We can’t fly like birds, nor can we stop our gaze soaring skyward to dream of it.

In this brief, whimsical documentary, the UK director Eleanor Mortimer turns her camera’s gaze on urban birdwatchers as they wait for, observe and marvel at the peregrine falcons hovering above Sheffield in the north of England. The result is a beguiling look at a uniquely human condition: envy of flying.

This video was produced by Aeon.