Weird object in a park. Any ideas?

#1

Hi folks,
This isn’t a keto topic, but I have a concern re: kids, so bare with me.

I went on a walk through a local park and noticed these two balls that seem to have a solar panel sticking out of them. I wouldn’t think much about it, but it was adjacent to a kids playground. There are more just like it on several posts throughout this park.

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Has anyone seen anything like these? I figure that if those are solar panels, then they are powering something inside the balls. But what? A camera?

In any case, I just reported it but don’t think that I’ll find out what these are one way or another.

Any ideas?

(Jane) #2

Bizarre. The solar panel doesn’t look like it is oriented properly to collect solar rays.

Looks like some of the typical ugly “sculptures” you see in parks these days. Connected, no talent twits who get paid while real artists starve.

Or could be something else entirely.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #3

I have a feeling it started out something like this. Take a closer look and see if you can identify tiny lights. The solar box would be there for them. Maybe it was put up for the holidays and now looks beat up.

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(Jane) #4

I like your suggestion better!

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #5

Janie, I googled: Balls of leaves hanging with solar thing. I have to hand it to Google for finding stuff based on my search queries. :rofl:

(Jane) #6

I know - scary sometimes!!!

(Polly) #7

My first reaction was an air pollution monitoring device.

#8

I am surprised no one is blaming PUFAs.
:crazy_face:

(Jane) #9

:laughing:

#10

I am.

(Laurie) #11

Some kind of insect trap? Maybe the solar panel powers a noise, or a zapper, or a pheromone sprayer.

Or maybe the electronic-looking thing is a counter, to keep track of bird visits.

#12

I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t think about doing that type of search myself.

Good find on the search btw. I have a better quality picture the the one that I uploaded and don’t see any lights. It’s possible that it started off as what you found and then retrofitted for something else.

Next time I see a parks & rec employee, I’ll ask them.

#13

Yes, please ask and tell us, I am very curious at this point! :slight_smile:

I didn’t comment before as I don’t have these great ideas the others have.

(Susan) #14

I thought that the actual ball looked like a big squirrel’s nest but no idea what the cylinder hoops are for. We have a lot of barren trees in our neighbourhood with big squirrel’s nests in them though, so that is what it looked like to me.

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#15

I managed to get out and walk out by the park again earlier this afternoon.

I talked to a City employee. I showed him the picture and he had no idea what it was and said that he’d look into it.

I walked back to the area where I saw them and took this pic of a different ball. I think @PetaMarie was absolutely right on what it is. This picture shows the LED lights:

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This was nagging me and I felt that I had to at least ask someone. Thanks for bearing with me and sorry for the false alarm folks.

(Laurie) #16

Nothing to be sorry about! I learned something new – which is what I live for.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #17

Nothing wrong with noticing your surroundings or being inquisitive! Glad you got to the bottom of it.