by Alex Steelsmith

“Residents of an English village said the starling murmurations that have been dazzling onlookers…
also cover their homes, vehicles, sidewalks, roads and lawns with their droppings. … [T]he birds have
even been known to drop their smelly bombs on the heads of people who stop to watch them…”
—UPI

Starlings that can dazzle with astounding murmurations
also cover villages with countless defecations.
People with binoculars who only want to bird-watch
grumble discontentedly when forced instead to turd-watch.
Even ornithologists and noted bird-affirmers
speak of murmurations with exasperated murmurs.