News and Visitor Information at Deer Pond Farm
Deer Pond Farm Nature Preserve photo by Christy Bonaiuto
Deer Pond Farm covers 850 acres of rugged hardwood forest, meadows, and wetlands straddling the border of Connecticut and New York.
Situated between elevations of 900 and 1200 feet, there are many vistas to enjoy along the trails.
About 650 of its 850 acres are upland forest; 125 acres are forested wetlands; and 59 acres are meadow.
Deer Pond Farm includes a network of 15 miles of trails. The sanctuary is open year-round, seven days a week, from dawn to dusk. All trails are accessible from the visitor parking lot at 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman, CT.
Over 150 species of birds have been documented here, including forest birds such as, Broad-winged Hawk, Scarlet Tanager, and Pileated Woodpecker as well as early successional specialists such as, American Woodcock, Eastern Towhee, and Chestnut-sided Warbler. There are two eBird hotspot locations: Deer Pond Farm (CT Audubon) and Deer Pond Farm, CT Audubon (Dutchess Co.). Thank you for reporting your bird observations.
Mammals include bobcat, coyote, several bat species, fisher and long-tailed weasel, beaver, black bear and, of course, deer.
Numerous amphibian species breed in its 11 vernal pools, including Wood Frog, Spring Peepers, and Spotted Salamanders. To date, two turtle and four snake species have been confirmed.
Deer Pond Farm Trail Map – click here.
Injured, “Abandoned” or “Orphaned” Wildlife – click here.
Please note: dogs, horses, fishing, swimming, camping, fires, hunting and collecting are not permitted.
Thank you for staying on the trails.
Deer Pond Farm in the News
Adaptive Hike at Deer Pond Farm article in Town Tribune (click image for article)
Gray Fox article Danbury News Times (click image for article)
Deer Pond Farm Staff:
Cathy Hagadorn, Director (chagadorn@ctaudubon.org)
Lori Lichtenauer, Sanctuary Manager / Naturalist (llichtenauer@ctaudubon.org)
Christy Bonaiuto, Office Manager (cbonaiuto@ctaudubon.org)
Birds You Can See at Deer Pond Farm
Field Sparrow by Sharon Cuartero
Click on each month to view bird list:
Air Quality Monitoring at Deer Pond Farm
As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental conservation, we’ve installed a PurpleAir monitor.
This PurpleAir Flex model monitor tracks local air quality and contributes to a broader community database. The database is used by weather services, climate scientists, airnow.gov/and the public to better understand the air we breathe and impacts to wildlife
PurpleAir.com monitors detect and report real-time data on air pollutant concentrations and current air quality conditions with a number and color rating system.
Air quality is a vital part of environmental health. Poor air can cause respiratory problems in people and wildlife alike. Birds are vulnerable to air pollution. Fortunately, natural areas like Deer Pond Farm with a large healthy forest, can act as pollution buffers, improving overall air quality and ecosystem health.
Videos
Visit our YouTube channel, CTAudubonSociety to view videos from Deer Pond Farm and other centers.
2025 Year in Review Deer Pond Farm Nature Preserve
Click here to see our 2025 Year in Review
Check out our 2024 Year in Review
Check out our 2023 Year in Review
Check out our 2022 Year in Review
