It is definitely a Merlin as you suspected.  It looks like the "thing  
from the berries" is a dragonfly.  Check out this photo that I took  
several years ago:
http://www.scottspangenberg.com/Birds/Merlin/source/2002-09-02-068.htm

Scott Spangenberg
Amherst, NH

On Sep 12, 2007, at 6:41 PM, Julie Waters wrote:

> If this is, as I suspect, a Merlin, my guess is that it's a  
> juvenile, but help on this would be useful.  Unlike Kestrels and  
> the various accipiters, I've only had a few good looks at a Merlin  
> in my life and I've only seen one standing still for long enough to  
> study three times before today.