Are you being watched?

Hey! What's up?

Did you get your portion of snow over the weekend? What I see through my window is a thin white layer covering the tree branches. Not much, but at least a teaser of winter.

However, what I notice these days too, is a beautiful pigeon constantly flying over to my window, and observing me from the outside. It is not the first time I felt birdwatching should be a term reserved for observing people.

When I stopped at a petrol station on my way to Naoussa on the Greek island of Paros, someone was knocking on the rear window of my rental car. I would check, and there would be nobody. As soon as I would turn my head forward, the knock would happen again. It was repeated many times, driving me crazy until I figured out who was pranking me. It was a small bird playing hide-and-seek!

Do you remember this cover photo that went viral in 2021? Eric J. Smith, the LA-based photographer, shot a whale sneaking up on a boat full of camera-armed tourists looking the wrong way. My Modern Met included this image among the best 50 photographs in 2021. Congratulations to Eric!

When I went whale watching in Tenerife, I understood that our tour was possible because whales essentially accepted our need to observe. The animals’ choice of tolerating our presence should not be taken for granted. It is a privilege.

I haven’t even known about how diverse these marine photo safaris could be until Boundless Roads recently included my Tenerife experience in the selection of the best whale watching trips in the world.

Have you ever had an animal encounter that has deeply humbled you? Did meeting certain species make you reflect on human’s involvement in nature?

I’m thinking about how we could reaffirm our position, not as a master, but as an intelligent companion. Our only planet home is constantly jeopardized by our feeling of entitlement, by our need to be in the center of attention. When in reality we are just another species that tries to survive. Nominally intelligent one, but then also the first species that is consciously supporting its own future extinction.

This shouldn’t end on a pessimistic note. Animals are always there to show how life can be simple. They can ground us. After all, cat videos are popular for a reason.

These are some of the best animal photo moments of 2021 that caught my attention, and I hope you can appreciate them too:

And then, if instead of all animals mentioned in this newsletter, you are mostly missing snow from the beginning, here’s a place where you can generate your own snowflakes!

Have a playful week!

Ivan Kralj
Pipeaway.com