Faex Avium |

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

Robin

Summit

Lily

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 …