A male and female duck had started nesting right outside my home, it was very cute to watch them waddle about together, and the entire street was excited about them nesting somewhere nearby.

I had been meaning to put up some "drive slow, nesting ducks!" signs because I live in America where people drive too fast and too recklessly.

Unfortunately yesterday someone hit the male duck with their car, and, almost more distressingly, just left the dead duck in our driveway.

I put the dead duck in a box (because where else does one put a dead duck?) with a sign that said "Please drive slowly so no more ducks die :(" and over the next day a few people left flowers on top of the box, which I thought was really touching.

Yesterday evening two kids from my street, S and A, knocked on my door and said they were investigating the "hit and run" (their words) and wanted to know if I had any details on the perpetrator. I didn't but I was touched by their efforts of knocking on every door in the neighborhood trying to learn more — particularly as it was raining!

This morning, I went out to put the dead duck in a bag and unceremoniously put it in my garbage can, but it was gone! Which was very amusing since I was steeling myself to maneuver a dead duck into a trash bag — a neighbor friend had already done it for me.

Lots and lots of kids play in the street and I have always noticed that a handful of people drive too fast, so hopefully this becomes a wakeup call to encourage drivers to drive more conscientiously.

As for the other, female, duck — I am keeping an eye out for her. According to Claude "pregnant" ducks are actually called laying ducks. I left some chopped lettuce and water out for the duck, but haven't seen her. A very sad day!