Churchill beluga whale watching operators breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans ruled that the recently proposed minimum distance regulations for observing belugas on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay would not be enforced for the coming summer season. A proposed 50 meter restriction was to apply to all vessels observing whales on the water. DFO was citing research recently conducted with results showing minimal contact with whales would be beneficial to them in their feeding and calving behavior.
Researchers have obviously not spent much time observing the whales interacting with tour operators vessels in Churchill. Having spent over 10 seasons with groups of travelers out on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay, I have seen the behavior in just about every situation many times over. Beluga whales are curious beings and when they are not feeding or tending to their calves they love to approach and follow boats of all sizes. Zodiacs in particular are favorites for the whales with their low throttle. The whales seem happy settling into the slipstream created by the outboard motor and often approach close enough without prompting for one to reach in the water and touch the melon of a beluga.
So, without hesitation, I can firmly state that beluga whales are safe around whale watching boats in Churchill. They are adept enough to avoid a boat traveling at fairly high speed though this practice is quite unusual for anyone out to view the whales. The video below highlights the behavior that beluga whales exhibit with no fear. Good job DFO!
Rhonda Reid in Churchill has been getting some amazing sightings an photos of the incoming migratory birds of Churchill so I thought we should just keep getting them out to you also! This is a really special time of year with Ice still in the bay and warmer weather. Birds are arriving and soon the beluga whales will be in the Churchill River and all along the coast in the Hudson Bay! Stay tuned for more updates.
Whimbrel in the grass in Churchill. Rhonda Reid photo.
Rough legged hawk. Rhonda Reid photo.
Sandhill crane. Rhonda Reid Churchill.
Surf scoters on the Hudson Bay. Rhonda Reid photo.
More and more shorebirds are arriving into Churchill as the summer takes hold. This time of year is a bird watchers dream in Churchill as new species appear almost daily in the build up to the nesting and foraging season on the coasts as well as inland. every trip outside creates new opportunities for spotting different birds. Depending on your preference you can do a boreal forest hike or stay along the coast or near inland thermakarsts or pools. There’s plenty of these winged creatures for all types of spottings.
Horned lark on the tundra. Rhonda Reid photo.
Hudsonian godwits foraging in the water. Rhonda Reid photo.
Today, in honor of my son Jack’s last day of fourth grade, churchillpolarbears.org is having fan photo Friday! We encourage you to submit any of your favorite Churchill or Arctic photographs to our Churchill Polar Bears Facebook page and they will be published in our blog at churchillpolarbears.org. Please include a brief description of the photo along with any other story you would like to tell about your amazing experience. Thanks to all for contributing and sharing your love of Churchill and the north!
