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