One swallow does make a summer but for me along Kingston riverside swallows reared a third brood this summer possibly the heatwave generated more insect prey so they were able to shorten their nesting period.

Housemartins too seem to have enjoyed a successful summer and on holiday on the Devon coast I was privileged to enjoy one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles I have ever witnessed when a flock of over 100 very vocal housemartins, both adults and fledglings perched on or flew around or swooped en masse past my window

They did this early in the morning and late afternoons but there was only one nest visible that they seemed to use as a focal point

On those occasions about 30 swallows mixed in with the martins voicing their attractive contact calls. Many of the young birds perched on a tall wire fence calling to be fed or they flew up to be met by a parent bird - when they briefly met head-on in mid-air for an exchange of food, almost as if they were kissing and a delight to witness.

On several occasions the swallow alighted on a playing field adjacent to the hotel and fed on the ground which is most unusual, or flew just above the sea’s surface or above the beach, picking up sandflies.

Swallows will be flying south soon to commence their 6,000-mile trip to spend the winter in the Cape Town reedbeds.

Housemartins linger into October before departing but nobody is quite sure exactly where on the African continent they overwinter.

So many martins and swallows, certainly made my summer.