by Steve Selden | Oct 14, 2010 | Tour News
Polar bears interacting in the CWMA. Steve Morello photo.
Another sunny day in the North with cooler temperatures that will hopefully provide motivation for the polar bears to increase their activity. Any day out on the land can provide countless behavioral circumstances and the unpredictability of the early season can be just as exciting as days when bears are sighted in every direction. These days are the Arctic version of the African safari.
After chasing a phenomenal sunrise out East to launch, guide Elise and her band of travelers quickly came upon a bear sleeping in the willows and camped there for a morning snack aboard the rover. This bear joined them at times munching on a willow branch or two. Willows contain low levels of aspartame and some researchers have speculated the bears enjoy the willows for the slightly sweet taste as well as a bit of energy boost from the sugar like compound. Willows were considered sacred to the Irish and Druid high priests, priestesses and artisans and they would frequently sit among them to gain eloquence and inspiration. Watching a polar bear lounge among them exudes a sense of this ancient connection to spirituality.
Later, out around the tundra lodge, a couple of male polar bears roamed and rested nearby. Ptarmigan in mid-molt, sensing snow on the horizon, seems to be willing their feathers to turn white. The usual snow buntings were omnipresent all around the tundra as well. Shutters clicked and many in Elise’s group carried smaller versions of the “Hubble telescope” for cameras. A memorable day on the tundra for all…except the sleeping bears that is!
Guide Melissa and her travelers moved all about the tundra and spotted five or six bears..mostly lounging. One bear bounded around and seemed quite in a hurry to get someplace. As it turned out, a more secluded spot for an afternoon nap was the goal and the group watched intently. Not sure which is more enjoyable; watching a polar bear or a baby sleep?
Guide Sandra’s group ventured out on their night-rover trip and were fortunate with beautiful multi-colored skies and a magnificent arctic hare out by the lodge. Later on an arctic fox, the first reported sighting by groups of the year chanced to venture right up to the rover much to the awe of all on board. Unique photos were captured by elated travelers.
Local Churchillians are abuzz regarding the pending mayoral election on October 27. Incumbent Mike Spence has once again decided to run as challengers Rose Preteau and Brian Ladoon vie for support. Rumor has it that national television networks have pledged huge campaign funds to Mr. Ladoon with hopes that a victory would spurn the next great reality tv blockbuster. I would explain but I honestly would not even know where to start. Ask around if you make it to Churchill.
by Steve Selden | Oct 13, 2010 | Tour News
Polar bear viewing from Great White Bear’s polar rovers. Jeff Klofft photo.
Under blue skies and perfect Autumn weather, wildlife enthusiasts were out and about in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area(CWMA) on polar rovers. The season has transitioned well from Summer to Fall with crisp cool temperatures and sunny skies enveloping the vibrant colors of the plant life of the tundra. Travelers were presented with a fine day of cruising around the land taking in the vast openness.
Guide Melissa’s group followed the inland trail to the tundra lodge and soon spotted a male polar bear out across from a nearby lake. The group was content with settling in and watching for a good part of the morning. Another bear was also sleeping nearby closer to the lodge as the group moved through and out along the coast road. Numerous snow geese, both white and blue phase grouped themselves all over the area while ptarmigan were scattered closer to the willows. Another male polar bear was seen farther out on the coastal road lumbering around in and out of the willows.
Guide Sandra’s folks meanwhile were taking in many of the same sights of the day and early afternoon brought a memorable experience for all. A group of caribou seemed to appear out of the land as they seem to often do out in the CWMA. One normally has to have a super keen eye to locate caribou on the tundra as they blend quite nicely. This group came relatively close though and camera shutters went wild. Taking it all in stride the herd lingered a long time for the photo shoot and then vanished back to the land.
Inaugural helicopter journeys by some in Guide Elise’s contingent brought them out to Cape Churchill and out over Wapusk National Park where good numbers of polar bears were all over the land. Many of the bears are still farther North and soon will be making their way into the range of the CWMA.
Nightfall in Churchill brought another first of this very young season as the Aurora Borealis glimmered faintly but visible in the clear, cool sky. This is a good sign for the season ….hopefully more of these displays to follow in the days ahead.
by Steve Selden | Oct 12, 2010 | Tour News
And a happy Canadian Thanksgiving to all! With the Holiday upon us, all of Churchill was relatively quiet throughout the day. Churchillians take their holidays seriously…. especially when the main focus is food and family. Breezy winds circulated over the Tundra and Hudson bay with blue skies overhead. Waves lapped gently at the Precambrian shield that surrounds Churchill on its’ coast and encases the town itself like a timeless fossil.
Few bears were reported sighted in the area. At this time, four remain detained in the Quansett hut compound near the airport. Natural Habitat’s first two groups of travelers arrived via chartered Nolinor Aviation from Winnipeg. Guides Melissa and Sandra kicked off the new season with an excursion down Goose Creek Road to the Churchill River weir area. They reported high water levels in the River and Goose Creek watershed contrary to the Summer levels. Heavy rains recently in the South have contributed to the influx. No Belugas left, however, to bask in the higher levels…all headed back to their Northern home waters.
While out on the coastal road the eager contingents took in their fill of flocks of reliable Snow Buntings fluttering around the muskeg. Then the first major sighting of the season occurred overhead. A sentinel Bald eagle soared the updrafts just above the groups as they meandered along the dirt road that traces the coastline of the Hudson Bay. All aboard were thrilled with the Arctic welcoming.
Dogsledding in Churchill. Joseph Lin photo.
The afternoon also provided time for the travelers to embark on a dog-sledding tour through the willows and hummocks just outside town under the calm guidance of Kelly Turcotte and Robert McDonald with Churchill River Mushing. Although the snow has not come yet, the custom wheeled dog “sleds” cruised smoothly along the trail as the huskies panted and yipped with joy. A surprisingly enjoyable ride for all.
In the days to come, Polar bears will take center stage. For now just the panorama of the tundra in its’ lingering Fall colors of red, yellow and ambers and the majestic avian creatures in the sky furnish all the travelers’ needs.
by Steve Selden | Oct 10, 2010 | Tour News
The bears are coming! The bears are coming! Churchill greets its favorite seasonal visitors, the polar bears! NHA photo.
And they’re off… the 2010 Churchill Polar Bear season is here at last, much to the delight of all involved. Churchill will welcome thousands of travelers over the next seven weeks including such holidays as Halloween, Thanksgiving (both Canadian and US versions) and most importantly, All-Saints Day… which doubles as my birthday. From the first day, the season seems like one long holiday festival with sparkling lights lining Kelsey Boulevard and bustling action throughout town. Excitement and something unique is around every corner as well as every rock along the Hudson Bay.
If the summer season is any indication of what we have in store for us, this October and November there will be prodigious numbers of polar bears in the Churchill region. Bears frequently can be seen in summer, though not normally in the numbers we have seen this year. Natural Habitat guide Sue reported seeing up to 15 bears in July and August while out with groups enjoying Beluga whale excursions on the Churchill River. Rarely does summer see the need for conservation officers to detain bears in the polar bear compound. But this August, up to eight bears were being held at one time. Seeing the bears outside the traditional fall season is uniquely special. As early as June, guide and infamous bird expert Bonnie Chartier reported “good numbers of polar bears” on the land all over the area. Another uncharacteristic trend was the frequent sightings of polar bear mothers with triplets in tow. It will be interesting to see how many of these family units are spotted in the willows and snowdrifts over the coming two months out on the tundra. It surely sets up to be a banner year for the polar bear census.
These oddities in polar bear behavior may be warnings of trends in global warming. Perhaps early ice melt in the bay are driving bears on land earlier in the spring up north so that more arrive in Churchill in early summer. As for the mothers with more cubs, increased snowfall may allow for longer and better denning conditions. At first thought, increased snowfall would seem to signal colder conditions but it actually could oppose such a theory. More moisture in the air stemming from open water on the Hudson Bay and warmer, moist air coming to the region translates to more snow. This is great for denning though the new arrivals will need long-lasting solid ice later on to fill their seal quota. Only time will tell.
For you birders out there, guide Bonnie advised on the highlights of this past season’s sightings. Although no coveted Ross’ gull sightings were reported this summer, there were some birds of a different feather. Numerous Glaucous gulls and Northern wheateaters were observed early on. Due to the warmer days, eastern and western kingbirds were seen on a regular basis as well. With some cold days, sightings of Smith’s longspurs numbers dropped off dramatically from previous years. A few more Long- Tailed jaegers helped balance the bird checklist books of all present. Aside from bear activity, guide Bonnie will be intent on seeking out Brandt geese and Purple sandpipers as well as the usual suspects in the next week or so. Will this be the season of the Snowy owl or will they be scarce again? How goes the territorial battle between Arctic and Red fox? What will be the big story of this season? We will see.
It’s looking like another exciting Polar bear season in Churchill is just underway… tune in here for daily updates!
For What It’s Worth: One day this summer in Churchill, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stopped in to announce upgrades to the Churchill airport. Meanwhile a weasel was live-trapped inside the northern store in town and let go. Soon after the Prime Minister was on a flight heading north.
by James Dziezynski | Sep 2, 2010 | Churchill News
Churchill Polar Bears is proud to announce that yet another award-winning photograph was snapped on one of our polar bear tours. Bo Durkee and his mother Alice of Brownell Travel were on board for our November 2009 polar bear tour when Bo snapped the winning photo.
Polar bear contemplating the Hudson Bay freeze – up. Bo Durkee Photo.
Bo’s photo won a Gold Key Award from the Alabama Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. Congrats to Bo! And for more amazing polar bear photos from churchill.fru.qa, check out our polar bear photo gallery.
by Steve Selden | Aug 15, 2010 | Tour News
Beluga whales capture the wild imagination of travelers each summer in Churchill! Steve Selden photo.
The “Bears of Churchill” are not the only marquee draw to this mystical little town on the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. Once “Spring” -a loosely used term in these parts- arrives, a myriad of other life forms appear as well. As humans go, we tend to find the large animals most interesting and in Churchill’s case, the grande animal draw of the Spring and Summer is the…..drum dance, please….. Boreal Chickadee….uh not quite. Beluga whales take over the reign as the premier attraction and the main reason some travelers endure a 36 hour plus train voyage through the Boreal forest and across the tundra.
The train from Winnipeg has actually been only three hours late these days. A vast improvement from years prior. Unusually it’s been losing time going into Thompson and then gaining up to five hours between Gillam and Churchill. What used to take 13hrs is now down to about eight in that span. Cool weather again could be the determining factor as the track, which sits atop permafrost, tends to warp under the hot sun as the ground warms and shifts somewhat. “Slow orders” are given to the conductors and trains slow their speeds considerably. Omnitrax, a Denver based company that owns the Churchill Grainery and 100 miles of track from Churchill south, known as the Hudson Bay line, has also invested money in upgrading the line.
Summer in Churchill is unique and unmatched by any other place on earth. One can encounter a week of fog and chilly temps (35-50 F) or another week of sparkling blue skies reflecting off the vast Hudson Bay while winning the coveted and unexplainable prize of being the “hotspot” in Manitoba for a number of consecutive days. Usually, we find a mix of both but overall the cool Summer temps are a reprieve to visitors that endure sweltering Summer days of 90F for an extended time. I have guided 12 Summer seasons in Churchill for Natural Habitat Adventures and being “Polar bear”-like myself I have always felt quite comfortable in the mostly cool climate of Churchill. Exploring the Arctic environment of Churchill area in a fleece and winter hat in the middle of July or August has always brought a smile to my face.
Polar bear in Churchill hunkered down in the willows. NHA photo.
This Summer has been no exception. The cooler days and nights have been perfect for observing the wildlife of the North. Beluga whales arrived in the thousands in the early Spring and have been in and out of the Churchill River with the changing tides in large and small groups. Since the Spring rains have been infrequent this year the water level in the Churchill River is way down from its’ normal levels. Last year was the opposite. The water level was high from substantial runoff across the boggy land. When this happens the water appears to be tea- colored after filtering through tundra peat moss reducing visibility. However this year the water is crystal clear and snorkeling with the whales, as well as Kayaking and boat viewing, has provided optimal viewing possibilities. I was lucky enough to have the same conditions years ago when I snorkeled with the Beluga’s and it was surely an incredible life experience. Swimming so close to the ghostly white bodies of the whales in the river was intense. Another upside to the low water level is the annual maintenance of the Weir that crosses the river. About 19 kilometers up from the mouth work can be performed much more easily. The weir is made of huge rocks that contain the water to an extent that it backs up behind it and allows for local recreational fishing and boating to the South. When it was built in 1998 the engineers did not account for the enormous pressure placed upon it by winter pack ice. This stress has caused persistent damage that needs to be repaired every Summer so to keep the integrity of the structure. The levels of water in the river north of the weir were reduced when two-thirds of the Churchill River water was diverted in the late 1970s. This season’s levels have been even lower due to little rainfall. While allowing for excellent water clarity, there are areas just below the weir that are inaccessible to boats because of rock danger. Beluga nursery areas have been, in the past, in this area known as Mosquito Point. This season many nursery areas for moms and calves are a bit farther in toward the mouth of the river.
Another effect of the cooler weather this Summer has been the abundance of Polar bears in and around Churchill. Mike Macri, owner/operator of Sea North Tours reports 10-15 bears out along Eskimo Point just North of Fort Prince of Whales. Travelers have had the amazing experience of viewing Polar bears from the confines of the Fort, a former Hudson Bay Company stronghold for fur trading in the early to the mid 18th century. Polar bear monitors provided by Parcs Canada use ATV’s to patrol the area in order to head off wandering bruins. The irony of Polar Bears meandering and Beluga whales swimming so close to what used to be the biggest fur trading/whaling post in the region is comical. I think the bears might have been able to wrest the fort from the undermanned English led by Samuel Hearne as easily as LaPerouse and the 300 Frenchmen in three ships did back in the day of 1782.
Finally, the thrill of the Summer so far was a brave Churchill River rescue by Sea North Tours zodiac driver and Churchill local Bill Ayotte. When two men borrowed an old Lund skiff to go do some freestyle whale watching, the engine stalled leaving them pinned against the Western River bank rocks. Ayotte approached the men who were in the water at this point and shouted that they had about three minutes to get into his Zodiac or they all would be in big trouble in light of the ripping tidal currents sucking the water out of the river. This year’s tidal currents are magnified due to the low water levels in the river. The men didn’t seem to be responding as at this point they were borderline hypothermic from the 41-degree water. Finally, Ayotte was able to edge the zodiac close enough allowing the men to flop into the craft and head to the dock. Mike and Doreen Macri had been alerted by radio and were ready at the dock with a warm truck and whisked them off to the hospital. The men spent the night and were released to the land the next day. Truly a lucky day for the two…next time book with Sea North and leave the spitting Lund at the dock.
