This St. Paul duck rescue photo has it all

Pioneer Press reporter Frederick Melo published this poignant photo on his Twitter feed late yesterday.

Look at that Edward Hopper lighting, the concern on people’s faces, the pedestrian in the distance, waiting for that red light to change. There’s even a bike lane in the shot — guaranteed to promote “engagement” when referenced in any news story or photo.

I understand that the ducklings were rescued later. Mission accomplished.

Such interventions do not always end happily, of course.

Just last week the Canadian Press reported that a Quebec woman was convicted in the deaths of two people after she stopped her car on a highway south of Montreal to help some ducks. A speeding motorcycle struck her car and the two riders were killed.

The professed animal lover told the court that she did not see the ducklings’ mother anywhere and planned to capture them and take them home.

No word on what happened to the ducks.

Overall, though, it’s been a good year for ducks. They’ve been seen paddling the bike paths of Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis.