Wild life - flora and fauna - then and now

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Fri 29 May, 2009 6:18 pm

Carrying on from my 'How far could you go as a kid'thread.99% back to back houses,cobble streets,no gardens and open air areas.The only thing growing was the grass,daisies and dandelions between the cobbles and the flags,blokes used to come round in the summer with a lorry load of 'salt and spread it about.The wild life ?sparrows,pigeons and the odd house mouse were all that I recall.Still living within that sort of square mile area people now have nice gardens,the sparrows and pigeons have been overtaken by magpiesand the humble mouse is rarely seen.It is not uncommon to see the urban fox on his nightly round tgogether with grey squirrels,hedgehogs and robins and other small birds on a daily basis.The grassed area opposite Quarry House was the home to lots of rabbits a few years ago but I think they fell foul of the foxes.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Fri 29 May, 2009 6:48 pm

You don't see groundsel much now do you? It used to grow a lot on sites that had been slum-cleared. You could smell the rats in those areas too. Horrible smell.

JackLaneLad · Post by **JackLaneLad** » Sat 30 May, 2009 12:41 am

Sticky Buds, never ever see em now in Leeds,used to ping them at each other and go home with jumper back covered in them.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Sat 30 May, 2009 10:40 am

JackLaneLad wrote: Sticky Buds, never ever see em now in Leeds,used to ping them at each other and go home with jumper back covered in them. There's bloody loads of 'em at t'back o' r garden, we're not in Leeds though.

liits · Post by **liits** » Sat 30 May, 2009 11:20 am

Chrism wrote: JackLaneLad wrote: Sticky Buds, never ever see em now in Leeds,used to ping them at each other and go home with jumper back covered in them. There's bloody loads of 'em at t'back o' r garden, we're not in Leeds though. I spent a happy half hour removing a bucket load of them from two spaniels. Also not in Leeds.

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Sat 30 May, 2009 12:25 pm

dogduke wrote: Carrying on from my 'How far could you go as a kid'thread.99% back to back houses,cobble streets,no gardens and open air areas.The only thing growing was the grass,daisies and dandelions between the cobbles and the flags,blokes used to come round in the summer with a lorry load of 'salt and spread it about.The wild life ?sparrows,pigeons and the odd house mouse were all that I recall.Still living within that sort of square mile area people now have nice gardens,the sparrows and pigeons have been overtaken by magpiesand the humble mouse is rarely seen.It is not uncommon to see the urban fox on his nightly round tgogether with grey squirrels,hedgehogs and robins and other small birds on a daily basis.The grassed area opposite Quarry House was the home to lots of rabbits a few years ago but I think they fell foul of the foxes. Duke, I well remember the council lorry coming down the cobbled streets with a couple of guys on the back chucking "salt" onto the cobbles. It would have been sodium chlorate they were spreading - used as a general herbicide. If it gets on shoes or clothing it can spontaneously ignite. We used to continue playing footy or cricket in the street after they had been round ."Elves an safety" 'adn't been invented back then.

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Sat 30 May, 2009 1:11 pm

liits wrote: Chrism wrote: JackLaneLad wrote: Sticky Buds, never ever see em now in Leeds,used to ping them at each other and go home with jumper back covered in them. There's bloody loads of 'em at t'back o' r garden, we're not in Leeds though. I spent a happy half hour removing a bucket load of them from two spaniels. Also not in Leeds. 'Sticky buds' are members of the burdock plant family.The buds were the inspiration for 'Velcro'

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Sat 30 May, 2009 1:18 pm

Chrism wrote: JackLaneLad wrote: Sticky Buds, never ever see em now in Leeds,used to ping them at each other and go home with jumper back covered in them. There's bloody loads of 'em at t'back o' r garden, we're not in Leeds though. DITTO! lol

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Sun 31 May, 2009 12:49 am

stevief wrote: liits wrote: Chrism wrote: JackLaneLad wrote: Sticky Buds, never ever see em now in Leeds,used to ping them at each other and go home with jumper back covered in them. There's bloody loads of 'em at t'back o' r garden, we're not in Leeds though. I spent a happy half hour removing a bucket load of them from two spaniels. Also not in Leeds. 'Sticky buds' are members of the burdock plant family.The buds were the inspiration for 'Velcro' No - I disagree - the' sticky buds' I remember were really sticky - i.e tacky and wet - not like velcro or a burdock at all.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Sun 31 May, 2009 1:29 am

Really drapesy? Seems we're discussing two different things.My recollection is of those as described earlier. Here's a pic.http://www.wildphotolife.co.uk/Flower%2 ... 100407.jpg