Mt Tom Wild: Wildlife on the Mt Tom Range 

Forests hold so many intriguing secrets; there's always a fascinating mystery awaiting discovery. There's no better way to invest time than to explore our forests.

@@NewEnglandForests Yep. I hear spring peeper frogs calling in the water there at 20:00, seemingly undaunted by the beaver's activities. Looks like blueberry flowers @ 26:00.

Hi Robert, Yes, we're lucky to have the plentiful and varied wildlife species that we do. A little patience, and quiet time, in the woods can be so rewarding. Enjoy!

By golly, I can’t argue with that! :)

You’re quite welcome, I’m happy you found it interesting.

That's quite a compliment, raising the bar pretty high. Thank you!

Ditto

Having a beautiful, mature forest area is a great start. And Western Mass has a lot more to offer too. Thanks Dave!

Hi Dodger, Thanks for the kind words! Seeing wildlife going about the business of surviving is rewarding and exciting. Sharing that with others, well that doubles the rewards.

Many thanks, Mark!

Thank you for that sentiment, it’s really appreciated. You may also enjoy the “Beaver Pond Wildlife” series on this channel... part 1 is available now, and part 2 will be finished soon, with more after that.

@@NewEnglandForests I’ll see it in due time, for sure . It’s just, I want to see all of your work. And not necessarily the latest first. See you again!

Make one! :)

Thanks Jeff, enjoy your trek at Mt Tom. In another six weeks or so, those woods will be sounding a lot more alive.

Hi Amanda, thanks so much for your kind words, you made my day. Maybe our paths (trails?) will intersect up there on the mountain one of these days. In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy the "jewel of the Connecticut River Valley" for many more years to come. We're fortunate to have such a place. -Ray

We're lucky to have Mt Tom and all its wildlife, Scott. I hope you continue to enjoy it for a long time. Happy trails !

Hi Elisa, Yes, Mt Tom is a wildlife haven, an important link we can be proud of. Thanks for your comments!

Thanks Pete... you'll get your wish, more are in the works, but they take a long time to produce.

Tom, then you'll probably also enjoy our "Beaver Pond Wildlife" series on this channel. When completed, it will be a multi-part series covering a year's time at New England beaver ponds. "Part 1 - Early Spring" is available now ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zGyMLG2wnBE.html ) and "Part 2 - Late Spring" will be available soon. Others will follow. -Ray

@@NewEnglandForests one of my favorite wildlife programs, years ago, was Marty Stoffers “wild America”, that being said, personally, I think it’s long past time we seriously restrict real estate, developers and private ownership of rural undeveloped lands, and start redeveloping cities and shrinking the size of homes and estates, No matter how wealthy or connected someone is, and as for hunters, those days of needing to hunt to survive are long gone and sports hunters, they only hunt because they enjoy killing...this isn’t 1776 anymore, and a civilize society has no need of owning military grade weapons, magazines or gear...it’s interesting that New Zealand has designated almost a third of their country to national wilderness area, like the area where they filmed “The lord of the rings”, beautiful country...I look forward to watching your documentaries when they come out...Thank you!

That’s very kind, Susan. Thank you!

Hi Cory, thanks for watching, and for commenting. We're lucky to have Mt Tom, aren't we? Just about any wildlife species most of us would want to seek out can be found there. And the forest is maturing nicely. The New England champion hemlock tree grew there until its sad demise in 2013 due to a windstorm (a "cookie" disc from its trunk has been preserved and can be seen in the Visitor's Center; the tree was approximately 250 years old. And some of the oldest black birches around grow on the mountain (in the 300-year-old range). It's one of the premiere hawk-watching locations in the northeast during fall migration. Enjoy it, learn from it, protect it.

@@NewEnglandForests what's happening with the old ski park. could it be restored for a fund raiser to protect more wildlife? .. maybe an educational center?.. outside school place .. I love these videos

Thank you Diane... it's one of my favorite places too!

Thanks Don, but it's Mt Tom and its inhabitants that are really amazing. There's a lot there that few people ever see.

Yes, and thanks to you we get to witness this beauty! Nicely done!

Saves you a lot on sedatives?? 🤷🏻‍♂️

He does have a soothing voice. But my favorite part is near 53:15. “…and if this character shows up, take a break. You can finish in the morning. ….Do a good job because everyone will see.”

Eh, yeah, that wasn’t bad. But I think he’s overpaid.

😂

Thank you Dave!

Thanks Brian... be sure to see the "Beaver Pond Wildlife" series on this channel too. Part 1 is at ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zGyMLG2wnBE.html

@@NewEnglandForests I definitely will.

Yes, that critter is an eastern red-spotted newt. Good catch.

I meant vision instead of value.

We brought a gracefully forked weathered chestnut limb into the Visitors' Center on Mt Tom (the small stone building on Christopher Clark Rd). You can see it above the fireplace mantel.

The bright orange color of the eft is a warning to possible predators that the eft is poisonous due to toxic secretions.