On Sunday November 8,2009 I went for my very first helicopter ride! I was sort of bummed because the Olympic Torch was coming to Churchill at the very same time! No way to reschedule and I really didn't want to miss this opportunity either! So, we lifted off shortly after 8am and I was hoping to see a bear or two. The helicopter raced east at over 100mph to an area by Wapusk National Park and La Perouse Bay. Pilot Darryl said we would hover 250 to 350 feet above the ground. There were 6 of us + Darryl with me in the front row on the right side.
The scenery was spectacular, especially as we flew over the boreal forest which was covered with about 4" of fresh snow from the previous evening. I felt like a newly fledged eagle..just amazed at the view from above! I think I pretty much just had my mouth open in amazement, I was the only one in our group who had never been in a helicopter. Boy have I been missing out!
Then came the bears! Hard to spot at first, some blending in with the fresh snow, but eventually becoming easier to spot from above. The tricky part was then to figure out how to stabilize my camera! It was a bit turbulent and in many of my photos the subject (which was initially centered) was now either out of the frame for the most part. There were 5 bears in this willowy area, (1 is out of view), 2 are play-fighting and the others are on the sidelines viewing. I wonder what they are thinking? Do they "fight" the winner, are they taking bets, already had their turn, just nosy? I would love to know!
Spotted this cow moose and calf on the edge of the taiga and the tundra. Nearby also saw a red fox scurry into the willows.
This bull moose was not so lucky...somehow it had met its demise (possibly a wolf kill or was injured) and a very hungry female with 2 cubs of the year (about 11 months old-have only nursed up to this point & have not eaten meat or fat) was lucky enough to discover it! She had been seen at the carcass for several days and was very wary of our helicopter.
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