Occurred on February 17, 2024 / Pudasjärvi, Finland
Info from Licensor: I had followed a hare while skiing. I was returning when I saw an owl in a tree. Sometimes you can get close to them so I decided to give it a go. Suddenly an owl dared to fly towards me. I stopped to see how close it flew. I felt peace, not the threat of attack. Nature sent a messenger. Like it's asking 'Where have you been?' I enjoy being in nature a lot, but recently I have been less. I spoke to it calmly. It was amazing to look it in the eyes. The owl's gaze is strong! The general theory is that the owls are short of food this winter and maybe it heard, saw, and mistook the tip of the ski for a mole when it looked from a tree in the distance.