In search of natural wonders

Whether it's to reduce stress or feel a greater connection to the natural world, more of us are seeking awe-inspiring displays of nature. But where can you capture these magical moments and can you do it impact-free?

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It's a cold, clear February evening on Brighton beach. The sun has not yet dipped below the horizon and the last of the light is that strange, luminescent blue that presages dusk. Hundreds of pairs of eyes are turned skyward, waiting not for sunset to spill its colours into the ocean – a spectacle in itself – but for something even more wondrous to unfold.

There's no guarantee what we're waiting for will even happen. Then I notice individual starlings dotting the sky. A small squadron flies in from the east, arcing above the neon red Brighton Pier sign. Lone birds are drawn to the flock like iron filings to a magnet, and what was a nothing magics itself into a something: a swarm, a wave, a flying carpet. Peppercorns spilling over the helter-skelter. They shimmer and billow, flutter and plummet – shapeshifting from cloud to fish, ghost to serpent, smoke spiral to blanket. Each time the shape reinvents itself, my stomach flips. Sometimes, the moving mass vanishes altogether – an Etch-a-Sketch wiped clean – then the birds turn as one and it reanimates itself. I try to follow a single starling; it's hopeless.

The seagulls seem energised by the murmuration, lifting off the beach and calling to one another. But the starlings are silent as they perform their aerial dance. As are we, the spellbound watchers.

“Any brush with nature can reduce stress, improve mood and leave the mind feeling calmed and restored,” says Dr Kate Howlett, whose work explores the effects of nature connection on human health. But some encounters bring an extra dimension: awe. “Feeling awestruck is really good for us,” Howlett says. “It reduces our sense of self, helping us feel connected to something greater. This brings meaning to our lives and fosters compassion and cooperation.”