Reynolds Game Farm
The Reynolds Game Farm is a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation facility whose purpose is to raise Ring-necked Pheasants for release into the wild for hunting. Besides being an excellent place to get up-close looks at captive pheasants, the Game Farm area at times plays host to an amazing concentration of raptors, especially Red-tailed Hawks. During recent winters, as many as 65 Red-tails have been reported from the immediate vicinity of the Game Farm at one time. This area also served as the wintering ground for a rufous-morph calurus-race Red-tailed Hawk for at least five years in the early 2000s. While species diversity is not consistently high at the Game Farm, the following additional raptor species have been seen at this spot in recent years: Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and Merlin. To reach the Game Farm:
From Day Hall on the Cornell University campus, follow Tower Road to its other end, where it meets Rt. 366. Turn left on Rt. 366, and proceed about a half mile to Game Farm Road, opposite the Statutory Fleet Garage. Turn right on Game Farm Road, and follow it a little less than a mile. Turn left on Stevenson Road, and the pheasant pens will be on your left.
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