I've not seen a jackdaw for years.
They're fairly common where I come from, less so where I live. Actually I noticed the other week that the swallows were back. They used to nest in the eaves of my parents' house and I've always had a particular soft spot for them.
( Lord Gnome, Fri 8 Jul 2011, 2:12, archived)

loads of swallows where i lived in spain, nesting in some of the streets in the old town.
big pro swallow movement at the mo here with new buildings incorporating 'nest bricks' basically hollow bricks for them and many off the shelf swallow nesting boxes you can buy and put up yourself. it's an offence to disturb nesting sites these days i think, especially if they're active. good job. i get some bats here as well.
(Mortal Wombat - he's just an excitable boy, Fri 8 Jul 2011, 2:18, archived)

I used to like watching them build their nests from mud.
After a few years they start to get quite impressive.
( Lord Gnome, Fri 8 Jul 2011, 2:21, archived)