Why is this newsletter called "The Owlet"
The story behind the name...
Hey friends,
Greetings from New Delhi, India!
Last week, I attended the Nature in Focus Festival, a yearly gathering of experts and enthusiasts of wildlife biology, photography and videography from all over the country.
In case you didn’t realise, I am OBSESSED with wildlife, so attending the event was an honour. I got to meet so many of my idols. I gave out some illustrations, made new friends and got new opportunities. In short—I had a blast!
Here are some links I enjoyed this week:
Nature in Focus Photography Awards: NIF hosts a photography competition every year. While I’ve still not won yet, I must say; the quality of images that win are EXCELLENT. Click the hyperlink and look at them.
Roundglass Sustain: This is another website with amazing content on wildlife within India and abroad. Check it out.
Why is this newsletter called “The Owlet”?
I had recently gone out to dinner when something unexpected happened. We were at the local golf club, with our table overlooking the course. While dining, a persistent “cheevak cheevak cheevak” made my head turn. In the dark, I observed a small shape fluttering around a pole in the course. Even in the dim light, I smiled, for I knew that bird was a spotted owlet.
This little avian is a very amusing creature. They live communally, in holes of trees or in metal poles in cities. As I watched that bird leave its perch and fly out into the night, I was reminded of how this very bird kindled my interest in birdwatching.
I was in Rishi Valley School when a friend told me a pair of spotted owlets had been seen near the school building. This boarding school was situated in rural Andhra Pradesh, surrounded by nothing but scrub jungle. It was a nature lover’s paradise, with birds and snakes at every turn. It was even declared a Bird Preserve in 1991.
I was fascinated by the news my friend had brought me. My image of owls, until then, was of these wide old figures (like in Winnie the Pooh) that fly about at night, hiding from humans. So I was not going to pass up this opportunity to see one.
I went with him and peered into the trees near the academic block. At first, I didn’t see anything, but soon enough, one grey blob jumped down from the higher branches onto an overarching bough. It bobbed its head up and down, its bright yellow eyes staring right at me. It glared at us, even as we hastily walked backwards, barely controlling our glee.
I returned every day to say hello to my new friend. It became so frequent that one teacher had to tell me that repeated disturbance would make it find another place to roost.
This tiny raptor had moved me in a way that I find hard to articulate. This manifested in a newfound interest in birdwatching. Suddenly I was looking everywhere for birds. I ventured out on Sunday mornings to see what birds I could find. My ears became tuned to identify separate bird calls. Back in my home in Bangalore, I’d look at the skies in wonder, watching raptors soaring above.
Raptors are the predators of the birding world. With their size, sharp beaks and fearsome claws, they are a beauty to watch. Thus I was initially attracted to them much more than songbirds (like bulbuls, tailorbirds etc.). This reflects our fascination with the dazzling and our tendency to overlook the mundane.
We live in an increasingly closed world. Everyone today is glued to their cellphones and is thus impervious to what is happening around them
During the early days, each birdwatching session uncovered a new species of me. I’d walk around the school campus with eyes scouring the bushes, hoping to sight something new. Bulbuls, babblers, prinias—my list of sightings just kept growing.
Once your ears become trained to pick out bird calls, it is hard to shut them out. In Rishi Valley, I remember sitting in class amused at the cackling of parakeets in the neighbouring trees. In the hostel, I’d wake up at odd hours of the morning to the calls of peacocks and find it hard to sleep afterwards. This was the small price to pay for the wealth of exposure birdwatching brought me.
Bird watching was a passion that developed only after I pursued it. It didn’t captivate me organically. I find this insightful, for it demonstrates that many hobbies implore you to put yourself out there and move out of your comfort zone. Only then will you expose yourself to the serendipity that life has to offer.
When I finally began writing online a few years later, I thought it was only fitting that I pay homage to this bird by naming my newsletter after it. I think it captures the essence of my work and passion, and I hope you feel the same.
Plus, it sounds like a legit publication, too.
Book Update
This week, I’ve taken time off to return to my “university mode”. That meant planning out my courses, exercise schedule (I have another half marathon coming up), my student job and a couple of other things. As a result, my book-work has taken a back seat.
At this stage, it is actually important for me to take things slow. If I speed through the edit for my first draft, I’ll lose out on correcting some of the details. But by giving my mind some time to recuperate, my editing will be stronger.
I have been working on collecting some of the images for the book.
There are some animals that I haven’t photographed well. So I’m trying to get some high-quality photographs from fellow photographers. This includes people I know as well as folks I’m reaching out to on social media.
If anyone knows a good marine photographer, please let me know!
Postcard
I got to meet Dhritiman Mukherjee, one of the best nature and wildlife photographers IN THE WORLD. Not only in India, but in the entire world! That’s really saying something.
I’ve been admiring his work forever, so it was such a surreal moment to finally meet the guy and talk about his work.
Many of his images are used for conservation work, and I told him that I will take up the mantle that he and many other greats are leaving for our generation.
I also got to meet many of my heroes, like Bittu Sahgal, Dr. Raghu Chundawat, Dr. Ullas Karanth, Vance G.Martin, Kalyan Varma, Sudhir Shivaram, Aditya Dicky Singh, Yashpal Rathore and many, many others.
Favourite Quote
"There's always a hidden owl in “knowledge.”" - E.I. Jane.
Have a creative, energetic and inspiring week!
If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.
Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.
I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my newsletter and work with your friends. It really helps me out :)
Love the story of how you named the newsletter. And totally awesome that you got to attend the Nature in Focus Festival. It sounds like something I would enjoy.