by Steve Selden | Nov 9, 2009 | Churchill News, Tour News
Northern lights illuminate the Canadian Shield in Churchill. Discover Churchill photo.
Omitted from last night’s report was the astounding aurora action that took place at around 9:30 PM. Guides gathered their groups at the Northern Nights hotel and Hudson Square outside the Seaport Hotel. A magnificent green swath across the sky brightened and faded for two hours or more while oohs and ahhs filled the fairly warm (26F) air. This was easily the premier aurora display of the season so far…no question. Guides Melissa, Brent, Karen, Scott and Paul all had some very thrilled folks on hand. The Tundra Lodge also reported a surreal happening with shadowy bears glimmering under the greenish glowing sky. Wild times.
The following day began with a soothing glow of sun flowing into town right down Kelsey Blvd. The marbled sky allowed for amazing golden light with long shadows over the snowy tundra throughout the day. As the day ebbed, Guide Karen and group framed a big male polar in the foreground with the orange glow of the sunset filling the sky. The day was punctuated mainly by mothers and cubs extremely wary of male bears all over the land. This area out towards Gordon Point had numerous family’s evading the aggressive males by running away. “Too many bears to count” was how Karen summed up the experience.
Guide Paul and his travelers also were came upon numerous mothers with cubs both around the lodge and out towards Gordon Point. Sheer numbers were difficult to count( easily 30) and bears were moving on the land. The excellent light was perfect for the avid photographers in the group.
From the air on our helicopter excursions, travelers were seeing numerous bears all over the tundra in Wapusk National Park. The talk of the trips for days has been a moose kill being fed on predominantly by a mom and two cubs. Occasionally single bears were spotted but mostly the family unit. When groups were close by overhead, some witnessed the red muzzles of the animals when they glanced skyward at the chopper. Need a napkin momma?
by Steve Selden | Nov 8, 2009 | Churchill News, Tour News
A daily field report on polar bears from our guide Steve Selden in our Churchill, Manitoba office! Check out our polar bear tours here.
The town of Churchill welcomes the 2010 Olympic Flame! Image copyright VANOC/COVAN.
The Olympic Flame gets a lift on an alternative mode of transportation - a tundra rover! You can see the torch bearer on the left side at the back of the vehicle. Image copyright VANOC/COVAN.
I have never seen Churchill like this. It felt like “big” the minute I walked from the house a short distance to the office on Kelsey Blvd. (aka Main St.) Lingering snow ceased and the cloudy sky seemed illuminated from behind by the previous night’s pyrotechnics. The air was simply a perfect temperature (26F) for the anticipated event and day surrounding it. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) throttled up and down the road on four-wheelers keeping the way clear for the ensuing motorcade. Soon, lights from SUV’s were flashing in the distance and even the forlorn, hulking grainery at the other end of town seemed to glisten like a chateau in the Loire Valley. People lining the streets waved plastic flags given away by Coke, an Olympic sponsor, in a cheap attempt to shine its’ own light on…well…itself and…oh yeah… the Olympics. Anyway, this was lost on most and the amazing spectacle of the Olympic torch relay came into town at exactly 9:14 AM. As the first runner jogged slowly past, camera’s; mine included, clicked away. The flame was intense as my eyes took it all in. A place like Churchill, so cold and stark most of the year is the perfect setting for the flame. And being such a remote, tiny community seemingly far away from most of the world, the symbolism of the flame and the feeling of a unified bigger world it inspires is maximized. Once that feeling of oneness takes hold of you it stays…even after the torch is on its’ way to the next community. I can’t explain why I followed that torch through town, back up Franklin St. toward the Hudson Bay, up onto a GWB Rover, down behind the town complex building, off again, back through town and into Hudson Square where it ignited the cauldron; but I know it felt amazing to be present. Being an athlete myself, I know the good that comes from that realm of life…and the everlasting hope and truth from competition between men and women that is settled only by scores and not loss of life. The incredible hope from this flame’s light is what really shines.
As the Olympic Winter festival was continuing on in town with tent, music, bonfire, brats and oh so many souvenir Coke bottles being given away, there was quite another amazing spectacle happening on the tundra in the CWMA. Guide Brent and group rolled up to a mother bear and two cubs just outside of launch and they proceeded to get very friendly with machine and travelers above. The early morning glow through the clouds was spectacular. Later near the Lodge, another mom and two cubs were wrestling around in the snow as yet another mother with, yes you guessed it, two cubs walked slowly on a glistening distant icy pond. Bring your kids to work day I guess! All in all Brent’s folks spotted an incredible 40 bears on the day. The stunning light was just as remarkable. Later, out by the coast, a young male flushed out a flock of Willow Ptarmigan by the rocks then proceeded to climb up on those rocks, pile up some snow for a pillow and take a nap. Yawwwwn.
Guide Scott and group also had many mother and cubs encounters as well as a Mourning Dove at first Tower being watched intently by now-resident Marten. Once leaving there, they watched sparring males just after the turn in the inland road. Sleeping bears in the willows, a few big bears along the coast, and one bear that hung out at the rover along Ptarmigan Alley all made for a full day. Then add the mom and yearling cub that played under the grate of the rear deck on the way back to launch; and his group was literally “over the top” for bear viewing on the day. I don’t think it gets better than this.
by Steve Selden | Nov 7, 2009 | Churchill News, Tour News
Polar bears awaiting the Hudson Bay freeze – up. Steve Morello photo.
A daily field report on polar bears from our guide Steve Selden in our Churchill, Manitoba office! Check out our polar bear tours here.
Saturday in Churchill was full of excitement as the festivities for the weekend began to take shape. With a professional fireworks display set to go off at night, the buzz around town was evident. The weather was trying to prevent the event as the snow slowly escalated in the afternoon to a full-blown snowstorm all across the tundra, rocky coast and sandy streets of Churchill. Temperature: 27F.
Meanwhile, from our polar rovers, the scene was astounding on the ground…and in the tower…as in First Tower. This landmark as well as Second Tower was constructed in the ’50s and used as an observation post by the military to watch over maneuvers taking place in the frigid cold below. These two decaying wooden sentinels of the tundra subsequently have been utilized in more recent years by researchers to observe Polar Bears in their Natural Habitat (shameless plug…oh yeah, this is the Nat Hab website, not the NY Times). But now First Tower looks as if it could barely support the Osprey nest resting on top of the stoic structure; never mind a Marten lurking inside……yes, that is what Guide Sandra and her group came upon in the morning. The brownish creature with golden round ears and blackish tail peered over the edge at the crowd below. Quite the sight! (more…)
by Steve Selden | Nov 6, 2009 | Churchill News, Tour News
A daily field report on polar bears from our guide Steve Selden in our Churchill, Manitoba office! Check out our polar bear tours here.
Polar bear family hunkered down near the Tundra Lodge in the CWMA. Steve Morello photo.
Another cold day (temps around 16F) in Churchill though the forecast calls for a warming trend in the next day or so. Anticipation continued to build for the Olympic torch weekend which will culminate on Sunday with the torch relay through downtown Churchill. Should be amazing.
On the land in the CWMA all groups had a good afternoon to follow up a morning filled with numerous mother and cub sightings and interactions. Guide Sue and her travelers experienced a fulfilling afternoon. A mother with two cubs was seen bedded down at 8:30 am and then again at 3:30 in the exact same location and position. Bears have a tough time getting going on Monday’s too. Out at Gordon Point, the group found a trio of Glaucous Gulls; a four year old, a female and a juvenile. A Silver Fox was on the road back into town heading toward a brilliant red sunset over the Churchill River.
by Steve Selden | Nov 5, 2009 | Churchill News, Tour News
A daily field report on polar bears from our guide Steve Selden in our Churchill, Manitoba office! Check out our polar bear tours here.
Dogsledding in Churchill is a spectacular northern experience. NHA photo.
The clouds and cold remained with us here in Churchill as temperatures were around 18°F. The Olympic torch is barreling through the North toward Churchill. Yesterday it went through Old Crow, Yukon by dogsled and will head to Inuvik before making it to Churchill on Sunday. This day marked 100 days until the Vancouver Olympic Games commence.
On the tundra it was another incredible day with the Bears and other wildlife. Guide Paul was around the lodge in the morning and his travelers witnessed three males sparring in the early morning sun. The three would alternate the ritual dance with each other thrilling all the onlookers from a few different Natural Habitat groups. At least six or seven bears were in the area and Ptarmigan scurried in and out of the willows as bears approached. As the morning continued, many bears were on and around the vehicles in locations near Gordon point.
Later in the day a Red Fox was spotted on Christmas Lake Esker catching Voles and lemmings and eating them. Then as the afternoon was turning to dusk, Paul’s group witnessed a majestic mom and cub moving across a large pond. A large Arctic Hare moved slowly five feet from the back deck of the rover with cameras snapping away. Great day in the CWMA!
by Steve Selden | Nov 4, 2009 | Churchill News, Tour News
A daily field report on polar bears from our guide Steve Selden in our Churchill, Manitoba office! Check out our polar bear tours here.
The cold persisted again today as temps were around 17°F with slight winds. The Hudson Bay crashed icy waves on the rocks, freezing over the stone thus making a seamless transition between shore and land-fast ice. No bears out on parole today as all is quiet around D20…the Polar Bear Compound.
Polar bear and a polar rover in Churchill. NHA photo.
Back on the tundra Guide Karen had her group again spotted a large bear just outside of town by Kelly and Robert’s dogsled camp. Another bear was seen right before the launch site. Once on the rover, eight bears were spotted at the lodge including “Rocky” who examined the rover by going under the deck and sniffing boots and then standing up on the vehicle. He then proceeded to check out the water supply truck by attempting to board that vehicle and drive back to the shop. In addition, two male bears were sparring on a nearby pond for a good five minutes. The two then wrestled in the snow for awhile, another ten minutes, before parting ways. Out at Gordon Point later on the group was able to spot a beautiful Cross Fox in the shimmering light.
Guide Scott reported in that bears seemed to be all over the vehicles on the inland road close to the lodge. One aggressive male whacked the driver’s side door before going to the rear and sniffing boots from under the back grated deck. As the group approached Halfway Point they saw about seven or eight bears hunting in the leads out off of the long spit that extends out into the bay. One bear was observed diving in off the ice and staying underwater for a good minute and a half. When he came up he had a seal and ripped a chunk of fresh meat off as the group took turns watching through the scope. This one bear ate for 30 minutes and then another big bear came and pushed that bear away and finished the job. Wow.
Guide Paul’s group spotted about 20 bears throughout the day, mostly up along the coast road as well as Rock Ptarmigan. One particular female came underneath the vehicle and then lounged nearby while the group ate lunch. later, on the Flats out East, mothers and cubs, a Glaucous Gull, Horned Lark and some sparring male bears made for a full afternoon. In the bay, the flow ice was moving out on the heels of a prevailing Southern wind. Pheww
