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