Newton marsh pool

Big change since last weeks fleeting visit.
Last week there were only a few redshank and lapwing, the pool was totally frozen.
Stopping from my delivery route today was a different matter.
1000's of wigeon (very late 2010 year tick no.76) had returned. No little grebe, which still evades me this year. 100's of curlew, 1 shelduck, a few shoveller and teal. I heard a skylark but I'm not counting "H.O.'s" this year.
















Eventually spotted a distant raptor..... which then flew straight towards me. A merlin! (year tick no.77)















It landed on a road-side post (it was probably pissed-off with the wind) but fled when one of those dust-bin lorries roared past, before I could dodgy-scope it.
















Lucky it landed in the nearby field, posing for pics whilst ignoring a flock of 50+ linnets.