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 Nymph and the Brolga
Wandering Egret
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 …
Dandelion, Stripped
Collision Course
Stretching
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground
Angel Fish Parting Ways
Shrimp
Jumping Rat
Ned on a Horse, After Sidney
The Beach
Dancing Ogórek
Ice-cream
Jellyfish
Santa’s Sack
Spill
Cocktail
Shoes with Straps
Uprooted, after the big winds on Sunday 9 October, 2016
Thoroughbred
Flower of Scotland
Dementor
Garden Shrimp
Southern Alps
Setting Up Camp
Emu Running
Pelvis
Cracking the Whip
Pelecanus
Eruption
Angel Rushing
Dromaius
Sunset
Phophatidylserine Receptor
Mouse Outside the House
Invitation
Intersections
Seed
Dancing with the Stars
After Bruegel’s Blind Leading the Blind
Melbourne Cup, 1930
Wild Goose Blues
Senator James Paterson
Leather Jacket
Bull Terrier
Herons
Bat and Quokka
Bilateral Amputee, Juggling
Horizon
Incoming Storm
Running Moa
Reduviidae
Sandhill Crane
Witch Travel
Fireball
Dash
Knight
Love Under Fire
James Lawrence Levine
Fireworks
Porthole
Satellite
Flashes
By the Sea of Galilee, Israel (taken by Stefanie)
Seahorse
Banksy
Hound
Swing the Baby
Communion
Lily
Eagle
Night Cat
Lung
Summer Playground
Jordan
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
Marlin
Glide
Anselm Kiefer
Cockroach
Battlefield
Heidegger
Circus
Satellite 18
Adam Ant
The Arts Centre
Some Roses are White
Rabbit
Nebular System
Ostrich Running
Pod
Robin
Almost a 6
Angler
Towards the Ancient City
Termite Rejoicing at the End of a Long Election Season
Godot’s Tree 1
Late Advent
Brachyura
Mountaineer
Determined Woman (with Mary Somerville)
Waterfall
Mortality on the Farm
Alison Preparing the Duck
Graham’s Cross
Armed Soldier
Harbour Islands
Speech Bubble
Singing Bird 2
Footballer
The Sounds
Web
Grover
Turn my back on the devil
Emergence
Dancing Brolga
The Grim Reaper
Salmon
Hosanna
Excited
Mouse Riding the Stringray
The Place of the Skull
The Gathering of the Clans
Drunk Conductor
Elegance
Paris
Colonial Ties
Stoat
Godot’s Tree 2
Cirque du Soleil
Desert Shades
Sakuran
Summit
Footballer 2
Marker
Balloon
Moonrise
Three Magi Following the Star
Horseshoe Crab
Out of the Game
All the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy
Sapling
Buddha
Harry on his Nimbus 2000
Reflection
Texas Devil
Moa Startled by the Sound of a Frog, near Rawiri Bay
Hummingbird
Terrier
Comet
Cat Looking
Landscape
Signature
Stork
Leonard
Natalie
Rabbit
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