57 



THE REDSTART. 



Ruticilla phoenicurus (L.). 



The earliest stragglers were recorded from the south-eastern 

 counties on the 11th and 12th of April, and by the 22nd 

 isolated records were received from the Midlands and from 

 as far north as Yorkshire and Cumberland. 



The first immigration of any size began to arrive between 

 the 25th and 27th on the south and south-east coast (Hamp- 

 shire, Sussex and Essex), and reached its maximum on the 

 29th, when Redstarts were observed throughout the southern 

 and in some of the western counties. On the 30th of April 

 and the 1st of May the birds continued to arrive, but in 

 smaller numbers, and during the following days further 

 records were received from the west and north. 



Between the 4th and 6th there was another immigration 

 along the same lines, and after this the birds seem to have 

 settled down in their usual numbers throughout the country, 

 as no further movements could be traced, though there was 

 some evidence of a further small influx through Sussex on 

 the 9th. 



This species appears to have arrived almost entirely on 

 the south-east and east coasts and to have pursued a north- 

 westerly course, the birds spreading out slightly as they 

 moved northwards. 



A nest containing one egg was recorded from Shropshire 

 on the 10th of May. On the 7th, 11th and 12th Redstarts 

 were building in Yorkshire and Lancashire, and, by the 

 26th, young were hatched in Suffolk. 



