It’s been two days now since I last heard them, so I have to assume they’ve gone, the Swifts that nest in several local buildings and streak as fast as speeding bullets along the local streets, screaming all the while.

Records show that Swifts usually depart Britain in late July, though I’ve read a report on line this morning that says they’ve stayed a little longer this year, perhaps because they appear to have arrived a little later in the spring. I also watched a short video on Twitter of thousands of Swifts streaming through mist and cloud as they crossed the Swiss Alps – what a sight! And this year they have also to cope with the incredible heat that’s currently bubbling up out of north Africa. Go safely, you beauties!