Natural Habitat Adventures guide Brad Josephs and his band of travelers enjoyed an exciting start to the polar bear season with good bear sightings along with some other fantastic wildlife encounters. The group also witnessed an iconic landmark coming to the ground out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.
Polar bear with a dirty snout. Brad Josephs photo.
Veteran guide Brad reported warmer than average temperatures for this time of year though that didn’t deter polar bears from revealing themselves on the tundra. A pair of snowy owls perched on Precambrian rocks searching for lemmings or Arctic hares made for prime viewing and photo ops. A small group of willow ptarmigan made their way from the willows, imagine that, into sight of the excited group. A good look at an iconic northern species.
Arctic hare stoic ly waiting for the protection of snow. Brad Josephs photo.
Brad described the falling of an iconic landmark out in the CWMA.; “A strange thing happened while we were on the tundra. We drove by an old military observation towerbuilt in the early 1950’s for cold weather training, and when we drove by it again a few hours later it had collapsed in the high winds.” The landmark was dubbed “first tower” since there were two of these structures built for military training observation in the 1950’s and this one is the first one that polar rovers encounter while searching the tundra for wildlife. It’s quite a ways out on the trail and served as a landmark for rover drivers, especially in snowy conditions. Sad to see it go!
The demise of first tower in the CWMA. Brad Josephs photo.
While exploring the tundra out near the fallen tower, the group had an amazing encounter with a red fox carrying its ptarmigan prey in his mouth. Surprised by being “caught in the act” , the fox paused to take in the curious onlookers gazing at him in wonderment of the laws of nature and the survival chain of life in the Arctic wild. What an exciting start to the 2016 polar bear season in Churchill!
A red fox with a tasty meal of willow ptarmigan. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear season is next up for avid travelers and Arctic enthusiasts heading to Churchill. However, this video time-lapse from Natural Habitat Adventures guide Brad Josephs gives us a sneak preview to the incredibly popular northern lights season beginning in January and continuing through March. The aurora borealis have been phenomenal over the past few years and there’s no better place in the north to see them than Churchill! This season should be one of the best ever!
As the 2016 polar bear season winds down in Churchill, the stellar photos keep pouring in from Natural Habitat Adventures guides. These fine images from Brad Josephs are indicative of an incredible polar bear season on the tundra. Looking forward to posting more fantastic shots in the next week. Enjoy!
Sparring polar bears in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bears engaged in sparring. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear near the polar rover at sunset. Brad Josephs photo.
Arctic hare in the rocks and snow. Brad Josephs photo.
Northern lights in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.
Natural Habitat Adventures traveler under the northern lights. Brad Josephs photo.
Churchill train depot. Brad Josephs photo.
Northern sled dog in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.
Brad Joseph’s caught this polar bear image at just the right time as ravens were descending on the carcass. The seal kill drew around 30 polar bears last week to the the area around Gordon point in the Churchill wildlife Management Area. Seal kills have become more prevalent on the coast in the time leading up to the Hudson Bay freezing. Polar bears are using their cunning hunting skills to adapt to a longer time off ice. without the ice platform bears are unable to hunt seals in their dens or emerging from blowholes.Learning to find sustenance on land during the shoulder seasons has enable hungry polar bears to sustain their robust population in the western Hudson Bay.
Polar bear and ravens scavenge a seal kill carcass in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Brad Josephs photo.
Churchill, Manitoba is the place to see polar bears. October and November are the prime – time months to see polar bears as they congregate along the shores of the Hudson Bay to await the ice forming. Once the bay freezes bears wander to find their main food source to restore their vital fat reserves. Seals, forming dens on the ice surface, are breakfast, lunch and dinner for these voracious mammals. This short video lets you experience the initial thrill of tracking and finding polar bears with Natural Habitat Adventures guide Brad Josephs in Churchill. Enjoy!
