Mt Tom Wild: Wildlife on the Mt Tom Range
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
- Old forests and wetlands of the Mt Tom range in western Massachusetts host an exciting array of wildlife species. Discover them in their natural environments. Story at New England Forests blog, newenglandfore...
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I can tell these films are truly a labor of love. there is something mystical about our northeastern forests. thanks so much for these beautiful and informative videos.
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.
I've been living in British Columbia for nearly 20 years - and it is spectacular out here. But I still miss my New England home forests of Western Mass, VT and NH.
These videos take me back to so many hikes from long ago!
This is an outstanding video! This should be on every PBS television station in Massachusetts.
By golly, I can’t argue with that! :)
Mt. Tom and Ashley Reservoir are two of my favorite spots to hike, as well as Quabbin Reservoir. I had the extraordinary luck of witnessing a moose swimming in a pond at Ashley Reservoir as dusk approached one night. I thought I was seeing a deer until she stood up on her long legs and loped up the bank and into the woods. I will never forget it. Thank you for this video. I had to watch it again.
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!
Holy-smoke,what an awesome video.
Superb documentary, far better than most of those commercial ones, like National Geographic and such.
That's quite a compliment, raising the bar pretty high. Thank you!
Ditto
Thank you so much for making this, what an excellent resource for learning more about our local flora and fauna!
You’re quite welcome, I’m happy you found it interesting.
Thank you so much for these videos; the quality of knowledge, filming, music, narration, and production quality is phenomenal.
A quality overview of our Mt Tom habitats and populations. I can only imagine the time you spent on this. Thanks for making it available to all of us!
Marvellous place and video thank you
Thank you so much for making this. I’m from Northern Europe and still found it quite educational. I can’t remember when I last saw a good wildlife documentary, as I gave them up along with TV and all its sensationalism. I want to be treated as a thinking being, not as a vegetable. So this was quite refreshing.
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!
I was born and raised, and lived fifty-eight years in the Pioneer Valley. Mt Tom was my stomping ground for most of that time. I think I could place almost every scene in a map, as I’ve explored every inch of that park. This is a wonderful gift of memories of home. I live in the Hudson Highlands now; a very similar woodland. Thank you for this excellent documentary.
You have done a wonderful job of capturing the beauty of the area.Keep up the great work!
Having a beautiful, mature forest area is a great start. And Western Mass has a lot more to offer too. Thanks Dave!
i'm fascinated by the wildlife i get to see on game cameras i put out in the woods behind my house.
but thanks to Ray's dedication, patience, hard work, i see MUCH more wildlife activity !!
thank you for your hard work in making it possible for us to view nature at its best !
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.
This is like a home cooked meal for the mind. As I'm sure you know, our medicine is being out there. Well done Ray.
Many thanks, Mark!
I loved it...stayed glued all evening...!
This was a fantastic overview of the typical Northeast forest and a pleasure to watch. Thanks for offering something truly worth watching here on UA-cam!
Best hour and twenty minute I've spent in a longtime.
Love these videos. Please keep making more! I grew up in forests very similar to these. I’ve been longing to see them again.
I wish I knew a channel making videos this good for forests in my area: The Pacific Northwest.
Make one! :)
One of the very best wildlife videos I have ever seen. Superb editing and straightforward commentary without distracting music.
That’s very kind, Susan. Thank you!
You did a great job making this video. I can not even imagen the time and effort this video all took. Mt. Tom is my happy place and I have spent a great deal of time hiking the area. Take care and thank you.
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 !
I am a Document-Lover viewer and I do really like to learn and enjoy wildlife, but these two hours of them is awesome!-as they go with their way of life.
Great film. Thoroughly enjoyed it, very informative. Thanks
Greetings! I absolutely love this film! It's very informative, funny, and beautifully made. My husband and I hike Mt Tom at least once a week, winter is our fave. Thank you for sharing your gift of speaking and photography, kudos!
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
What a Great Channel and great video here very informing as a Wildlife Enthusiast. I live here in Western MA and planning a trip up to Mt Tom in the Spring. Here in Feeding Hills MA we have Robinson State Park. Keep up the Great Work!
Thanks Jeff, enjoy your trek at Mt Tom. In another six weeks or so, those woods will be sounding a lot more alive.
What an amazing film, can’t remember when last I enjoyed such a well made wildlife documentary. That area needs to be protected for its rich diversity and beauty, thank you!
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 ( ua-cam.com/video/zGyMLG2wnBE/v-deo.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!
What an incredible journey you took me on. Thank you.
I just stumbled on this video and now I'm a fan of your channel, subscribed and for all the notifications. I love nature-wildlife documentaries and even more so when there's lots of detailed information with added sense of humour. Thank you I appreciate the time and money I know it takes to create these kinds of video, especially when you're not a part of NG or some such organization. Very well done.
I MISS Mt. Tom. I'd been going there since the 60s. I KNOW all those trails. I love how they are so well marked too. Don't find that in too many places. Never saw much wildlife except squirrels and beaver'd trees. What a wonderful video. Thank you!
Have a great joy and pleasure watching all of your films!!!🌟🌟🌟 Thank you for sharing!
Wow, amazing job with this film! I've been to Mt. Tom many times but never knew that many of these creatures lived there. I'm astounded by the footage you got - beavers at work, bobcats, underwater view of frogs swimming, fishers, otters - you must have incredible patience!
Hi Elisa,
Yes, Mt Tom is a wildlife haven, an important link we can be proud of. Thanks for your comments!
Thank you! I learned so much about the Mt. Tom area, I never knew about the great verity of birds,animals and flowers that live there.
Beautifully filmed and so educational.
Thanks for such a excellent film of Mt Tom, really enjoyable, one if my favorite places
Thank you Diane... it's one of my favorite places too!
Great job high quality video!!!! Cant wait for more
A beautiful Environment & gorgeous animals - birdlife. The Beaver is an animal that shows his tenacity in what they have to do. love these busy wee souls. Magical animals galore.
I grew up on Madison Ave, I'm in Orlando now. Mt. Tom still is one of my favorite places along with Ashley Res. I will definitely miss fall this year, thanks for the almost Mutual of Omaha quality video, please post more....I miss the area a lot
Thanks Pete... you'll get your wish, more are in the works, but they take a long time to produce.
Thank you for this video! I look forward to many more. I recently discovered the beauty of Mount Tom and I can’t stop going there. Sometimes I go there twice a day once in the morning and once at night. I take a new path each time just to see what I can find and see! My Goal is to complete all the trails before I saw your video and now my new goal after seeing your video is to complete each trail in all four seasons!
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
When i lived in Washington,ct as a kid mom took all 5 of us kids to mount tom to pick wild blueberries we'd make the trip several times a month either to mt tom or out to Otis, mass to my grandparents camp at camp overflow in Otis. Good times
Superb video. The broad scope of it was more than expected as was the photography. Good job.
Spectacular video!! Thank you.
beautifully filmed and packed with information. I am about 50 miles south on the CT River. Lot of the same critters here.
Thank you I enjoyed just listening to this video. But enjoyed it even more when I had time to also watch
I love this is much, inspiring. i wish for all nature to be understood and protected thru planning and building departments too.
Wild columbine flowers are sweet. Outstanding footage of songbirds
Awesome work! Ive lived in the area all my life and know the area well, including the ww2 bomber crash site, Skinner house, the burned down mountaintop hotel remains, the oxbow, bear hole, and the pristine hilltowns. Reminds me of the Buddist quote, not to feel poor, because natures beauty surrounding you is a greater gift than any money could ever buy, the scents, the colors, flora and fauna.. Interestingly, i once found a rock that had split equally along its oblong length on a trail on mt Tom, inside was what looked like runic writing- the positive and negative images inside either half. I looked it up and sure enough, 75% appeared to be runes....but i was later told it was nothing more than perhaps the results of insects or natural crystal formations. Anyway, i no longer have it.
Excellent viewing. Thank you for this production.
Thank you. So educational and beautiful.
Please keep up the great work and sharing.
God bless
I can't tell you how much I appreciate these videos. I freaking LOVE nature and lately have a huge desire to spend more time in it. I'm learning quite a bit from these so,.. thank you 👍
I love this narrator!!!
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.
😂
I have just subscribed to your channel it’s a marvellous fantastic journey took me through the animals the birds the greenery and the autumn fall thank you so much please keep up the good work I really never Francis from New Zealand
Looks like sasquatch territory. I will also say you did a great job capturing wildlife.
Thanks very kindly for sharing this wonderful video.
I am very grateful for this video
What a beautiful film.Have done some hiking up at old Mt. Tom.Someone once told me that Mt Tom is the only mountain range that goes east to west instead of the normal north and south.Often wondered it that is true.😊
Where the Connecticut river cuts across the the Mt Tom range, the range turns from a north/south orientation to an east/west orientation. This east/west segment is known as the Holyoke range, although it's all the same formation. There are also east/west mountains in California (Transverse Range) and Utah (Uinta Mtns).
Ray, you are amazing!
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!
WOW FOUND THIS IS CLEAN AND NATURAL BRILLIANT COMMENTARY HOOKED ALREADY 💋👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Was looking for something to fall asleep to. But the footage is to amazing I have to see it.
Great video!
Wonderful photography and commentary! Thank you for this excellent production.
Frozen streams and rivers melting is one of my favorite sights to see. Great commentary. Thank you for video.
Beautiful video!
Thank you.
Lovely films , very well made, thank you so much.
This is a fantastic video! I know every trail like the back of my hand on Mt. Tom, yet every time I hike the mountain I find something new and exciting! Although 5 years old, I never knew otters lived near Lake Bray…
Nearly as pleasant to watch from my current home in Thailand as it was roaming the woods of Western and Central NY where I grew up, when we still saw frogs and tadpoles in spring and many of the other sites you brilliantly narrated in such a relaxing tone. Thanks.
Totally amazing footage of so many forest dwellers. Great work!
Thanks Brian... be sure to see the "Beaver Pond Wildlife" series on this channel too. Part 1 is at ua-cam.com/video/zGyMLG2wnBE/v-deo.html
@@NewEnglandForests I definitely will.
Went to Mt. park at the foot of Mt. Tom . Learned to ski at Mt. Tom . Hauled stone from Labrie's pit at Mt. Tom ! Hiked and drove though the park many time's over the years ! I now live in Florida and may never see that area again ?! But I will miss it along with Long Mt. at the other end of the Holyoke range ! My favorite deer hunting spot !
Awesome video! Makes dealing with winter worth more than the doldrums.
Beautifully done.
Thank you very much!
This is so great. Thank you for this.
So informative, and entertaining!
This footage is amazing! Really enjoying the narration good job New England! Only thing I would do is add a little text for each species scientific name, but saying their common name is cool, easier to understand than Latin.
Nice job Ray.
Thank you Dave!
Great video.
I remember learning to ski on mt tom when it was open through our ski school program in CT , it had afew good trails. We'd get on a bus and go up there for lessons on Friday after school, good times
enjoyed each wildlife program beaver pond wildlife 1 to 4 and Mt Tom wild wildlife on Mt Tom range will continue to watch thank you .Glad camera is ok
There's a critter underwater here at 16:00, too! I think it's that red-spotted newt you mention later!
Also 17:14 is perfect, thank you for that.
Yes, that critter is an eastern red-spotted newt. Good catch.
i really enjoyed this all the flowers and wildlife sure is beautifull and great commentary totally watchable all the way thank you but can i ask to do the same for west coast as ive never seen any doc as good as yours
photography is amazing.
Thanks I grew up at the base of Mt Tom-rattlesnakes and all!
Great video Bud! Nice work!
I throughly enjoyed this video, & especially the narrative. I have that humongous book (Birds of America), by John James Audubon, but I also have low value & am not able to identify many species, in the wild. So! I very much appreciate your narration.
I meant vision instead of value.
Love the footage, thanks a billion.
Great documentary! Thank you
incredible footage, and a great video
Very nice video and production, good pans, close ups were great and the natrators voice is excellent, It it was both I would love to know. Also what camera to you prefer. I use a Sony AX 700 but I am looking for a better rig. Any help would be great, thanks, Vic
In my area of Josephine County Oregon it is what we call "Squaw Fish" that are the most concerning invasive species. The minnows they used to sell as bait and got released are now a big worthless fish overpopulating our river swimming holes. Everybody around here loves the Red Ear turtles so even though they're uninvited they're probably welcome to stay.
I’m liking your videos I’m living up in Northern Maine
That was a nice perch the otter was eating
Thank you! Brilliant!
Very nice
Very nice film
the streams have gorgeous brook trouts
I know the coyote hybrid as well . These are so much taller and heavier than the western coyote I observed the western coyote a couple years ago in Los Angeles what a difference
Bring back the ski mountain and downhill toboggan slide......
lovely to see you video,
Nice footage of the vernal pools I know the red eft terrestrial stage of the red spotted newt. These are so cute I wonder why they have chosen to be so conspicuous
The bright orange color of the eft is a warning to possible predators that the eft is poisonous due to toxic secretions.
I enjoyed consuming your content, I liked the pace , the variety and insights. Could you do summer at the Beaver pond please .
Awesome video, ty
sooo gooood !!!!
Auto play took me to a strage place after I feel asleep. Last thing I remember was something about a meteor.
The maintenance garage, on the cliff side, where a grove of American chestnut trees once grew,, can be found 3 to 6 inch diameter chestnut suckers around the root system many can be found along Christopher Clark road also
John fontaine
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.