Rest in Peace, Quack

Tonight was so terribly heartbreaking.  You'll recall my previous post about the pair of ducks that have been in our neighborhood just about every day for a month now.  E-Ray named them Duck and Quack.  Well, around 7:20 tonight my neighbor got home from work.  She ran over here and told me that the female duck was dead.  I ran outside and there she was, lying in the street.  Two male ducks were fighting over her and a third male was standing a short distance away watching.  One of the male ducks fighting over her was her mate, and the other duck kept pecking at her.  I immediately began to sob.  It wasn't really clear what caused her to die.  At first we thought maybe the one male duck that was pecking at her had killed her.  I shooed him away so that her mate could have a moment alone with her before we removed her from the street.  He just sat there with her.  It broke my heart.  Once my neighbor's husband removed her from the street her mate walked over to the two males and they just stood there together.

It didn't appear as though she were run over by a car or attacked by a cat.  My mom and my husband both said that she could have been poisoned by something.  We always fed her small bits of whole grain bagels or bread and corn bird feed.  I also always had a bowl of fresh water out.  Maybe she was just sick.  I wish I knew.  30 minutes before my neighbor came to the door I had looked out the window and seen them and they were just fine.  I wish I had been out there to see what happened.  I wish I could have prevented this.

About 10 minutes after we said goodbye to Quack I called my mom to cry it out.  I sat in a rocking chair on the front porch as the sun was setting and as we were wrapping up our call the three male ducks walked by.  It was a little comforting to see that Duck has his two buddies with him to help him mourn the loss of his mate.

Once I got off the phone with my mom I sat outside for a bit more.  My husband came at sat with me and then Duck started flying circles overhead, I assume looking for Quack.  My heart broke in two again and I sobbed some more.  I had to come in the house.  I couldn't bear to sit out there and see him flying overhead looking for her.  I wonder if he will return here tomorrow?

The kids and I had grown so fond of this lovely pair of ducks and we looked so forward to seeing them every day.  I suppose it may seem silly that I am so deeply affected by this loss, but I am.  Duck and Quack were a little part of our family.  I cherish the time the kids and I spent with them, and I will never forget it.

*Edited to add that now that I've had more time to get over her death, I really do think she must have been struck by a car.  :(