I have always been fascinated by poo – the processes of its becoming, its powers to encourage life, and the endless jokes about the subject told by four-year-old boys, and by those boys who have not left their childhoods entirely behind. Over the years, I’ve also enjoyed reading about poo. Some of my favourite books have been Nicola Davies’ Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable, Josh Richman & Anish Sheth’s What’s Your Poo Telling You?, Susan Goodman’s Truth about Poop, and Jeannette Rowe’s Whose Poo? (There are more titles here for those wanting to follow up this line of research). Then, sometime in 2016, I noticed that a friend of mine started posting the occasional photo of bird poo on her Facebook feed. I was immediately struck by them. They spoke to me of simplicity, of randomness, of good humour, and of temporality. They highlighted again for me the enormous disparity between my own environmental footprint and that of other creatures. They also invited me to better notice a part of my everyday landscape, especially things like footpaths, objects that are otherwise quite uninteresting. Captured, I started doing the same – taking photos of bird poo. For a few weeks or so, it became something of an obsession, one that resulted in missed trains and lateness to meetings, interesting discussions with curious onlookers wondering what the Methuselah I was doing with my phone so close to the ground, and much amusement with children. It’s been fun. While beauty may well be in the eye of the beholder, joy should be shared. So, below are some of the images I’ve captured, shared in the hope that others may enjoy them too, or at least get a good giggle out of one or two of them.
The Grim Reaper
Pelvis
All the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy
Jordan
Balloon
Towards the Ancient City
Jumping Rat
Porthole
Footballer
Pelecanus
Dandelion, Stripped
Cirque du Soleil
Eruption
Setting Up Camp
The Beach
Swing the Baby
Angler
Waterfall
Cocktail
Jabba
The Gathering of the Clans
Wandering Egret
Shrimp
Love Under Fire
Horseshoe Crab
Banksy
The Place of the Skull
Flashes
Texas Devil
Collision Course
Fox
Dementor
Landscape
Wild Goose Blues
Communion
Stoat
Paris
Hosanna
Incoming Storm
Signature
Angel Rushing
Flower of Scotland
Mouse Outside the House
Moonrise
After Bruegel’s Blind Leading the Blind
Alison Preparing the Duck
Summer Playground
Harbour Islands
Heidegger
Footballer 2
Ned on a Horse, After Sidney
The Sounds
Knight
Stretching
Reduviidae
Godot’s Tree 1
Phophatidylserine Receptor
Speech Bubble
Emu Running
Dancing Brolga
Marlin
Mouse Riding the Stringray
Elegance
Thoroughbred
Colonial Ties
Sandhill Crane
Harry on his Nimbus 2000
Bilateral Amputee, Juggling
Cockroach
Brachyura
Shoes with Straps
Fireball
Desert Shades
Grover
Uprooted, after the big winds on Sunday 9 October, 2016
Melbourne Cup, 1930
Witch Travel
Satellite 18
Sakuran
Almost a 6
Sunset
By the Sea of Galilee, Israel (taken by Stefanie)
Seahorse
Termite Rejoicing at the End of a Long Election Season
Santa’s Sack
Terrier
Bat and Quokka
Running Moa
Lung
Intersections
Dancing Ogórek
Invitation
I will build a great wall – and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me – and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall …
Battlefield
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground
Circus
Graham’s Cross
Ostrich Running
The Nymph and the Brolga
Natalie
Adam Ant
Nebular System
Late Advent
Fireworks
Reflection
Armed Soldier
Jellyfish
Web
Comet
Rabbit
Singing Bird 2
Excited
Sapling
Emergence
Rabbit
The Arts Centre
Moa Startled by the Sound of a Frog, near Rawiri Bay
Dancing with the Stars
Stork
Determined Woman (with Mary Somerville)
Horizon
Mountaineer
Cracking the Whip
Cat Looking
Three Magi Following the Star
Eagle
Godot’s Tree 2
Anselm Kiefer
Hummingbird
Ice-cream
James Lawrence Levine
Spill
Night Cat
Pod
Drunk Conductor
Glide
Dromaius
Marker
Leather Jacket
Salmon
Mortality on the Farm
Garden Shrimp
Satellite
Out of the Game
Some Roses are White
Buddha
Southern Alps
Seed
Angel Fish Parting Ways
Hound
Scorpio
Senator James Paterson
Herons
Turn my back on the devil
Leonard
Dash
Angel Fish
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed
Bull Terrier
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