Earlier this week, after more than a fortnight of scorching sunshine and hot southerly breeze, we noticed that the wind had changed direction to blow from the North. This was a signal, it seemed, for hundreds of swallows (which spend spring and part summer in and around our village) to gather together over our land and set off in two or three large groups for their migration south. Although for us humans summer is still in full swing, for these wonderful little creatures the north wind marked the close of a season.