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