Swallows Swirling

What beautiful displays above - the sky is full of swooping and chirping, circling and diving.  My young ones are on the wing much longer and are absent from the shed all day, and some evenings too.

This year I bought and put up one of the man-made swallow nest boxes, in the hope of attracting more swallow 'couples'.  Although they were not used as the main nest, adult birds did perch on the edges and when the latest brood's nest collapsed (a side edge broke away), all the young found their way to the new nest and adopted it.

I love this peom from the short story What the Swallows Did, by Louisa May Alcott - and have myself called my goodbyes, and wishes for safe journeys.

Swallow, swallow, neighbour swallow,
Starting on your autumn flight,
Pause a moment at my window,

Twitter softly your good-night;
For the summer days are over,
All your duties are well done,
And the happy homes you builded
Have grown empty, one by one. 
 
Swallow, swallow, neighbour swallow,
Are you ready for your flight?
Are all the feather cloaks completed?
Are the little caps all right?
Are the young wings strong and steady
For the journey through the sky?
Come again in early spring-time;
And till then, good-by, good-by!