Welcome to the New
International Centre for Birds of Prey
Little Orchard Farm lies to the east of a very pretty village called Eardisland, on the B4529 out of Leominster. Originally a 21 acre apple orchard and fruit farm with a farm shop, the property is already temporary home to 170 birds of prey, and once the planning is through will be the permanent home of a brand new, up to date, world class bird of prey facility.
The new centre will be open to the public, run courses in all aspects of bird handing, training and husbandry, and various courses in photography including Photoshop. It will be, without doubt the most all encompassing bird of prey centre in the world. Flying demonstrations, education, superb gardens, great staff and wonderful days out, is what we will be offering as soon as we are able, we are planning on being open as soon as possible. Sadly planning problems have meant that our anticipated opening this summer is not going to happen. We are going to be building through the summer period. (All plants welcome in the autumn!) However we have every intention of being open for courses and photography in the late autumn, you may have to rough it a little but we will move heaven and a great deal of earth to get there. More importantly for the birds we want to get them re-housed and safe and secure before the worst of the winter.
Watch this site for news, progress, up and coming events, and opening day.
Note: Most of the beautiful bird photographs used throughout the site have been taken by Linda Wright who maintains her own site where many of her images may be purchased to benefit the National Birds of Prey Trust. Linda works some days at the ICBP and has documented recent progress in a dynamic photo album.
The Road to Opening the New Centre
The International Centre for Birds of Prey is a concept that has had what might be called teething problems. Originally conceived as a merger between Jemima Parry-Jones MBE, the bulk of her collection from the National Birds of Prey Centre at Newent, Gloucestershire, her international reputation and expertise, and a group called at the time, the South Carolina Center for Birds of prey. However in the years from 2004 when she arrived in the US with her birds, until she left in 2007, the promised merger never went ahead.
After nearly three years of living in South Carolina, in what was supposed to be an exciting new public facility, the new Center never opened, and very sadly the concept was discarded by the Board and its staff. So Mrs. Parry-Jones decided to do as an old friend taught her, and cut her losses; she left the US, and after overcoming unbelievable trials, tribulations and remarkably vindictive behaviours from many concerned with the South Carolina bird of prey center, she has managed to bring her whole collection back to the UK. Determined not to lose the concept of the International Centre for Birds of Prey, she felt more than justified in bringing the concept and the name home with her: The new International Centre for Birds of Prey is to be based at Eardisland in Herefordshire.
It is planned to be the most all encompassing raptor centre in the world. ICBP will undertake education, captive breeding, research, and rehabilitation. None of these are anything new to Mrs. Parry-Jones who is extremely familiar with them, having worked in all aspects of raptor care and facility management since 1967.
The new Centre will open to the public in 2008, although the actual date is as yet to be predicted! All the material on the website is about the Centre and its history. Many of the pages will show what we will be offering from summer of 2008 onwards. Please feel free to contact us if you require any further information.