Who Killed Lucy Lu?

by Patricia A. Miller

She was just a duck, a beautiful little pure-white duck with a neon-orange beak who lived in the waters of Jeffery's Creek in Ocean Gate for more than a decade.

But many in town are mourning the loss of Lucy Lu. Mallards, other ducks and Canada geese live in the pond, which is really a tidal creek from the Toms River. But Lucy was the only white duck in the creek and was a favorite of many.

She was killed sometime between 10 a.m. and noon on Sunday, April 17. Someone who wasn't paying attention or just didn't care struck and killed her, then kept on going.

Bonni Myszka - who owns Shack in The Swamp Photography - had been taking pictures of Lucy for five years. Here are some of them. In one she looks like she's smiling.

"It's hard when any of the ducks down there get killed, but she was such a favorite that this became especially hard for many," Myszka said.

The speed limit by the duck pond on Ocean Gate Drive is as low as 20 miles per hour in one section. Mallards, geese and other ducks frequently waddle slowly across the street to nibble on the grass on the other side. Decent drivers come to a halt and wait until the birds are safely across the street.

Ocean County had installed a traffic sign of roadway with a mother duck and ducklings to warn motorists of the ducks just ahead. It was stolen once, replaced, then stolen again.

"Lucy Lu was so photogenic," Myszka said. "I literally have hundreds of pictures of her. I have sold many also. Everyone loved her! I had someone call yesterday and ordered two dozen note cards..all of her!! I will miss her terribly."

So will many others who left comments on the Ocean Gate News Facebook page. Some suggested installing a camera or speed bumps.

Photos courtesy of Swamp in the Shack Photography