Things you never see anymore

[Parafox]

17 minutes ago, davieG said:

even a rat once

Was it in your kitchen?

 

What did you do?

 

For reference:

 

 

Edited Friday at 18:36 by Parafox

[davieG]

8 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Was it in your kitchen?

 

What did you do?

 

For reference:

 

 

Garden after the bird food before the squirrel ate it all. Had a Rat catcher in but nothing caught.

[CornwallFox]

11 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

Flies.

OK, I'm seeing the odd one buzzing around but far, far fewer than in the past.

During hot spells especially, you would get several in the house. Outside when trying to eat something, you would be forever wafting them away.

I've noticed dog turds in the street without a single fly nearby - they used to be covered.

Around the corner from our house there lies a dead Hedgehog. It's been there several days and again, I've not seen a single Fly on its mortal remains.

You may think good riddance to them but even they play a vital role in the general eco system.

I live in the middle of Cornwall currently, absolute middle of nowhere, and at night when I let the dog out you'd think I'd be inundated with flying insects. But it's been really noticeable/surprising that we aren't. We do get them, obviously, and a much weirder selection of insects than I've ever seen in Leicester, but no many.

[JonnyBoy]

4 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

 

 

There's a balloon festival starting from Viccy Park at the end of June.

 

I say festival, it's 25 balloons, which if you've ever been to the Bristol balloon festival (literally 100s), is a bit meh.

 

Standard quarter-job Leicester.

I did see this, and I am tempted! 

[davieG]

 

Bob a Job done stickers

[Blarmy]

Sparrows. Used to be the bird I saw the most (not a bird spotter by any means but enjoy natures air shows when I’m in the garden) and now I’m surprised when I do see one. Blue Tits seem to be more common these days. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

10 hours ago, Blarmy said:

Sparrows. Used to be the bird I saw the most (not a bird spotter by any means but enjoy natures air shows when I’m in the garden) and now I’m surprised when I do see one. Blue Tits seem to be more common these days. 

Still sparrows here.

 

In order(ish)

 

House Sparrows 

Dunnocks

Magpies

Great Tits

Goldfinches 

Blackbird

Blue Tits

Robins

 

Actually, this time of year, swifts might be first,

[Blarmy]

2 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Still sparrows here.

 

In order(ish)

 

House Sparrows 

Dunnocks

Magpies

Great Tits

Goldfinches 

Blackbird

Blue Tits

Robins

 

Actually, this time of year, swifts might be first,

Good to know 👍🏻

[Flamey]

17 minutes ago, Blarmy said:

Good to know 👍🏻

No thrush or owls? @Trav Le BleuOUT!! 

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, Flamey said:

No thrush or owls? @Trav Le BleuOUT!! 

Thrushes occasionally (redwings in winter) but the only birds of prey I see here are red kites and sparrowhawks. Never even heard an owl round here, are urban owls common?

[Blarmy]

43 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Thrushes occasionally (redwings in winter) but the only birds of prey I see here are red kites and sparrowhawks. Never even heard an owl round here, are urban owls common?

I live in a market town, pretty built up but surrounded by countryside.  I sometimes hear owls but have never seen one. 

[davieG]

A footpath we use to get to the shop is lined with trees on one side and we recently been hearing a woodpecker.

 

As for my garden which has quite a few trees and bushes somewhat overgrown we only get magpies, pigeons, blackbirds, starlings and Robins pretty boring really.

[The Bear]

The Merlin Bird ID app is good for telling you what's around just from analyzing their songs as you walk about. 

[HighPeakFox]

I have owls on the local walk I do, beautiful creatures.

[DJW1]

Wood pigeons and turtle doves are quite common in parks and gardens

[The Bear]

3 hours ago, DJW1 said:

Wood pigeons and turtle doves are quite common in parks and gardens

Sounds like a secret phrase you'd say in this situation.....

 

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

5 hours ago, DJW1 said:

Wood pigeons and turtle doves are quite common in parks and gardens

Turtle doves are increasingly rare. I've never seen one and I'm a bit of a birder. I wouldn't expect to see one in Leicestershire either, you'd need to go further south or east.

 

Collared doves, now they're two a penny.

[DJW1]

9 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Turtle doves are increasingly rare. I've never seen one and I'm a bit of a birder. I wouldn't expect to see one in Leicestershire either, you'd need to go further south or east.

 

Collared doves, now they're two a penny.

I mixed up my doves! I meant to say collared doves. Good job you posted your comment.

Turtle dove numbers have increased on the continent in recent years so they may do so in the UK

[DJW1]

17 hours ago, The Bear said:

Sounds like a secret phrase you'd say in this situation.....

 

 

And they say there is a green woodpecker in Bradgate Park.......comrade

[DJW1]

On 31/05/2026 at 11:33, davieG said:

 

Bob a Job done stickers

I´m just about old enough to remember them.

We used to do Penny For The Guy and go carol singing round the houses in the 70s. Didn´t make much money! I don´t suppose kids do those things any more

[Parafox]

On 31/05/2026 at 10:33, davieG said:

 

Bob a Job done stickers

I was a Boy Scout and I HATED bob a job week. It was almost invariably weeding paths and gardens. It was always during the Easter holidays so was likely to be unpleasant weather as well. And you had to be in uniform, well, our Scout group insisted.

 

As a Scout I do remember staying overnight at Baden Powell House in London with others from my group and sleeping on the floor before going to see the National Gang Show at the Palladium. I must've been 14?

 

Gang shows are a thing of the past, too. I took part in the Leicestershire Scouts gang show at the De Montfort hall. The Scouts and Guides are a great way of introducing young people to varied, wholesome, character building experiences.

 

Long may it continue.

[Parafox]

20 minutes ago, DJW1 said:

I´m just about old enough to remember them.

We used to do Penny For The Guy and go carol singing round the houses in the 70s. Didn´t make much money! I don´t suppose kids do those things any more

Society has changed and the concern for kids being put at risk for doing such innocent things means most parents don't let them. 

[The Bear]

2 hours ago, DJW1 said:

I´m just about old enough to remember them.

We used to do Penny For The Guy and go carol singing round the houses in the 70s. Didn´t make much money! I don´t suppose kids do those things any more

Have you ever been around Heather (just outside Ibstock) when they do those stuffed guys that they all put out on their fronts? And people walk round the estate looking at them. No idea what it's about but I used to drive home from work that way and they had it every year. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

Sunny Smiles.

 

Little books with tear out pictures of children in care that more fortunate school children sold for the National Care Homes charity. Something like 10p per picture.

 

More innocent times.

[Wymsey]

Milkmen/Milkwomen.

 

Keith Vaz.

 

Luckily these things (some which, apparently still worked even after the battery got removed)..

 

 

Edited 11 minutes ago by Wymsey