Spring is almost here

[tigertoy]

I spent about 3 hours walking at Kickapoo today, along the Riverview trail both north and south.  The air temperature is starting to feel more like spring and all but the most stubborn traces of the snow are gone from the land, but the ponds are still almost completely ice covered.  There were lots of noisy geese, but only a very few other birds.  I almost stepped on what I think was a woodcock.  There were 3 mergansers on the river at one point, and I heard a wood duck at another.  I saw one big raptor just briefly, flying away down the river, it might have been an immature eagle.  I know winter isn't really over; there will be more cold and there will probably be more snow before spring really arrives.  But it is really good to be outside.

Seeing the trash that people leave around the park leaves me with dark thoughts about my fellow humans.  I just can't comprehend the lack of consideration for others that it takes to throw trash on the ground.  I feel a special contempt for the guy responsible for the used condom.  Someone who would throw his condom on the ground in a state park really doesn't deserve to have any need for a condom.