Shovelback Yellowbill” (spadeus roostericus) is a rare, endangered bird sculpture, created from a bunch of garden shed metal junk – i.e. rusty garden tool pieces ‘past their use by date’. This is the male of the species, hence the serrated mane, like on some, now extinct, small dinosaurs. The beaktip is also serrated, serving to flip & scrape competing males during mating rituals taking place in springtime mudholes. The inspiration for the sculpture came from a pair of magpies, who used to visit us at breakfast time on our balcony, Huginn & Muninn (H & M). The purpose was to see how H & M would react to a ‘foreign’ bird invading what they considered to be their personal busking territory. Whilst initially wary, magpies are very smart, after a quick peck quickly realising that the strange bird was just a decoy. Unfortunately, Huginn & Muninn succumbed during the mouse plague, eating poisoned mice. H & M no doubt now sit at Odin’s table.
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