by Steve Selden | Nov 13, 2010 | Tour News
With the snow finished for the time being, the light changed again to softer, more photo friendly conditions. With heavy winds accompanying the snow, the tundra still shows some of it’s undercoat that just refuses to surrender to Winter. Soon enough all will be white, gray and blue blending together as an arctic backdrop for spectacular Winter aurora displays.
Photo: Eric Rock
Guide Eric and group, on a rover excursion, ventured as far as the tundra lodge and was one of many groups recently to see a blue phase arctic fox; unusual to these parts in recent history. As long as Eric has been guiding in Churchill, this was only his second spotting of the animal.
Another high point of the trip came prior to this sighting as the rover covered the trail to the lodge. After encountering two sub-adults close to the trail early on, the group then viewed a sow and cub out on a partially frozen lake in the distance. Because part of this lake thawed earlier in the week, the cub was using it to demonstrate the original “polar bear dip”. As mom dozed contently on the more solid surface, the cub dived under completely at times then reappeared up on the ice, rolling and crawling near mom. Very unusual for this time of the season there normally is almost no open water by this point. Very cool!
Photo: Eric Rock
A unique sighting of a rusty blackbird near the lodge rounded out a full journey as this bird, listed in 2007 as vulnerable do to it’s roughly 85% decline in the last 40 years, showed itself against the white snow. Bonnie would be jealous.
Guide Sue and her group arrived in Churchill and headed out on a night rover experience. Darkness comes early now as a result of daylight savings though a night on the tundra is still a memorable experience. On the way out , in the soft evening light, a sow and cub had buried themselves comfortably in a snow drift…setting in for a warm rest. The group then came across a couple of males play-fighting in the lodge vicinity…napping in between sessions. Later two bears approached the rover and sniffed boots under the back deck. Sue noted that the huffing and chuffing of the bears breathing as they sniffed the foreign odors was pretty incredible. With such sensitive olfactory senses, these bears probably experience some sense of overload when experiencing completely unique odors.
Finally an arctic fox and some ptarmigan rounded out the full evening in the CWMA…a night to remember.
Guide Brad and travelers had nice sightings of a gyrfalcon at Halfway Point and a ptarmigan flock near, fittingly, bird cove.
Later two young females, maybe sisters about four years old, played with their rover for over an hour, took baths in the new snow, and then sparred just to complete the trifecta. One of the bears ripped a piece of metal off the rover and played “bear ice hockey” with it on the ice for while.
The new, heavily drifted snow and cool temperatures allowed for extra active bears as several sparring bears were watched intently near the tundra lodge. The snow always seems to invigorate these animals as if they know the seal -feeding season is not too long off.
Back in town, at the hotel, the fun didn’t stop…two red foxes kept the group entertained for a long time while approaching guests at a range of only about eight feet.
by Steve Selden | Nov 12, 2010 | Tour News
Winter returned to Churchill with a vengeance as heavy snow careened sideways all day.. covering the tundra once again. This time I think Winter is here for the long haul……I know..heard that before. Well, this time of year the odds are the temperatures will stay low for now and get much lower believe me.
In the morning, on the way to launch, Guide Karen and travelers recounted last night’s experience of happening upon a polar bear in the middle of the road, by Camp Nanuq, as they returned from from the tundra. A traffic jam of shuttle buses waited and watched while the bear stood its’ ground. Nobody would ever complain about this delay.I’ve always found it a little extra exciting encountering a bear outside
Once on the tundra in the CWMA, the group headed toward the tundra lodge encountering numerous bears all along the trail as the snow blasted the open space and swirled over frozen thermakarsts. As the rover crossed through the broken, open water channel in one thermakarst, a male polar bear lay on the adjacent ice with his head almost touching the water…thirsty? He seemed fairly unfazed as the large machine moved on. Closer to the lodge, three bears jockeyed for space under the rover smelling through the grate as travelers looked down into their black eyes. One bear especially enjoyed rolling on his back and some others did the classic polar bear yoga pose with front feet and head stretched out forward near the ground and furry butt up in the air. Apparently they are delighted with the fresh snow.
Behind the lodge in the willows, some of the usual sparring was playing out as some of the big bruins were getting in some good whacks at each other..though without the sustained consistency as prior days. A sow with two yearling’s moved off one side of the rover about 50 feet away. They raised their noses sniffing the air as a large male appeared from the direction of the lodge. They then ran out to the sanctuary of the open,icy surface of the nearest lake. The two cubs were right on their mom’s tail as she lead them out to the ice. The male followed to the edge, paused and gave up the chase, lying down by the willows lining the water’s edge. As this all unfolded, two other males popped up out of the willows and showed earnest intent to chase the family though must have sensed her unnerved attentiveness and thought twice. All this before the morning coffee break!
Guide Brent and his photo group were thoroughly excited with the fresh, falling snow as it provided exciting image potential in every unfolding scene. One scene came right away as four male bears out on some pond ice were getting a little rough with each other…not actually sparring full on, though popping each other with a paw and then walking off. This behavior continued as they they shifted positions from ice to willows and then two went back to the ice. Quite a display…fairly unusual for four bears to interact together like this. The peculiar season continues on.
Toward the end of the day, an young arctic fox with a little gray in his coat, patrolled along the snowy tundra visibly weary of the nearby bears. Constantly sniffing the ground, he weaved along away from the lodge over to another rover. Brent’s group actually saw a lemming..what this fox would love to find..out near Halfway Point. Darker on top and white fur on his stomach, he was also working the fast freezing tundra with increased intensity as the shock of Winter snapped at his complacency. Time to burrow down before the freeze.
Earlier in the afternoon Brent guided his rover out to Christmas Lake esker to view the edge of the boreal forest and capture some incredible snow-blown scenes of spruce plastered with drifting snow. These trees near the Hudson Bay are some of the Northernmost trees on the planet. Photographers played with the changing light as the deep gray clouds with their weight of heavy snow moved overhead.
As the rover turned back and headed toward launch, the group noticed the now frozen bear tracks on a nearby frozen lake. The tracks were slushy indentations yesterday but now appeared as molds filled with fresh powder encased by slightly grayish blue ridges where the paw had pushed up the semi-frozen slush. Sometimes just the trace of such an incredible animal is more thrilling than the real thing. 
Amazing how a day in the arctic can change the entire feel and surrounding environment. Yesterday the popping greens and oranges of lichens mixed with the golden browns and reds of the tundra and willows blending with a splotchy blue sky. Today is as if the world is a black and white photograph…steel blues and gray encompass the land while changing shades from darkening clouds filter light. Dramatic difference.
by Steve Selden | Nov 11, 2010 | Tour News
Cloudy skies and warmer though cooling temperatures signaled the possibility of snow moving into the region carried on Northern winds and high air pressure. Though this season has been unusually scarce of snow, normalcy can return in an instant.
Photo: Colby Brokvist
Guide Amy and her travelers enjoyed a day on the tundra near the lodge viewing over 20 different polar bears. A good number were lounging though there also was the normal younger and older males sparring throughout the day. After fulfilling their satisfaction quota , they headed out near first tower in the East and came across a sow with her two coy’s walking over land stopping periodically to keep a watchful eye on a lone male paralleling their paths making mom a little uncomfortable. Finally the family stopped and a ten minute stare-down by mom seemed to convey her frustration with him. He moved away crossing over the trail and away from the area. It’s interesting to wonder what a male is looking for in order to pursue more intently..maybe a mom who cannot continue to shelter the cubs due to her own lack of energy perhaps.
Guide Elise and group also had an amazing day…trekking out to the lodge vicinity in the CWMA where numerous bears were milling about. A polar bear lingered under the back deck of their vehicle for over an hour…pressing it’s nose against the grate accompanied by numerous deep breaths. Having sufficiently sniffed at boots from all over North America, the animal stood up and leaned on the side of the vehicle a few times inspecting the beings within those boots. Definitely not seals.
Leaving there and en route to first tower out East the group observed two bears lying next to each other and decided to have lunch nearby them. Turns out it was a sow and yearling. This realization that the slightly smaller one was a yearling (a cub going into her second year) came once they stirred and the yearling began to nurse!!! An ” awesome” experience for all… the bears then moved around, walked across a nearby frozen pond, which with the warm weather had some melt water on surface. The glassy surface of the water reflected their majestic bodies as they wandered over to the edge of the pond and curled up again together. Periodically at times the cub would stretch and at one point he was extended fully with one fore paw resting under mama’s chin.
Further down the trail, near first tower, they found a sow with two coy’s…noticing the vast size difference between cubs of year and the yearling sighted earlier (which was almost the size of mom). These bears had an increased anxiety level as a male polar bear wandered into the area.
Highlights for travelers with Guide Melissa included a snow white gyrfalcon sitting high atop first tower for considerable time! What an eye-full! Throughout the day sightings of four sets of moms with cubs including timing it just right to see one pair in nursing mode. Capping off their tundra tour they spied an arctic fox hunting out on Gordon Point..in and out of the rocks and along the plant life dusted white with snow.. a fine day!
by Steve Selden | Nov 10, 2010 | Tour News
A light dusting of snow restored some of the Winter feel to the region and made for more picturesque wildlife viewing . Polar bears continue to move across the tundra although each day seems to present different circumstances and inconsistent behavior between the bears. Most likely this comes as a result of the crazy, unusual weather fluctuations over the course of the season so far. “Unsettled”; pretty much describes the Fall season thus far.
In the morning around 11Am,out at the Polar Bear Compound, a sow and coy were bailed out of jail by TFI french TV, netted up and flown up North to Seal River area for release. Because the compound is only at half capacity at the moment, we know that flight “sponsorship” was provided in order to document the experience. Guide Amy and her travelers were fortunate to be on tour and were able to make it out to watch the whole production. As many of these as I’ve witnessed; they never get old…watching polar bears fly overhead in nets dangling from helicopters ..most likely one of the only places on earth to find that thrill.
Meanwhile out on the CWMA tundra, Guide Karen and her group were “rovering” around exploring the vast, frosted tundra. Three different groups of ptarmigan were spotted throughout the day while the tide in the Hudson Bay was way out early on and then in close to the barrier beaches afternoon. Perhaps that tide pushed some polar bears farther inland later on as Karen’s group searched. 
The morning had offered distant looks through binoculars at a number of bruins roaming the land though not many up close. Sporadic wind swept snow over the frozen thermakarsts capturing shimmering rays of sunlight filtering through clouds above. Suddenly, a group of four bears was spotted heading in toward their rover from a considerable distance. Moving slowly from such a far distance, the group wasn’t sure if they would come near enough for a close encounter. Two of the bears split off and went a different direction but the other two kept coming. Soon they came closer..then even closer and sure enough bee-lined right to the rover. The two walked around the rover; seemingly a friendly pair though also shooting a watchful eye at one another….investigated underneath the vehicle and then stood and leaned with paws pressing onto the side of the rover. They spent some time sparring as well and swatted and clenched jaws in mock -fighting mode. Finally,after about three hours, one moved away toward the tundra lodge while the other stayed for a rest alongside the group. Two other rovers came on the scene but the bear seemed to claim Karen’s as his and proceeded to tear off a piece of trim work from their rover as a sign of that affection. He proudly displayed it to all…tossing it up and gnawing on it a little. A rover tooth!
The buzz around town was Martha Stewart. She made it to Churchill to see some polar bears. Stewart bypassed the polar bear “compound”. We all know her…right? She own’s her own company providing all those perfect home furnishings….oh and yeah, she’s also convicted felon. She was convicted of obstructing justice stemming from the sale of nearly 4,000 shares of Imclone Systems back in December 2001 a day before the share price tumbled due to the FDA rejecting the company’s bid for approval of it’s cancer drug Erbitux. Stewart’s stock broker’s assistant testified that he was instructed to tip her off about the decision which was not made public until after the loss in share price. Stewart averted a $51,000 loss and professed her innocence to keep her stockholders trust. She served five months in prison and six months under house arrest….and never admitted guilt. Conversely, I wonder how many unknowing people lost their retirement funds? Just thought I would jog everyone’s memory…it’s a “good thing” right?
by Steve Selden | Nov 9, 2010 | Tour News
Photo: Katherine Hamilton
The aurora was hiding behind cloudy skies last night though visible somewhat far out of town near the weir off Goose Creek Rd. along the Churchill River. Guide Eric escorted his entourage of travelers out in the darkness away from the big city lights of Churchill. Once you get past the few residences of Goose Creek sub-division( where Bill Calnan resides), there’s not much out there besides boreal forest and the town water pumping station at the end of the long dirt and gravel road. A fantastic birding destination in the Spring and Summer months..sometimes an odd polar bear can be rooting around the tall willows anytime of year. It’s an strange feeling when the darkness surrounds you and you’re outside your vehicle….imagining what could sneak from the willows.
Eric and group were out near the tundra lodge most of this day and witnessed a number of bears sparring sporadically…not going at it too long but then returning and pawing each other some more. A really clean, white arctic fox yesterday had come on the scene yesterday with the soft light illuminating his coat …. no sign of him today. Later in the day a sow with a coy approached from far out on the inland plain to the Southeast. The pair moved to within a quarter mile away on the perimeter of the large lake close to the lodge. Always a thrill to watch bears approach from far away and come into focus nearby.
Guide Steve and his photo group were in the same vicinity and the very end of the day provided for what Steve characterized as “one of the most amazing photographic experiences he’s seen in Churchill”. Two bears were sleeping next to each other and they rose up just as the light became glorious. They interacted a bit then moved in front of the lodge to the lake ending up at the back end of the icy surface. The scene, especially in this light, was worth the wait…
Guide Scott and group found sparring action just as they were pulling close to the tundra lodge near the trail crossing to the South. Nearer in by the lodge a sleuth of bears moved about at times and two bears were spotted out near the coast by the tidal flats. A large 800lb male soon arose from his nap in the willows and pushed out a smaller bear just for fun and moved under the rover’s back deck ..looking up curiously through the steel grate. Awhile later two bears behind the lodge were sparring pretty intently when a third bear joined the fray and then all three were slipping and rolling at times on the ice of the lake just to the South. Reminds me of the Boston Bruins in the playoffs the past few seasons.
The rover headed out to Halfway Point and soon viewed a sow and coy through the scope heading directly toward them. As they neared the large thermakarst nearby, a male cut them off and the two walked around the edge of the lake a bit unsure of the lone bear. Without incident the mom led her coy Northwest a little and they settled in rolled and pushed back at each other with their paddle-like feet. the coy seemed to mimic her mom’s actions then finally got up on her back to sleep. Great interactions.
On Guide Amy’s first day out with her group, the excitement of their first polar bear sighting was eclipsed by continuous sightings throughout the day. Amy noted that the bears had incredible energy as they rolled, wiggled and interacted with renewed interest as the temperatures cooled somewhat from the previous days. Numerous bears were observed rolling over on their backs and stretching their paws to the cloudy sky. A major highlight was the mom and coy that Scott’s group witnessed on the frozen lake. the coy was imitating mom’s behavior of snow -plowing and rolling..eventually tiring and nestling onto mom’s back buried in her fur coat as they lay on the shore. Occasionally she would look up, peering through fur to keep a watchful eye. Mom has taught her well.
All were happy upon returning to the lodge area and photographing mud -outlined paw prints on the rear frame of the rover. These bears will leave their marks.
by Steve Selden | Nov 8, 2010 | Tour News
On a warmer day in the Churchill region, the snow on the tundra was getting sparse and polar bear movement was more hit and miss, depending on location of rovers. Bears do not move around too much when the mercury gets close to 40f…what seems still cool to us is quite warm to those animals with thick fur covered bodies. Cooler temperatures are predicted and the possibility of snow in the next day or so is increasing. Quite a contrast to the three major storms that hit Churchill by this time last year. There is no regularity to weather patterns it seems these days.
Photo: Paul Brown
The tundra lodge area is still the place where bears tend to congregate. Guide Bonnie and colby had numerous sightings of sparring bears and it seems there are some heavyweights that have moved into the vicinity. The action was a little slower’ with many lounging or sleeping bears, but a number of rovers lingered in the area, even though bears were still scattered around the coastal areas. However, if too many vehicles come to one spot, it can diminish the feeling of being on the vast sub-arctic tundra. So, observing for awhile , then moving on to other areas usually is the norm. Often the move to another place in the CWMA can provide an incredible surprise sighting, and other times just the rough ,wild landscape is all that’s found. Either way, being on the tundra on the coast of the Hudson Bay evokes feelings of awe brought on by exploring pristine wilderness searching for wildlife.
Guide Bonnie had her group searching for any signs of bird life out near Gordon point and came upon a glaucous gull, seven black guillemots, and seven king common eiders. The search continues for the elusive snowy owl. Two years ago ,I believe it was, there seemed to be a snowy owl on every spruce tree on the tundra as well as each hydro Manitoba pole lining the road out of town. Everything seems to go in cycles in the North. I do know if there was a snowy owl in the area, Bonnie would spot it.
Travelers with guide Paul had a “good day” being fortunate to have numerous bear encounters throughout the day. Even though the general bear activity is slow right now, the group had a few males walking very close to their rover as they situated themselves near the lodge. this strategy of spending a good part of the day near the lodge paid off as bears moved around from time to time.
Later on the rover pushed out to Christmas Lake esker, an old rise of deposited rocks and organic debris deposited by under-ice glacial water flow, and came across a healthy flock of rock ptarmigan. Making their way, near the end of the day, to Halfway Point, a very memorable, beautiful male polar bear came out of the rocks as if to send the group off with an arctic farewell. The gorgeous clean white fur absorbed the glowing pinks of the sunset to the West shimmering off the flat water of the Hudson Bay. Sometimes a perfect ending to a trip happens for travelers and this was surely that.
Photo: Colby Brokvist
