparring in the willows. Brad Josephs photo.
Spruce trees in the blowing snow of a blizzard. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear sniffing around the polar rover. Brad Josephs photo.
A sun dog behind the inukshuk on the Hudson Bay. Brad Josephs photo.
Arctic fox sniffing the tundra for prey. Brad Josephs photo.
by Steve Selden | Nov 1, 2014 | Churchill Photography
Natural Habitat guide Kurt Johnson reported on a wonderful trip last week! Highlights included sparring bears, snowy owls, Arctic fox and two Arctic hares. “Our last day was lucky enough to watch a polar bear -a small older bear known locally as ‘skinny’- taken by helicopter to the north as well as a large male, tranquilized, from a helicopter and transported to the polar bear compound”, reported Kurt. Here are some of the photographs from the trip:
Polar bear sitting back in the willows. Kurt Johnson photo.
Polar bear cubs with mother by the coast of Hudson Bay. Kurt Johnson photo.
A polar bear is airlifted up north from Churchill, Manitoba. Kurt Johnson photo.
Polar bears sparring in the willows. Kurt Johnson photo.
Come see the amazing world of the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba with Natural Habitat Adventures!
