88 NATURE IN DOWNLAND 



was quite sure that it was the long-eared owl. He had 

 never flushed an owl of another species in the downs, 

 but had occasionally seen a white owl at night or late 

 in the evening. He believed that the long-eared owl 

 had now forsaken the downs. But though he was so 

 positive about his facts, I am still in doubt as to 

 the species: our memories play strange tricks with 

 all of us at times ; and after all it may have been in 

 the autumn months that the birds were seen, and that 

 the species was the world-wandering short-eared owl. 



The only comparatively big birds to be met with 

 now among the downs are those very common species 

 that visit the district more or less regularly to feed. 

 Large numbers of rooks from the wooded lowlands 

 and daws from the sea-cliffs have their favourite 

 feeding-grounds on the sheep-walks. The black-headed 

 and common gulls winter on the coasts, and wherever 

 the land is tilled are seen following the plough in 

 autumn and spring. The bigger herring-gull breeds 

 on the cliffs, and may be seen flying over the downs 

 every day throughout the year. Wood-pigeons, the 

 kestrel, an occasional sparrowhawk, and a few stray 

 birds of other rarer species are also to be seen. In 

 the valleys of the rivers Cuckmere, Ouse, and Arun, 

 that cut through the range, herons from the Parham 

 heronry are common. I have frequently seen as 

 many as a dozen to twenty together in the autumn 

 months. Peewits and a few redshanks breed in the 

 valleys in spring. 



