Brighton — Winter Starling Murmuration
In January 2025, I worked along the seafront of Brighton, focusing on winter starling murmurations forming around Brighton Pier. During the colder months, large numbers of starlings gather here at dusk, using the pier structure and surrounding shoreline as roosting points, creating highly dynamic aerial formations shaped by light, wind, and human presence.
Rather than treating the murmuration as a single event, I returned across multiple days, working evenings repeatedly as conditions shifted. Light levels were consistently low, with short winter days, overcast skies, and strong coastal winds influencing both visibility and flight behaviour. These constraints encouraged a slower, more observational approach, prioritising anticipation over reaction.
The focus of this project was primarily video, allowing the behaviour and movement of the flock to unfold in real time. I worked from multiple positions — on the pier itself, along the shoreline, and set back from the seafront — to understand how changes in wind direction, tide, and pedestrian activity influenced flight paths and flock density. Over time, clear patterns emerged: preferred approach routes, moments of compression and release within the flock, and subtle behavioural cues preceding sudden directional shifts.
Much of the process involved extended periods of watching rather than filming continuously. Learning when to hold, when to reposition, and when to roll became central to the work. This approach allowed the footage to emphasise rhythm, scale, and structure within the murmuration, rather than treating it as a purely visual spectacle.
This project reflects my interest in long-form observational filmmaking, particularly in urban environments where wildlife adapts to human infrastructure and constant disturbance. The resulting footage aims to communicate not only the visual impact of a starling murmuration, but the process of patient observation and behavioural understanding required to work within a rapidly changing natural system.
