Before the pandemic, award-winning sports photographer James Crombie knew little about starlings—his only encounter was when one tumbled into his chimney. Focused on covering rugby and Olympic events, he never had time for nature photography.

That changed in 2020 when a grieving friend invited him to Lough Ennell in Ireland’s County Westmeath to witness starling murmurations—synchronized aerial displays performed at dusk. Crombie, equipped with his high-speed camera, quickly became fascinated. The nightly visits became both a therapeutic ritual for his friend and an obsession for Crombie.

Determined to capture something extraordinary, he studied the birds’ flight patterns, returning about 100 evenings per year. Scientists believe murmurations help protect against predators, yet their fleeting formations remain unpredictable.

After weeks of patience, he snapped an image where the starlings briefly resembled a tree. But the defining moment came on the 50th night—a swirling mass of birds took the form of a giant bird in flight, perfectly mirrored on the lake’s surface.

“I knew instantly I had something special,” Crombie recalled. The breathtaking image went viral, landing on magazine covers, murals, and even a bank’s annual report. His book Murmurations showcases 200 of his half a million photographs.

Despite returning to sports photography, Crombie’s passion for starlings endures. “There are worse ways to spend an evening,” he mused.