Located on the southern shore of Hudson Bay, Churchill is a remote community with no road access. To get here we must take a 2-hour flight north from Winnipeg, Manitoba. We make this journey to see classic subarctic species such as; Willow Ptarmigan, Pacific Loon, Parasitic Jaeger and American Golden-Plover. While the road network in Churchill is limited, we will still be able to do some exploring. Boreal specialties such as; Spruce Grouse, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Bohemian Waxwing, Gray-cheeked Thrush and Boreal Chickadee are all possible south of town. The Churchill area is a very important breeding location for many species and out tour is timed to line up with the peak. Shorebird species that are only seen during migration throughout most of North America nest here. Stilt Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Dunlins, Hudsonian Godwits, American Golden and Semipalmated Plovers are all relatively common and can often be seen displaying, a rare sight farther south.
Tour Information
Dates: June 9-14, 2025 (6 days)
These dates have been selected as early June is the peak of spring migration in Churchill.
Start/End: Winnipeg, MB (Airport YWG)
Difficulty: Easy
This trips is very easy because there is very little walking required as are mostly birding from the road.
Group Size: 6-10
This small group size and high guide to participant ratio ensures that everyone will have an enjoyable experience on this tour.
Cost: $4,495 CAD (+ 5% GST)
The cost includes professional guiding services, ground transportation in 10-passenger or 15-passenger van, round-trip airfare from Winnipeg to Churchill, a boat tour in Hudson's Bay to the floe ice edge, and good quality accomodation in Winnipeg (1 night) and Churchill (4 nights).
Tour Leader: Gavin McKinnon
Itinerary
June 9: Arrival in Winnipeg
The tour will begin this evening with a welcome dinner at our hotel near the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg.
June 10-14: Churchill
Five days will be spent exploring the famous town of Churchill and the surrounding natural areas. We will make regular visits to Cape Merry at the mouth of the Churchill River where a variety of shorebirds, ducks, gulls and loons can be observed. In particular we can expect to see; Common Eiders, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Parasitic Jaegers, Arctic Terns as well as both Red-throated and Pacific Loons. We will also frequently visit the granary ponds near the town, this location provides us with great opportunities to see many species up close. These ponds are also a rarity trap, species such as Yellow-throated Warbler, Common Crane and Northern Wheatear have been recorded here in the past. We will also spend time searching for breeding songbirds in the northern reaches of the boreal forest.
The tour will begin this evening with a welcome dinner at our hotel near the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg.
June 10-14: Churchill
Five days will be spent exploring the famous town of Churchill and the surrounding natural areas. We will make regular visits to Cape Merry at the mouth of the Churchill River where a variety of shorebirds, ducks, gulls and loons can be observed. In particular we can expect to see; Common Eiders, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Parasitic Jaegers, Arctic Terns as well as both Red-throated and Pacific Loons. We will also frequently visit the granary ponds near the town, this location provides us with great opportunities to see many species up close. These ponds are also a rarity trap, species such as Yellow-throated Warbler, Common Crane and Northern Wheatear have been recorded here in the past. We will also spend time searching for breeding songbirds in the northern reaches of the boreal forest.