The sun disappeared shortly before we made it out this afternoon. We headed for Castle Hill, a local nature reserve which is an archetypical downland landscape of rolling hills dotted with fields.
You can sometimes see buzzards overhead, but none were about today. You can always see kestrels, though it can be difficult to get close to them. 
Kestrel in flight
On our way in we had spotted some kestrel feathers on the ground, and nearby rather more feathers from another bird. It looked as though there had been some sort of scrap between them (with the kestrel coming off rather better). There were also what looked like pellets on the ground, but I'm hopeless at identifying these and I could be completely wrong about what they are. There were two or three within a small area, near the kestrel's feathers.
Kestrel feather
Pellet?
Down in the valley we came across a small group of ponies. These are quite unusual on the Downs. We often see horses in fields (with and without riders), but I've never seen free-grazing ponies before.
Ponies
Far more common are cattle, though you need to be wary round these creatures especially when they decide to stampede towards the nearest watering trough.
Cattle 'stampede'
And of course, the Sussex Downs wouldn't be the Downs without sheep. These are by Balsdean Farm, part of a village area that was abandoned during the last war (it was used by the military for artillery practice at the time), and apart from a couple of post war barns (now disused) has all but vanished.
Sheep at Balsdean
Finally, there were the pigeons. Flocks of them rising from the fields, circling and then settling down again. 
Click to enlarge
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS, except the landscape which was taken with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens.
Dudley
5 Oct 2009Nice country side
gdare
5 Oct 2009I thought ponies escaped from somewhere then I saw a wired fence. At least they look calm and fat 😀
Words
5 Oct 2009Andy, we're really fortunate. All we need is decent weather and it's just about perfect.
Words
5 Oct 2009Darko, but the wire is keeping them out of a field. They were free to roam where they wanted.
SittingFox
5 Oct 2009Pretty ponies, but that's a beautiful kestrel feather. I have a ring-necked parakeet feather somewhere.
Words
5 Oct 2009The ponies were a nice surprise… I almost thought I'd ended up in the New Forest (minus the forest of course). The kestrel feather is now attached to my camera bag 😉
Did you see that parakeets are now formally classified as pests and can be culled without a licence? Meanwhile the much berated herring gull and predatory greater black-backed gull have been taken off-list and culling will now require a specific licence (declining habitat, though you'd never guess it down our way).
SittingFox
5 Oct 2009Yes, I heard about the change in status for the parakeets. I didn't know about the gulls though.
Ukwildlife
6 Oct 2009Nice photos. I would guess the pellet is from a kestrel, looks about the right size (that I would imagine they would be anyway!)
As for the herring gulls being taken of the pest list, they were added to the red list species a few months ago!
Words
6 Oct 2009Neil, I think the trouble with Herring Gulls is that the red list deals with their wider habitat. They are not remotely in trouble in our area, but I'm pleased to see them come off the pest list.
Thanks for the comment on the pellet. I think it has to be from a kestrel given the rest of the evidence around it. That's a first for me.
Flying Red Fox Blog
8 Oct 2009I try to count all the sheep but end up falling asleep P 😆 haha nice photos. 😀
Words
8 Oct 2009LOL! There are a lot of them to count :zzz:
gdare
8 Oct 2009At least they were not jumping over the fence 😆
Words
8 Oct 2009I'd love a photo like that!
gdare
8 Oct 2009:yes: