by Steve Selden | Oct 25, 2012 | Tour News
Sometimes Churchill can seem a million miles away. Weather in Winnipeg and Churchill this time of year …any time of the year for that matter….can be an adventure in its’ own right. Unpredictable at the very least. For Natural Habitat Adventures guide Karen Walker and group it surely felt like that as they were delayed leaving Winnipeg for a few hours before finally arriving in Churchill.
After arriving in the polar bear capital, the group had a relaxing meal and then witnessed the amazing drum dance with Peter and Mary …a unique Inuit cultural experience in an intimate setting inside a upik..or tee-pee structure. A perfect way to ease into “tundra time” as we call the slow, relaxing pace of the north.
polar bear aware of a rover. Colby Brokvist photo.
On their first day out on the land a distant snowy owl greeted the group out at Gordon Point aboard their polar rover. Travelers got last glimpses of reddish tinted seaweed and golden tundra along the coast before becoming buried for the winter and morphed with the rest of the landscape into whites and grays. Later, along willow and spruce sheltered Ptarmigan Alley, a large male rested and stretched periodically. Lifting his head to size up the rover and guests gave everyone a nice taste of the polar bear’s life…nice way to start the trip. Another bear at the lodge walked out north towards the point while three others lounged around near the lodge. Every so often they would roll, stretch and become a little playful. very cool.
Sentinel snowy owl on the tundra near Churchill. Photo Colby Brokvist.
The following day another darker, juvenile snowy owl greeted the group as well. Seems to be quite a few “snowy’s” around this year..maybe this is their cycle year…such majestic animals. A half dozen bruins…a hockey team…were spread out around the area near the lodge. Mostly resting and stretching until some sparring started up…gloves off. The display started under the lodge then moved to the front where all travelers had great views. Ptarmigan scurried…or waddled..off into the willows bringing smiles to all.
A final day trip to the Eskimo museum gave all an excellent background on the intermingled cultures of local tribes as well as Thule, Dorset and Pre-Dorset history. All of these peoples played major roles in forming the feel and infrastructure of this incredible region. Some are ghosts..some are still with us…continuing to form the Arctic.
A polar bear leans against a rover.
A trip up to Cape Merry gave people a chance to observe the tundra up close and search the water of the Churchill River for beluga whales that some folks had spotted within the past week. It’s a bit late and I have not heard of whales staying south this long for a good while now. Most years belugas head north to the Hudson Straits area in the northeast by mid-September in order to beat any ice formation in the Hudson Bay. If the whales can’t make it back to the open -water polynas of the straits they will perish by being trapped under the ice. the Straits have open water due to currents that do not allow ice formation. Whales use these polynas to breath in the winter. As the group was leaving the cape, a beautiful, glimmering silver fox came right up to the bus….looking right into everyone’s eyes. He then hopped up on the boardwalk and greeted another group at very close range.
The polar bear holding facility has a live -set trap right by the informational panels. Kind of a strange spot for such a thing. No travelers have been captured yet. It’s only a matter of time I’m sure…probably a photographer.
A final night out on the tundra produced inquisitive polar bears at the lodge. Three different groups were graced with bears coming right up to the machines and sniffing under the grated back deck or leaning up on the side of the rover. Natural Habitat guides Colby and Sue both had bears greeting their guests and then a big male came to Karens’ rover and sat next to the group for a good 15 minutes and then walked under the deck ….never standing to sniff boots but still thrilling for all the guests to have the animal separated by only a half inch of steel. As the wine and cheese was broken out and darkness set in, one polar bear did stand up and leaned against the window giving some guests another amazing thrill of a lifetime. Sparring and bears coming and going in the shadows made for a most memorable experience for all.
Guide Colby Brokvist has had some great bear activity on the land for his group of travelers to marvel over. Most recently as they ventured out in their rover, they made their way to Christmas Lake Esker where unfortunately not much was happening in the wildlife realm. Fortunes turned however as other guides radioed over to Colby’s driver that aa sow with two yearling cubs were way out toward second tower. They made swift pace over to the area and were rewarded with the sightings and then the cubs sparring playfully at perfect distance for photo’s and general viewing all while eating a nice lunch. An immature snowy owl out by the old Inuit stone kayak racks and five or so black bellied plovers splashed around in the tidal flats on the coast. Seeing all the Arctic wildlife together enhances the experience..you can get a better sense of the survival urgency when observing multiple life forms moving around in this environment at the same time.
POLICE BLOTTER
Currently the polar bear holding facility…Jail to locals…has seven polar bears.
18 bears have been reported as threats during that past week.
A total of 95 bears have been reported to date this year.
No bears have been officially flown out though polarbearalley.com has reported that Animal Planet may have arranged and paid for an evacuation flight.
by Steve Selden | Oct 22, 2012 | Churchill News, Tour News
As this year’s polar bear season starts to gain in momentum in and around the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA), the action out on the land is starting to heat up. Wildlife activity is building as it tends to this time of year while the early season aurora borealis opening act has only acted as a prelude to what is looking like some amazing encounters ahead.
Playful polar bear on the tundra.
Natural habitat guide Lynette and her travelers were out near the tundra lodge when they pulled up their rover near to a male laying still in the willows. There were two other bears visible around the wheels of the lodge,one, a big male, and one more larger male laying about 50 feet north of the lodge. The large male was “great to watch as he would roll over, stretch out about every two minutes”. ,according to Lynnette. ” He was positioned so that we had a nice look at the bottom of his heavily furred paws. We had a perfect view of the male closest to us and he had about a three-inch scar running down the length of his nose.” Could this be the infamous Dancer? I think it might be. While he rested, the two bears by the lodge began to interact and nuzzle each other. Finally, one of the nuzzlers …love that description…walked over to the large male laying away from the lodge and encouraged him to join in the fun. Scar-nose, or Dancer, did not want to be left out, so he stretched, yawned and walked under the front of the rover see what was happening. Once he saw how much bigger those two bears were however, he meandered over toward the lodge instead. Those two kind of rolled around near each other for a while with one continually trying to get a rise out of the other one. Finally, one bear took the bait and the two large males began a spirited sparring match that lasted off and on for about 20 minutes.
Red fox on the tundra. Brad Josephs photo.
During all this scintillating action on the tundra, the sun came out and the bright light was shining down on the bears making even their somewhat muddied coats gleam. “It was beautiful!”, Lynnette summed up. Those two bears then moved on into the willows down in a little draw out of sight of the rover. Dancer and one of the other bears settled in over by the lodge for the afternoon.Quite the scene to witness first hand!
Some excellent willow ptarmigan sightings and a more distant view of a snowy owl perched on a lower spruce branch rounded out the amazing experience of the day in the CWMA.
Meanwhile long -time guide and naturalist Brad Josephs had his Natural Habitat group out the previous night for an evening rover excursion. Rumbling along close to the tundra lodge, the travelers were greeted by five large male polar bears. Continuous sparring ..with three bears going at it at once…provided steady excitement for the guests as well as guide and rover driver. This kind of behavior is always a thrill ..even if you’ve seen it before. Following the action one big male sauntered up to the machine giving everyone an up-close encounter in the eerie darkness.
Snowy owl resting on the tundra. Brad josephs photo.
The following day out on the land in the CWMA, the group was afforded clear, close views of two snowy owls out around Gordon point. One was just 30 yards from the rover sitting on a lichen – crusted stone along the esker. Ecstatic guests were then treated to a third, more distant “snowy” on the rocky beach to the east. Moving back along the coastal trail, sightings of dunlin and white-rumped sandpipers were all gravy for avid birders.
Foxes also darted across the tundra…a red fox was seen running along the coast. He stopped once the rover came into view and then an Arctic fox came along from the opposite direction…skittering right past the rover at close distance providing fine views for all. Brad described the Arctic fox as a one -year old just starting to acquire the beautiful, white fur. Later, down the trail the group caught up with the red fox and noticed he had located a goose wing in the mud. He chewed it up right in front of them, going for the cartilage at the feather bases, as well as the little meat on the wings. Awesome views!
by Steve Selden | Oct 17, 2012 | Churchill News, Tour News
Impressive aurora borealis displays have graced the skies over Churchill this past week with incredible waves of green reflecting off the foamy Hudson Bay below. While the polar bear season is just getting started, the northern lights are stealing the show like never before. This recent photo by Churchillian Katie DeMeulles gives one an idea of what has been appearing almost nightly here.
With temperatures in the freezing range, bears have been moving about the tundra in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA). Polar rovers have been tracking nearly a half dozen bruins of the white variety along the coast and further inland. There have also been some polar bears in and around town in higher numbers than other years this early in the season. One 1000 lb. male tried to check himself in to the hospital by breaking through the ambulance entrance door. Conservation officers arrived on scene and darted him and transported him to the polar compound facility near the airport. Reportedly the bear was diagnosed with an eating disorder by the on-call hospital doctor….not an uncommon finding at this juncture.
Polar bear on the rocks along Hudson Bay. Jodi Grosbrink photo
A couple of bears have been seen with regularity out along the coast road near miss piggy…the old wreckage of a transport plane nestled in the rocks…as well as the waste transfer station further inland. This time of year can be incredibly dangerous for wayward travelers venturing out on their own. Because it’s not the heart of the season yet, some people get lulled into a sense of security that can be dangerous. The same effect happens in the Summer when a few polar bears arrive in the area. Because polar bears are not supposed to be around doesn’t mean they aren’t. I’m amazed there has not been any major incidental meetings in the last decade around the town and coastal area. Keep your fingers crossed.
With the week moving over the hill, we will see what comes with the other side. It’s always something new that captures one’s imagination in this northern region. For now, while bears and other wildlife are amassing, the sky is the limit….actually limitless…with scintillating light shows. Enjoy them while you can. And if you want to brave the cold of winter, come back for the Northern lights and Arctic Cultures trips offered by Natural Habitat Adventures in March.
by Steve Selden | Oct 12, 2012 | Churchill News, Churchill Photography, Tour News
Nearly 1000 polar bears will inhabit the coastal region around Churchill, MB this October and November…and in fact some have already meandered into the area. Three times or more that number of people will make their way to Churchill to not only get a look at these incredible creatures but also get a feel for the Arctic wildlife. The lure of the frontier feel and simple life of living remotely has captured imaginations for as long as humans have lived. Churchill gets one close to that instinctive sense.
Looking ahead to another polar bear season.
With all the new technology in the world that seemingly makes life “easier” for us all, there is still an innate striving to venture to remote lands where we can become one with nature again. Feeling a sense of mystery through landscape and wildlife allows our imaginations to run wild. When we travel to places like Churchill,MB to become a part of the migratory pattern of the polar bears we return to our prehistoric roots and feel alive like never before! The world wide web is exactly that…a web we sometimes become entangled in and for many we cannot find a way out. Our daily lives can become stagnate and to stimulate our dreams and sense of adventure it often takes a trip to a “wild” destination to rejuvenate our interpretation of the world and what we truly desire. After a pilgrimage of this sort, the mind often “reboots” ,if you will and you should, and a different perspective shapes our new dreams.
New beginnings for polar bears and travelers.
With the new season comes the annual blog from Churchill direct from guides escorting Natural Habitat groups on these amazing polar bear excursions. First hand reports will be published furnishing incredible stories, pictures and a new feature this season…video clips from the tundra. We are incredibly excited to offer this new look into the behavior of the creatures of the north…namely the polar bears. Feel free to comment on the stories and video and offer suggestions as how to improve our coverage. I hope to give all of you insight into how life in Churchill at this time of year takes on a frenetic, and often surreal sense of being the center of the universe. For about six to seven weeks it truly is!
Aurora borealis in the sky above Churchill,MB. Eric Rock photo.
Early season reports from the tundra lodge have a few polar bears wandering around as the first group of the season is heading there today. The temperatures, just at the freezing mark of 0 degrees centigrade, are another good sign that the season should provide active bears with varied behavioral characteristics on display Another couple of bears have been in and out of Churchill proper so things are getting interesting in a hurry this year. Looking forward to an amazing season!
by Steve Selden | Sep 24, 2012 | Churchill Photography, Tour News
In Churchill every season is polar bear season. True “Churchillians”..er, that is “locals”…never stop thinking about polar bears. It would be truly unwise to do so. A constant guard has to be maintained living in this frontier town. Other than the heart of winter, one has to be alert to surroundings 24/7. For all others, October and November signify a gathering, not just of bears, but of people. Travelers also migrate to the north..Churchill…to become a part of this amazing phenomena known as “polar bear season”.
In about two weeks Churchill will begin to feel the stir of this year’s polar bear season. The town will transition from the lull between Summer and the frenetic pace of the busiest time of the year. For this town of about 900 residents, the world will be watching. Thousands will converge upon this tiny town on the shores of the Hudson Bay and the one main street running through the heart of town..Kelsey Boulevard. The town will become an incredible melting pot of people and wildlife for two months and then stillness.
Here are some of my favorite, classic images from recent years in Churchill!
Polar bear sniffing the air. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear resting in willows.
Curious polar bear detects scent.
Two polar bears prepare to spar.
Polar bear resting on a rock. Brad Josephs photo.
by Steve Selden | Aug 24, 2012 | Churchill News, Churchill Photography, Tour News
As the Summer winds down in Churchill, the beluga whale population gives us amazing shots to capture on film…er camera..chips? Not sure how you say that anymore. Anyway some of these classic photo’s remind us how amazing it is out on the water of the Churchill River or Hudson Bay. With polar bears lurking along the shores of Eskimo point and Cape Merry, the Arctic feel is all around. Birds grace the air over the water looking for capelin stirred up by the whales. All in all one feels “in” nature…amazing.
Beluga looking up. Photo Katie Demeulles.
Beluga in the Churchill River. Rhonda Reid photo.
Tundra swans on shallow lake. Ed Bouvier photo.
Beluga whale in Churchill River, Churchill,MB. Steve Selden photo.
- Trolling for beluga whales in the Churchill River.
