Patch Birding

I've recently started thinking about the birds I haven't seen as opposed to the ones I have and began to realise that the birds I usually see 'on patch' are getting harder or even impossible to track down.
Things like Little Owl,Dipper and Woodcock used to be 'gimmies' in the past but have all seemingly disappeared from their usual haunts.
A mixture of habitat loss, disturbance and shrinking populations means that to 'tick' off these once common species you have to travel further afield and as a consequence probably not bothering.
I used to be able to see all these species and more within a two mile radius of home on a winters walk and if you add the summer migrants that have also gone such as Cuckoo, which has all but gone from South Somerset you start to get quite depressed.
Its a good job I've got a birding trip organised for the weekend to keep my spirits up !