A BIRD in the hand has proved to be worth one in the moosh for Harmony the pigeon.

A BIRD in the hand has proved to be worth one in the moosh for Harmony the pigeon.

When Nigel Violette found Harmony, the distressed bird was staggering around in Tacket Street in Ipswich after stunning himself by flying into a window

Kind-hearted Nigel tenderly picked him up and then took the pigeon to his partner Louise Rosher's home to be nursed back to health.

Now, alls well that ends well as Harmony has recovered to find he had been given a love nest of his own and is about to become a father.

Today Harmony and his mate Peace are awaiting the patter of tiny feet after two eggs appeared at their east Ipswich home.

Miss Rosher said: “Nigel saw a white pigeon tottering along outside St Pancras Church. He picked it up, put it in a box he had with him and walked back to mine.

“Nigel put him in the garden under a big plant pot for safety overnight and told me about it the next day.”

Harmony was then given a 'room with a coup' until Miss Rosher could provide more suitable accommodation in her garden.

The 36-year-old put him in a box lined with newspaper and furnished it with two ramekins, which she used for water and birdseed.

Miss Rosher said: “Straight away I called it Harmony. He lived in my kitchen, but was free range, walking around the lounge and kitchen. I let him out every morning, but always stayed with him in case cats got him. Then I would pick him up and put him back in the box.”

After a few days Miss Rosher, a press officer for Suffolk Constabulary, was given a hutch by another member of staff and turned it into a makeshift home in her garden.

She and Mr Violette had believed Harmony was a female until they traced his owner, Jim Mullan, through the identification ring on the pigeon's leg.

Mr Mullan, who breeds birds at his home in Main Road, Kesgrave, told them Harmony was in fact male and generously gave Miss Rosher a female partner for him.

Miss Rosher said: “We had been calling Harmony a she for nearly four weeks because she was so pretty.

“Harmony and Peace were quite fruity from the word go. Harmony kept calling her.

“Harmony flew for the first time on May 16 and it was amazing. On the Tuesday we found Peace had laid an egg and I was thrilled. On the Thursday she laid another.

“Now we are getting a loft for the birds to fly around in.”

Mr Mullan, 61, said: “I breed white pigeons for weddings and funerals and that particular one was at St Pancras Church. The pigeon must have flown into the Dhaka Diner restaurant window and stunned itself. It was then walking around the churchyard for a day or so.

“It's brilliant to see the pigeons now thriving at Lou's.”

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