by Steve Selden | Oct 27, 2016 | Churchill Photography
Natural Habitat Adventures guide Eric Rock submitted these fantastic Churchill photos from last weeks sensational polar bear expedition in Churchill. Travelers on the trip had amazing photo opportunities with various landscape and wildlife features. These pics by Eric capture the feel of the trip and point to an increase in polar bear activity as the season moves along. Fresh snow is falling today in Churchill as you view this post. Polar bears will start moving at an increased rate with the new look of the tundra. Should be some exciting images and notes from the field in the next week. Enjoy!
by Steve Selden | Oct 24, 2016 | Churchill Photography
Monday in Churchill during polar bear season is yoga time in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area! Natural Habitat Adventures guide Elise Lockton snapped these relaxing polar bear photos while leading her group of travelers on a trip over the tundra. So far this dynamic polar bear season has been slow though steady with some nice surprises from the tundra. Stay posted for more Churchill news from the field!
Zen pose for a Monday. Elise Lockton photo.
Churchill yoga polar bear pose. Elise Lockton photo.
Stretch it out. Elise Lockotn photo.
Okay’ that’s enough for me. I’m tired. Elise Lockton photo.
by Steve Selden | Oct 23, 2016 | Tour News
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.
Willow Ptarmigan displaying furry, insulated feet. Brad Josephs photo.
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 tower built 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.
by Steve Selden | Oct 21, 2016 | Churchill Photography
These awesome images from Churchill by Natural Habitat Adventures guide Drew Hamilton are some beauties. Healthy polar bears, an Arctic hare and an eager team of sled dogs are all signs that another dynamic polar bear season is underway in Churchill. Stay posted as the action heats up when temperatures cool down in the north country! Enjoy!
by Steve Selden | Oct 19, 2016 | Tour News
A fresh snowfall greeted the first ultimate polar bear trip for Natural Habitat Adventures guide Moira Le Patourel and her group of travelers to Churchill. The fresh, light snow allowed for wildlife track sightings of fox and polar bears and even a lone wolf trail heading into the boreal forest. Typical temperatures for October, hovering around freezing, have allowed for more active polar bear activity on the tundra.
A quite intriguing polar bear interaction a couple of days into the expedition was witnessed by a few groups out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA). A large older juvenile, about 3 years – old, was interacting intimately with what appeared to be mom. Polar bear cubs usually spend around two years with their mother
Mother polar bear and unusually older cub getting close on the tundra. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Another unique, although more common sighting this season, was a onyx – colored fox, typically referred to as a silver fox scouring the snow covered tundra searching for lemmings below. This blackish and silver mix is a color morph of the common red fox and the contrast on the white covered tundra is striking. No camouflage here like the pure white Arctic fox. This guy won’t be sneaking up on any prey soon.
A color morph of the red fox, this onyx shaded fox is on the prowl for a meal of some sort. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Willow ptarmigan next to the rover trail in the CWMA. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Other sightings of a traditional colored red fox as well as an Arctic fox completed the trifecta. A grouping of white coated willow ptarmigan were spotted heading into and out of the willows by the rover trail. On another rover trip to the tundra and CWMA the group witnessed a male polar bear with a purplish marking on his white back – end. The bruin most likely had been snoozing in a kelp bed with some purple – hued varieties intertwined. A funny and unusual sight for sure.
Polar bear settling in a kelp bed. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Equally as rare and unusual was a polar bear gnawing on what appeared to be a snow goose wing. A small amount of energy exhausted to gain a few vital grams of protein. Any sustenance between now and the freeze over of the Hudson Bay will be crucial to survival for any polar bear.
Polar bear with a gull goose wing watching out cautiously. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Natural Habitat group of travelers in the CWMA. Moira Le Patourel photo.
