At last, finally caught up with my first Merlin of the winter. Fem/juv type bird at Kingsmoor near Longload. Perched up in a Hawthorn in typical Merlin fashion, before being moved on a couple of Magpies. Good numbers of winter thrushes, starlings. Min of 6 reed buntings in a mixed passerine flock demonstrating the importance of not over managing hedgerows and trackside verges as they took advantage of teasel and other weedy areas along farm track. Also 3 greensandpiper, and a few teal, wigeon and shoveler.