by Steve Selden | Nov 3, 2011 | Tour News
As polar bear season moves into November, the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) is still not so Arctic -like when it comes to snow cover. Wildlife viewing out on the land, however, has been very active as the animals wait for the cold and snow to inevitably arrive. Even with slightly warmer temperatures above freezing at times, polar bears have been displaying various active behavior styles. Snow is forecast most of next week with temperatures dipping into the -15C range. Bears should be on the move.
Paul Brown photo.
Natural Habitat guide Lynette and band of travelers started out their day this past week at Bird Cove but found it pretty inactive. The views across the cove back towards Churchill in the distance were beautiful and coastal precambrian shield rocks inspired all before the rover moved along the coast to Halfway Point. A resident gyrfalcon guided the machine along the trail dipping in and out of the updrafts gusting in from the Hudson Bay. While enjoying morning coffee and snacks the group spent almost two hours at Halfway Point watching a juvenile snowy owl through a spotting scope. Oh..and yes there were some polar bears. A younger male came from a good distance inland as guests watched intently with binoculars. At about the same time, another bear was spotted off the coast a bit swimming in the bay…just bobbing and playing. Constantly turning in the icy water as if trying to stay warm, he would periodically dive under and come up. At one point what appeared to be a floating log was discovered and he continued to play with the object for quite awhile. A pretty amazing site!
The “water” bear finally emerged from the bay and headed towards the rover and began investigating the look and smells of the vehicle. At times, while the group was enjoying hot soup and sandwiches for lunch, the big male bruin perched its’ paws almost on the top rail of the deck. Lynette’s travelers seemed quite content to spend most of the afternoon observing the bear up close. He took breaks to sit in the willows nearby and roll and roll about in the brush and slight snow cover built up along the fringe of the vegetation. As the group moved about the area toward the end of the day they counted eight or so polar bears within view ..all of them being fairly inactive. For some reason this bear was intrigued by their presence and gave them memories for a lifetime. The others were conserving energy in the relatively warm of the day.
Guide Karen Walker and her Natural Habitat group arrived in town from the airport, had a deli lunch at Gypsy’s and then followed a tip from their shuttle driver about a polar bear just outside of town by the old plane wreck dubbed “miss piggy”. As they followed the coastal road out of the back end of town, they came upon, not a single bear,but a mother and cub just 200 yards West of the plane. Quite a nice welcome to the high North country. I, personally, have always felt more in tune with the region when coming upon polar bears unexpectedly. This was surely a surprise to many of these first timers to Churchill. Another bear was spotted walking North just on the other side of the gravel pit between the road and the Hudson Bay.
The groups’ luck continued the following day as they were just 10 minutes from launch when a bear in the distance at about 100 yards caught their attention. Not even ten minutes from then, a group of ptarmigan swaggered along the trail into and out of willows as the rover moved past. Good start to this day as well.
Karen and her driver conferred and decided to head straight out to the lodge in hopes of being the first rover to arrive on the site. They were indeed and found a couple of young sub-adults underneath the North end of the structure. They soon walked over and were up on the rover peering inside while sniffing the air. All were awed by the encounter. The two then settled down just about 15 feet off the back observation deck. Another bear emerged from the willows and began wrestling with one of the sub-adults just off the back of the rover. the pair moved all the around the area and both the guests on the rover and the tundra lodge were thrilled with the show.
Paul Brown photo.
A short time later, Karen and group moved out a little toward Halfway Point when another polar bear walked out of the willows. The two bears continued sparring and this new bear would interact and wrestle with the two from time to time. As the action simmered down and the group sipped on coffee, the clock showed it was only 11 Am. Quite an amazing morning on the land. The action continued however as two more bears traveled in from the rocky spit that juts into the bay Northward. Another came out of the willows between the lodge and the bay. All in all, in a panoramic setting, there were seven polar bears in view at once. Some were sparring and wrestling throughout the late morning and early afternoon until things finally began to calm down around 2;00pm. About 15 sightings of bears on an amazing day. Another scene complimenting the afternoon was seeing fresh, clean bear paw prints on the ponds. Some of the tracks also had fox prints mixed in with them. The soft clear light made the prints stand out nicely from the glare of the ice.
by Steve Selden | Nov 1, 2011 | Tour News
As the heart of polar bear season in Churchill nears closer, the tundra is still surprising all who venture out every day. Although intense colder temperatures have not settled in as of yet, wildlife encounters are still impressing travelers exploring the tundra each day. The slightly warmer temperatures have not kept polar bears in the region inactive at all. Although some are content to lounge and sleep in the willows or rocks, many are up and about engaging in sparring bouts and investigating rovers….sniffing boots.. that sort of thing.
Colby Brokvist photo.
A good morning on tundra for Colby Brokvist and group gave way to warming temperatures in the afternoon with not too much happening in wildlife viewing. In the morning at Halfway Point things got started with a snowy owl chasing snow buntings along the rocky border between the tundra and the Hudson Bay. A juvenile snowy.. he perched near the rover and then twice flew directly at the vehicle with his yellow piercing stare. Lemmings in rocks below the rover scurried to take cover from an arctic fox running along the shore looking for some sustenance. Guests were exposed to great photo opportunities as three polar bears were in the area. A very old and skinny adult spotted at bird cove last week lounged near the rocks. Seemingly on the brink of death, his ribs, pelvis and shoulder bones were apparent through his white coat. Two other bears were walking and somewhat active. Easily the highlight of the morning was when one of the bruins decided to take a swim for almost half an hour just offshore in the calm bay… playing in the kelp, diving under the surface, emerging and rolling around on his back like a sea otter. Once ashore, he shook off the icy water before spending some time with Colby’s as well as a couple of other rovers nearby. Very “cool” experience…especially for the bear! The warmer afternoon was spent near the tundra lodge where three or so bears were lounging lazily around on the edge of the willows.
Guide Sandra Elvin’s group experienced a fantastic week highlighted by two separate bear lifts. The first involved scrambling on arrival day in Churchill and getting out of the airport just in time to see two bears removed from the compound, netted and evacuated to the North. Exciting start to the Northern experience. Then, on the group’s helicopter and museum-touring day, travelers were fortunate to view a sow and two cubs moved from the compound as well. Two of these in a trip is quite rare.
Paul Brown photo.
The group’s polar bear viewing out on the tundra was exciting also. On day one in the CWMA , a polar bear was observed up close while a few others were viewed crossing the landscape slowly at a distance. A few others asleep in the willows rounded out the afternoon. The second day started slowly in the morning though afternoon brought bears around the lodge challenging each other without full-on sparring. A group devoid of avid birders calmly observed a magnificent gyrfalcon soaring the wind currents above. An arctic fox near the rover launch and a red fox at Bird’s Cove filled out a palette of Arctic wildlife.
Helicopter journeys to a former bear denning area were hampered by fog. After the den visit, the group returned back to the base in town and re-booked flight time for the end of the trip. Flying over a controversial “sled-dog” compound East of town raised serious questions regarding the morality and legality of the site. Polar bears intermingle freely with chained dogs there and quite often share food left for the canines. Should wild animals be exposed to this setting? On the later rescheduled flight, the group flew directly to Cape Churchill and returned over the boreal forest. A large number of bears at the cape and scattered moose on the fringes of the forest were awesome sights.
The aurora borealis cooperated with Halloween by unveiling itself for the holiday..Guide Elise’s group as well as some others viewed the Arctic spectacle behind the town complex at the giant stone inukshuk guarding the Hudson Bay. One of “the best displays I’ve ever seen here”, is how Elise characterized the show….dancing, swirling lights of green…pulsing with faint glimpses of red. Maybe a slight tinge of orange in there as well. Happy Halloween to all!
Paul Brown photo.
Guide Rinnie reports “resident” bears around the lodge. There are constantly four to five males around ….including a couple of “big guys”. A single female and a mother with a coy visited the area much to the delight of travelers on board. A few “buddy” males sparring frequently very close to the lodge thrill the photographers as well as casual guests. Away from the lodge two adult golden eagles soared pass the rover while out along the coast road. Snowy owls have been seen almost daily as well as Arctic fox. On the last lodge trip, northern lights appeared twice on the darker tundra of the CWMA….an easier place to spot the phenomena for sure. Food being served by gourmet chefs at the lodge is fantastic while the group hopes for colder temperatures to arrive. Hopes for some more mothers with cubs to move in to the area are top of the wish list.
by Steve Selden | Oct 28, 2011 | Tour News
Temperatures are currently just below freezing in Churchill with snow in the forecast next week. winds from the North have been prevalent these past few days and the white stuff will soon be carried in on the gales soon. Meanwhile business as usual continues around Churchill with a good number of polar bears around in some unusual places. Various birds are still being observed as well…many still finding Churchill a hospitable place for this late in the Fall. Soon ,however, the season will turn Winteresque and another wave of the winged ones will head South.
Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bears have frequently been observed around the rocks out at Bird Cove and Halfway Point. It’s interesting how each year some unique characteristic emerges of the particular season’s bear population around Churchill. Bears on rocks have certainly been this season’s surprise. Many years we don’t see more than a handful of bears around Bird Cove, though this year it has been a hotspot.
Guide Colby Brokvist and his group viewed the bear on the pre-cambrian slab above out at Halfway point in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA). He ascended via rock ledges, but couldn’t figure out how to get down. This image is of him trying to figure out how descend the rock slab.”I see Yosemite black bears cruise this stuff regularly, but this guy couldn’t seem to find his balance.” stated an amused Brokvist. Finally, he made it down and found a nook in the rocks out of the wind to rest in.
Guide Paul Brown ‘s group has been enjoying the plethora of early-season polar bear encounters on the tundra in the CWMA. They also were very fortunate to see three gyrfalcons while out along the coast. One dark -phase possible juvenile at Halfway point and two white phase, one at Cape Merry and one also at Halfway Point.
Paul Brown photo.
Guide Sue Zajac noticed the polar bears she and her group were observing were “more active” than in the previous days. At the tundra lodge, bears were sparring out on the snow-dusted land, preparing for more serious encounters later out on the ice. After spending a good part of the afternoon in that area the rover headed back toward launch and came across a snowy owl near the trail. Earlier they spotted two golden eagles …most likely the pair that had been seen last week also. Mergansers were scuttling around in the last remaining water of the scattered thermakarsts and a glacuous gull patrolled the coastline riding the up drafts.
Paul Brown photo.
Guide Karen and her Ultimate Churchill group arrived at the airport in Churchill and headed directly to the polar bear holding facility to learn about the capturing process. Culvert bear traps on the grounds are an excellent teaching tool. The group’s trip came full circle on the last day. A Bear Lift of two siblings from the polar bear compound was an apt send off as the group then went right to the airport for the flight to Winnipeg. Three other Natural Habitat groups also enjoyed the bear lift. The guests loved the last day. Prior to the bear lift several guests toured the town complex, and met Boris who has lived in Churchill for 51 years. His picture is on the wall of the portrait gallery. He told a couple of stories of his close encounters with polar bears. Then, all went dog mushing with Kelly & Ernest, whom the guests enjoyed immensely. A well rounded trip to the far North!
Photo Paul Brown.
by Steve Selden | Oct 25, 2011 | Tour News
Hudson Bay Helicopters has been running charter tours for travelers in Churchill for many years now. Typically the flights start out along the coast and head due East all the way to an area known as Cape Churchill. The Cape is an early season gathering spot for polar bears awaiting the annual Hudson Bay freeze-up. Usually this time of year polar bears are starting to gather near and around the Cape ….however not to the extent they are now. The numbers are impressive for sure.
On the flights out along the coast, sporadic sightings of bears have been reported roughly aligning with the numbers sighted in the CWMA and elsewhere on the tundra. Once over Cape Churchill though, groups of between five and nine bears have been seen with even a confirmed sighting of about 14 bears in a line of close proximity. Natural Habitat guide Melissa Scott has been leading polar bear trips for over a decade in Churchill and she has “never seen this many bears at the cape this early in the season.” Over 30 bears in all have been tallied!
Flights out to an old polar bear denning area on the 22nd of this month had beautiful “sunny morning light” according to Scott as she accompanied her ultimate Churchill group on the flight excursion. Looking down at the patterned ground covered with verdant caribou lichen or “reindeer moss” and the slightly ice encrusted tundra lakes, the guests surely felt the Arctic spirituality from above. After a sighting of a polar bear sow with two cubs of the year (coy’s) the moose numbers were just as impressive as the gaudy numbers of Cape bears. Along the Deer River, moose were spotted in and out of the willows. The return trip revealed a group of roughly 10 moose, including two cows(one with a calf) and eight or nine males all in the same area. Breeding season is still going strong apparently.
Paul Brown photo.
Meanwhile, back on the tundra,guide Karen Walker and her travelers experienced an amazing day without traveling farther than Bird Cove in their tundra rover. Melissa and group had viewed bears close to the area the day before from helicopters so three groups headed to the spot the following day. At the outset, a pair of polar bears spent about an hour around Melissa’s rover..even standing and leaning against the vehicle, before investigating the others. These two males, around four or five year- old’s, seemed to be good buddies. They sparred and wrestled for over a half hour and then lumbered away into the willows for a nap. Karen’s rover circled the old loop road and then the driver situated the machine near the rocks. Then to the amazement of the group, the same two bears reappeared from their slumbers and resumed their wrestling bout. After awhile the bears curiously sniffed at the boots of the humans on the rear observation deck through the steel grate. All in all the bears spent almost 45 minutes under and around the rover before heading off into the cover of the undulating, craggy granitoid rocks.
" This is a hold-up...give us all your muk tuk."
On the back toward launch a majestic, thick auburn-furred red fox with fluffy tail seemed to lead the rover back home as it jumped weightlessly in and out of the willows along the trail. Four ptarmigan at about 75 yards added to the Northern palette.
Karen’s group also had some incredible sights from their helicopter journey. Aside from multiple bear and moose sightings, the group aboard the choppers also viewed about 20 seals on the rocks near the weir on the Churchill River. Heading up river toward the mouth, they pulled over to the West bank hovering very low above Sloops Cove. Once there, they were able to read the rock-engraved signatures of Thomas Hearne and others who explored the region hundreds of years ago. Amazing to think what they would think seeing the likes of a helicopter above the cove.
by Steve Selden | Oct 23, 2011 | Tour News
A cold, snowy and windy start to the week has jump-started the season and eclipsed last year’s slower start. More of an Arctic-like start than last year. The temperature drop has allowed the rain to become snow creating a more northern feel. Polar bear numbers have been slowly rising both in the Churchill Wildlife management area and in Churchill proper.Seems like momentum is building for another unique, exciting month of wildlife encounters.
Natural Habitat guide Elise Lockton and group observed a sow and her cub out at Bird Cove and then made their way over to the tundra lodge on their evening rover excursion. The usual suspect larger bears lounged around the willows behind the lodge while the group enjoyed some wine and a nice meal on the tundra. The previous day the group was out near Gordon Point where a dead seal went undetected by a polar bear that actually circled the area twice…must have had a cold or something. Numerous Brant Geese flying as well as multiple common eiders filled out the sub-arctic landscape.
Polar bear in the willows. Paul Brown photo.
A “great” day on the tundra ,as guide Colby Brokvist put it, began with polar bears at bird cove, Halfway Point and the spit of land extending bay-ward near the lodge. Though mostly lounging and snoozing along the Hudson Bay coast, the setting itself is simply unforgettable for travelers who have never experienced this landscape. A warm, very sunny and clear day with a cold Northerly wind made roving the tundra even more glorious. It was also “fantastic” for bird sightings as the late migration pattern is holding on for a little longer. The group watched eagerly as a pure- white gyrfalcon chased snow buntings around along the coast. Another pair of glaucous gulls, a female black scoter, and a common goldeneye were also present for all to check off their life-lists. Goldeneyes will Winter as far North as open -water permits so they may be around for a good while this Fall. Continuing down the Christmas Lake esker past an old inuit hunting camp out by the coast revealed some additional bird life. Some red breasted mergansers, a couple of black-bellied plovers, a white- rumped sandpiper and a large flock of rock ptarmigan kept the binocular -wielding birders busy. Ubiquitous ravens and snow buntings abounded all day. Along the launch road heading in, a sub-adult polar bear emerged from the willows nose in the air. It crossed the parked shuttle bus on the road and began cleaning its’ coat on the patchy snow just on the other side. Then, black -tipped snout in the air, it began walking towards town….the group followed along the road. Nice escort.
Conservation officers preparing polar bear for airlift. Paul Brown photo.
A bear evacuation coordinated by Department of Natural Resources(DNR) and Hudson Bay Helicopters originally scheduled for 10:30 AM on October 19th turned into a 3 PM lift instead due to DNR being preoccupied with a rogue polar bear in town. Eventually a good sized crowd outside the bear compound near the airport was thrilled to see a sow and cub loaded and transported Northward. I have seen numerous “bear-lifts” in my time in Churchill and they are always an awesome experience. Seems like bear season is in full swing now.
Polar bear in net being airlifted north. Paul Brown Photo.
