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