Bears, bears, bears (image heavy)

[purplehaze]

In fact, there weren't a lot. The ice had frozen early this year, and the males appeared to have already gone. On the two days we were out on the tundra, we only saw females and cubs.

We watched this pair amble across the ice

#1


and eventually stop to nurse.

#2


This is not all that common a sight and so I was not a little miffed at myself when I discovered I didn't have VR on as I thought I did.

A short time later, it began to snow, and we came across this pair:

#3



Switching again from the D750 with 70-200 mm to the D7100 with 300 mm and 1.4 teleconverter:

#4



On the second day, we found this grouping. Although the guide said there were two cubs, I could only ever make out one. Note how the butter yellow fur contrasts with the snow.

#5



#6



#7



#8



#9



#10



#11



#12

[Shadowman]

Nice series, the cropped image is the best of the bunch.

[Donald]

What a treat just to be in the company of these magnificent creatures.

[Wavelength]

Excellent series....

[Rainforest]

How cool! Ambling, huddled and yawning? - all so wonderful Janis!

[Manfred M]

Great series Janis. It looks like you saw what you set out to photograph.

The issue with this type of photography is that you only get to see what is out there when you happen to be passing by.

[JBW]

I am just a tad homesick for winter and northern B.C. right now. Well done.

[Teton Chuck]

Very nice set. Brings back many good memories spending time with P. bears. Thanks for sharing.

[NorthernFocus]

Glad you got your bears, Janice. It's surprising how cream colored they are against the snow when you first see them isn't it? No.4 is precious. The moms and cubs really are tender with each other.

[purplehaze]

What a treat just to be in the company of these magnificent creatures.

You said it, Donald. I was rather grateful for the early freeze-up, for the bears' sake, as they are very hungry at this point in the year. I was also grateful to see the extent to which the town has cleaned up its act since I used to visit for work thirty years ago. Back then, if you wanted to see bears, you drove out to the town dump. It was a pitiful sight.

You're right, Manfred, that it is catch as catch can, but the drivers know the bears' habits and communicate the bears' whereabouts to each other by radio. It is not unusual to see three or four buggies congregated a respectful distance away.

The very best way to do this kind of trip, if you have the bucks, is to stay at one of the tundra buggy lodges. These are mobile hotels that are parked on the tundra and from which guests can do day trips on the buggies. It is not unusual to wake up to the sight of bears outside your bunk window, and the dining car and lounge are glass-roofed for night sky viewing. There are viewing platforms between each car, and one on the roof. There are two companies that have such a lodge, only one of them, Frontiers North, is allowed to park east in Wapusk National Park.

A note on packing for such a trip: take a sandbag. Tripods are not permitted on the tundra buggies and, in any case, they would translate the movement of people walking up and down the aisles. If you need to support a lens, as I did, a sandbag on the ledge of the viewing platform or window edge is best.

Be prepared to have to take your turn in the best position.

#13

[Donald]

What a vehicle! Don't get them in Scotland.

If a polar bear suddenly was at the vehicle, who gets to go inside first!

[Marie Hass]

lovely series, Janis. Did you get to see some northern lights?

Marie

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Marie. No Northern Lights this trip. I will have to go back for those.

Donald, I think most adult polar bears are not tall enough to reach the ledge of the viewing platform, which is 3 m high. The tires alone stand taller than the bears' shoulder height (and me!). We were warned about letting scarves and camera straps dangle, however.