Beluga Whales Still in Churchill

The exciting news from Churchill is polar bears have been spotted out at the Tundra Lodge in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) and they are becoming more active as the season begins here. The first Natural Habitat Adventures group at the lodge guided by Colby and Eric came quite close to a big male bear out by first tower as their group explored away from the base lodge on a rover. A few others lounged around the lodge moving about the willows.

Pol;ar bear Churchill, Manitoba

Majestic polar bear resting in Churchill. Katie DeMeulles photo.

More exciting news from polar bear season Churchill is there are still at least 30 – 40 beluga whales still lingering around the mouth of the Churchill River and along the coast in the Hudson Bay. Some travelers took a helicopter journey and spotted the beluga pods below..what a sight for this late in the fall! I imagine there will be some more time for beluga’s here though soon they will depart for the Hudson Straits up north.

Moose in Churchill

Moose on the tundra in Churchill. Madison Stevens/PBI photo.

Other sightings by our friends at Polar Bears International (PBI) included numerous black foxes- a color morph of the red fox –  as well as traditional colored red foxes. A couple of Arctic fox have been spotted as well. Ptarmigan, Arctic hares and numerous bird species have also filled out the wildlife sightings for travelers over the past week. PBI travelers also were surprised by a large moose galloping along the tundra between ponds out in the CWMA!

Northern lights made an appearance on a couple of nights and were some of the best since last aurora season in February. Greens and pinks shimmered across the tundra in the darkened sky of the CWMA.

northern lights in Churchill, Manitoba

Intense northern lights in Churchill. Drew Hamilton photo.

Perhaps the most incredible sighting was also by the PBI group. They witnessed a Peregrine falcon feeding on a gull on the fringe of the willows. They observed the web of nature and the life-cycles of these hearty creatures firsthand!

peregrine-falcon-and-gull-madison-stevens-pbi

Peregrine falcon feasting on prey of a gull. Madison Stevens/PBI photo.

We are only in the first full week of polar bear season and already are witnessing surprises from every area out on the tundra!

Churchill Photos of the Week

Polar bear season in Churchill is officially underway as groups of travelers with Natural Habitat Adventures are returning from the Tundra Lodge out deep in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA). We should be getting some detailed field reports in from that groups guides Eric Rock and Colby Brokvist over the weekend. Other groups are arriving in Churchill as well and soon the news will come fast and furious. Polar bears will start to move with more urgency as the season gets going and the snow comes along with cooling air from the north. Stay tuned for posts from the sub -Arctic!

Polar bears Churchill, Manitoba

Polar bears at play in Churchill. Rhonda Reid photo.

Churchill, Manitoba polar bear

Majestic polar bear on a chilly, frosty morning in Churchill. Colby Brokvist photo.

Polar bear in Churchill

Poalr bear afraid to look at all the polar rovers. Justin Gibson photo.

polar bear churchill

Polar bear stretching after a nap in the willows. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.

Churchill Polar Bear Season 2016

Polar bear season has finally arrived and the season will kick off tomorrow with the initial group of Natural Habitat Adventures travelers arriving in Churchill and heading out to the Tundra Lodge. The lodge is a train – like grouping of rover style cars connected together to form an incredibly comfortable space to view majestic polar bears and other Arctic wildlife in a serene setting on the open tundra of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. (CWMA) Nighttime provides a dark environment for viewing northern lights off the open balcony decks.

Tundra-Lodge Churchill, Manitoba

The remote Natural Habitat Tundra Lodge in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.

Although Churchill has not experienced snow yet this season, it has not deterred polar bears from roaming the tundra and boreal forest. The polar bear below was photographed out by the Aurora Domes just yesterday by Churchill resident Claude Daudet. What a beautiful, clean polar bear to initiate the 2016 season. As you can see, a typical animal this time of year is thinner and awaiting the ice to form on the Hudson Bay. This juvenile seems to be in pretty good shape as he awaits the freeze-over that will allow the seal hunting season will commence.

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Beautiful shaggy, white polar bear near the Aurora Domes yesterday. Claude Daudet photo.

After one of the most spectacular northern lights season’s last January and March, Churchill was blessed with one of the best Churchill Arctic summer season’s in recent history as well. We have not had reports of beluga whales lingering in the Churchill River or Hudson Bay like last year though there might be a few stragglers braving the late season.

northern lights in Churchill, Manitoba

Northern lights over Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.

Some of the nights in polar bear season offer the right conditions for viewing northern lights. There can be many overcast nights since the Hudson Bay remains usually ice – free through October and into November. Moisture rises and creates the cloud cover though occasionally a breeze will clear the skies for some epic aurora moments…especially mid November when temperatures are falling. We are looking forward to some amazing nights that produce some more other-worldly images above the Hudson Bay!

Polar bears sparring in Churchill, MB.

Polar bears sparring in the Churchill wildlife management Area. Natural Habitat adventures photo.

 

Polar bear on a polar rover in Churchill, MB.

Polar bear greeting travelers. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.

Stay posted for all the news from Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world! Whether it be sparring polar bears, an exciting bear lift from just outside town or the thrill of eyeing a polar bear just an arm’s length away on a polar rover, churchillpolarbears.org will provide daily updates and photos throughout the season. Pass the blog site link along to a friend so they can share in all the action!

Patience of a Churchill Polar Bear

Polar bear and Hudson Bay Churchill

A polar bear waiting patiently for the hudson Bay to freeze. Michelle Viengkone photo.

by Michelle Viengkone

Some of us practice mindfulness, while others run free-throw drills or perfect our soufflés. Nonetheless, patience is required for the task at hand and if I may add, most generously so, towards ourselves.Polar bears could teach us some lessons.

Having spent time on the tundra, what continues to strike me most has been the patience that polar bears demonstrate when waiting for the ice to form. The bears that we are fortunate enough to observe are a part of the Western Hudson Bay sub-population. These bears are forced ashore during the summer months because the Hudson Bay undergoes seasonal ice break-up. By the time November strolls along, these polar bears have already been fasting for 5 months and it is not surprising that they can be more than a little “hangry”.

The male polar bear pictured waits patiently at the base of the spit in front of the Tundra Lodge watching the ice slowly build up. Restless, he may engage in some sparring with other males to pass the time. Swatting, pushing, and lunging are all in good fun on land. But it is also not uncommon to see bears lounging around within the willows or digging shallow beds along the coast awaiting their chance to take their first steps onto ice to catch their next meal. As the bears keep an eye on the Bay and forming sea ice, we as wildlife enthusiasts must be on the lookout for the bears; eyes peeled for a yellowish rock-like critter. This can be a challenging task as we bounce along on the rover with blowing snow impairing our line of sight. However, good things come to those who wait.

The sight of one’s first polar bear is magical. I have been lucky to witness these moments play out as travelers eyes light up with excitement peering from the rover. I have overheard the sing-song chatter remarking about the size and beauty of this iconic Arctic animal. I have given gentle reminders to pause the snapping of photos and have encouraged the simple act of watching the bear in that moment. Sometimes we rush through things – I know I have – paying little attention to the details, getting muddled or bogged down. Advice from one wildlife enthusiast to another: slow it down, and soak it in. Make like a polar bear and be patient, the Arctic may surprise you.

Churchill Guide Notes – Colby Brokvist

Natural Habitat Adventures guide Colby Brokvist has experienced quite the polar bear season so far in Churchill! One of his initial groups of travelers witnessed unbelievable sparring sessions on a sunny day close to the Tundra Lodge. The scene became even more intense when the three sparring male polar bears were interrupted by a smaller three year – old female approaching from first tower to the east. One of the males pushed her off into the willows where she laid down for a rest. After the sparring had cooled off she returned and checked out all the polar rovers in the area and gave thrills to all travelers aboard!

Polar bear churchill

Sparring polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Colby Brokvist photo.

Another sparring session that same afternoon matched two huge male polar bears going at it for about 25 minutes. ” I’d thought they would be overheating by now!” Colby expressed to his travelers. Amazing how polar bears can expend so much energy in a time when they are trying to conserve in a big way. It just shows how important this ritual of mock fighting is to the species survival. This year has been filled with outrageous displays..more so then years past.

Polar bears in Churchill.

Polar bears wrestling in the willows. Natural habitat photo.

With a more recent group Colby and driver navigated the rover out to the Tundra Lodge after spotting a sow and her cub close to launch. The morning seemed “quiet” reported Colby so they decided to move inland a bit toward an esker to the east. Just below the esker back toward the Hudson Bay the group sighted another sow and her coy (cub of the year) on the flats with amazing views toward the bay and surrounding lowlands. What a way to spend the late morning..beats an office coffee break by far!

polar bear sow and cub churchill, Manitoba

Sow and cub test the land fast ice of the Hudson Bay. Colby Brokvist photo.

Around lunch, camped in the same spot, patience paid off big time. An adolescent polar bear wandered up to the rover and investigated the rear deck of their polar rover. if one got any closer to a polar bear there would be teeth marks at best. The steel grated deck provides the needed protection here. Nearby a number of sleeping bears worked on conserving the energy spent in morning sparring sessions in the squared tundra.

Later on at Halfway Point the day concluded with a superb 15 minutes observing a rough – legged hawk hunt along the tundra. Not much more of a nature experience then that. All in all an incredible trip in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area!

Churchill, Manitoba wolverine

wolverine in a spruce tree in Churchill. Colby Brokvist photo.

One of the most exciting aspects of a trip to Churchill is a helicopter flight over the north land. This rare shot of a wolverine was captured by Colby as they flew over the boreal forest. Amazing! And for good measure a polar bear chugging through some land fast ice in the Hudson Bay!

polar bear in the Hudson Bay Churchill, Manitoba

Polar bear making his way through the slush ice of Hudson Bay. Colby Brokvist photo.

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