Lovelies, I have an #operationmallard update! A BIG ONE! Pull up a chair, maybe grab a blanket and a cuppa? You're about to get on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster...
I got a message from my Dad at about 8:30am, saying that Operation Mallard 2 was about to begin! I replied, wishing him luck, then he phoned and said he'd seen two tiny little duckling heads peeping out so far. One problem though: the wind.
A storm blew through yesterday with gale force winds and rain. Today it's much sunnier but the wind this morning was still just over 20mph - and 9 floors up, it really whips around the building.
Even though Dad's friend would be helping (and was now on standby), and he had a second rope (as he explained in this video: ), winds that high were very worrying. Reader, I was FRETFUL.
He had a plan though (he's my dad, he always does!) that if the wind was still too high when the time came to escort the ducklings to the ground, he'd use the second tiny balcony on the other side of the living room.
That side is a bit more sheltered today, and even though he really didn't want to bring the 'ducket' into the flat, it would be for literally 2-3 seconds, and the additional shelter might be needed. He was so calm! He'd thought it all through.
I wished him luck again and then waited. And waited. And... waited. Literally hours went by. My traitorous brain concocted all sorts of terrible scenarios. But I trust my Dad and knew I should leave him to it. Still... my brain can be SO ANNOYING :)
4 hours later I cracked and messaged him. 'Everything ok?' I asked. 'Slow going,' he replied. ' Chicks are hatching but staying on nest for time being. Mum has settled down, still eggs to hatch I think.🐣' (Dad is a big emoji fan)
I checked he was okay. He was a little bit tense but absolutely fine. I was A MESS. BBC news were waiting too, and I was so nervous things would go wrong. I just couldn't bear the thought of something going wrong and having to tell you all!
Half an hour or so later I got a mini video update and the first glimpse of the ducklings (I almost died - they are so cute!) but not all 11 yet. (I will include it in my video summary like I did for the first Operation Mallard.)
More. Tense. Waiting. I felt like getting a cigar (even though I don't smoke) just so I could pace up and down holding it, like expectant fathers in old movies waiting for baby to arrive. Dad was pacing in his apartment too! Watching, waiting...
It wasn't just worrying about the ducklings, but worrying about all of you! I promised my dad that I would not tweet anything until it was all done. IT WAS SO HARD NOT TO TELL YOU ALL. I'm glad, considering how the day went! You might have been messes too!
Two reasons for keeping quiet while we were waiting: One - what if local people turned up and ended up waiting for hours or worse, scaring Mrs Mallard when the ducklings were lowered? Two - what if something went wrong? I couldn't 'live tweet' a disaster.
Oh, and there's a third reason (THREE MAIN WEAPONS OF THE SPANISH INQUISITION! Sorry, it's a habit) I didn't know how long it would take. I didn't want 1000s of messages asking for the latest update before I knew myself!
I got a couple of updates over the afternoon - Dad thought she was waiting for the weather to improve as they were all just staying in the nest and not going anywhere - and then, at 16:45 he sent me the best news!
So, after 8 HOURS of anxious waiting, I can finally tell you all that Operation Mallard 2: Electric Boogaloo was a SUCCESS! All 11 ducklings hatched and made it to the water. Every. Single. One. My Dad is a legend!
And you know what that means? THEY ARE STAR WARS DUCKLINGS as it is May the Fourth (be with you!) - I AM SO DELIGHTED AND RELIEVED I CANNOT EVEN! I am literally shaking as I type, with relief, with happiness, with the sheer joy of it in the midst of all the horror.
The BBC were there, not sure when it will be on the telly, but it will be! All 11, with Mrs Mallard, swam towards the River Irwell and seemed very happy and well. I will collate all the videos my Dad did and get that out ASAP, probably tomorrow.
May the force be with you, little ducklings and Mrs Mallard. And may the force be with all of you. Thank you so much for coming on this wild ride with me and my dad. Lots of love to you all. xxx
Oooh, just found out that it was featured on @BBCNWT - I will send out a link when it goes up onto the website. Dad filmed it for me from his sofa - brilliant stuff!
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