Brad Josephs and his Natural Habitat photography group witnessed some incredible action-packed polar bear sparring. A very severe blizzard moved in and another a few days later as cold air was accompanied by 80 kilometer per hour winds. On the last day of the trip a tantalizing sun dog appeared and the travelers photographed silhouettes of the inukshuk behind the town complex. While doing so an Arctic fox ran up the beach right past our group. An awesome trip with wild weather and many, many great photo opportunities.
“What a trip! The action just kept coming and we seemed to always be in the right place at the right time”, reported Natural Habitat guide Colby Brokvist. Highlights included many cub sightings, including one curious guy right up on our rover. We had sparring males so close that some of the guests on the deck of the rover were hit with snow as the bears tussled!
Polar bears in sparring mode. Colby Brokvist photo.
Other highlights included Manitoba Conservation chasing a large male polar bear out of town, and numerous fox sightings. Topping it off, the aurora borealis came out on Halloween night and the group of travelers and Colby journeyed down to the inukshuk behind the town complex to observe the amazing display around 1 am in the morning.
Aurora shining in the Arctic sky above the boreal forest. Brad Josephs photo.
Shipping News: The last grain ship is out of port and the tug boat brought in the channel buoys this past week.
Manitoba Conservation Blotter: There are currently 13 polar bears in the polar bear compound as of yesterday, including a sow with a cub caught in a bear trap near the cemetery.
Polar bear print in the snow. Karen Walker photo.
Guide Karen Walker and group had a male polar bear come very near their polar rover, on the spit past the lodge. The temperature was hovering around freezing, so the snow was soft and left a fantastic foot print for photographs. “At one point we had a very close bear on the right side of our rover and sparring to the left side of the rover,” added Karen.
A fox den on Christmas Lake esker in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Karen Walker photo.
Out along Christmas Lake esker, the group discovered the entrance of a fox den. “We never saw the fox, but we saw lots of tracks,” stated Karen. That evening the wind really picked up and it has become quite evident that winter has set in. Over the last few days, two blizzard-like storms have descended on Churchill.
Another great week of wildlife, and particularly, polar bear viewing in Churchill, MB with Natural Habitat and guide Colby Brokvist.
Slightly warmer air temperatures made for a bit more action out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. A sow and two coy were entertaining the group of travelers for hours and then amazingly the cubs even sparred with each other for a short time. A full day with the family provided thrills for the folks on the polar rover.
Polar bears in sparring mode. Colby Brokvist photo.
The following day Colby and group started off watching conservation officers tranquilize a large, skinny male bear out near the old dump close to what used to be the incineration plant. The groggy bear took two minutes to fall, and was then loaded on the truck and brought to the polar bear compound. Pretty thrilling to witness that live.
Polar bear in the CWMA. Colby Brokvist photo.
Out on the tundra of the CWMA, the travelers encountered Arctic fox, snowy owl, and some big male bears sparring at the lodge. “One large adult male came right up on our rover and I was excited to recognize his facial scar pattern as one who had been out at the Tundra lodge with me for several weeks a few seasons ago” reported Colby. ” I haven’t seen him since, so it was a memorable moment for me.” Another great day out on the land.
Two coy frolick in the willows. Colby Brokvist photo.
The group topped off the trip with a polar bear lift just before flying home. Natural Habitat sponsored the flight in support of the conservation and management program here in Churchill.
Natural Habitat guide Kurt Johnson reported on a wonderful trip last week! Highlights included sparring bears, snowy owls, Arctic fox and two Arctic hares. “Our last day was lucky enough to watch a polar bear -a small older bear known locally as ‘skinny’- taken by helicopter to the north as well as a large male, tranquilized, from a helicopter and transported to the polar bear compound”, reported Kurt. Here are some of the photographs from the trip:
Polar bear sitting back in the willows. Kurt Johnson photo.
Polar bear cubs with mother by the coast of Hudson Bay. Kurt Johnson photo.
A polar bear is airlifted up north from Churchill, Manitoba. Kurt Johnson photo.
Polar bears sparring in the willows. Kurt Johnson photo.
Exciting news out of Canada…Sir John Franklin’s ship the Erebus was found in the Queen Maude Gulf in the Arctic. Take a look at these videos documenting the incredible find after nearly 160 years.
