For the first time at Iowa State, I’m afraid to walk between Friley and the Union at night. No, it’s not that I’m scared of being attacked in the dark. In actuality the lighting there is not bad compared to some parts of campus. My fear comes from above. Anyone who has walked the route, or several others around campus, knows what I am talking about – the birds.

Besides the black masses at the tops of the trees evoking occasional thoughts of Alfred Hitchcock, having birds around would not bother me one bit. My problem comes from what they leave behind. Have you seen the sidewalks? They’re covered in little black and white splatters of excrement.

Walking at night along the path is no longer a leisurely activity, but can be compared more easily to running the gauntlet and trying not to get hit; birds dropping remains of their lunches like little bombs, hitting the branches and unfallen leaves on their way down and making one of the least pleasant noises I have ever heard.

So far, I have managed to come away from it unmarked, but I know that soon I too will become a victim of a loud noise which will cause all the birds to fire en masse.

It happens every year and I don’t expect anything to be done about the problem. I’d just like to express my disgust. I’d also like to sympathize with the many people around campus who have to deal with this same problem for several weeks each year. Finally, though I am not a fan of extreme cold, I hope we at least get one good spell to hopefully move the birds from our trees.

Jonathan D. Marvin

Junior

Microbiology and political science