Apparently there are a few reasons for their decline, pesticides reducing insect numbers, building methods reducing nesting spots. You can put nest boxes up under your eaves if you've got the right conditions.

Did anyone else see the delightful Great British Garden Watch recently? A guy played a CD of swift calls very loudly out of his bedroom window to attract them, apparently it really works. Not sure how my neighbours would feel!

I haven't seen any in this area, just out at the wetland centre in Barnes.