Prairie Notes are monthly photo/journal observations from Tandy Hills Natural Area by Founder/Director, Don Young. They include field reports, flora and fauna sightings, and more, mixed with a scoop of dry humor and a bit of philosophy.
They are available free to all who get on the FOTHNA email list.
PETROGLYPH? @ TANDY HILLS?
Prairie Notes #239
NOvember 1, 2026
1) Petroglyph? @ Tandy Hills?
2) Field Report - October
3) New Species Report - October
4) Newsworthy & Noteworthy
5) Guido & the Stink Bug
6) In Memoriam: Jack Mackie
7) PrairieSky / StarParty Report
8) Prairie Proverb - Stefan Chmelik
1) PETROGLYPH? @ Tandy HIlls?
Last month I told you about the natural spring that has been discovered at Tandy HIlls. That, alone, is remarkable. What I didn’t tell you is that, a possible petroglyph or artifact was also found nearby. Before we got too excited, we contacted Mr. James Everett, a Past President of the Texas Archeological Society, Past President of the North Texas Archeological Society, and an Archeological Steward for the Texas Historical Commission since 2018. He has vast experience in the field and could help us determine what the heck this thing actually is.
Basically, it’s a large boulder of, rusty-colored sandstone that has been altered with markings by a human. The question is when, by whom and for what purpose.
In mid-October, a small of group of folks hiked to a remote, very steep and heavily-wooded section of Tandy Hills to visit the newly found, potential artifact. We were led there by, Cody McCoy, who was one of the first to find the stone. Multiple theories were discussed about how and why it is here. Was it Native Americans who camped near the spring? Survey crews from the late 1800’s? Crafty Boy Scouts?
Here are some notes taken by Mr. Everett:
“The petroglyph consists of 3 concentric circles, with 2 short, straight lines between the outer edge of the middle circle and the outline of the outer circle. The outer circle is outlined by a line roughly engraved into the surface of the boulder and has a diameter of 9 cm.
The 2 inner circles are inset into the rock rather than simply being outlined. The larger of the 2 inner circles has a diameter of 2 cm. The innermost circle is more deeply inset than the middle circle and has a diameter of .5 cm.
The two short lines mentioned above are aligned north/south near the inner circles. They each measure 1 cm in length. The northern end of the northern or upper line points to the north, toward the top of the ridge. The southern end of the southern or lower line points south and downward, toward the spring.
There are 2 straight-line scars on the boulder near the concentric circle petroglyph. One line, to the east, is aligned north/south and is essentially parallel to the 2 short lines near the inner circles. Below the petroglyph, parallel to the ground, is a longer straight line. The straight-line scars appear to be the same age as the concentric circles, based on their weathering. There are no other apparent petroglyphs or symbols on the rock.
Although the Tandy Hills petroglyph is unlike other concentric circle pictographs and petroglyphs I have examined, in the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, concentric circles are sometimes interpreted as conveying the concept of water emerging from the underworld, which is interesting since the boulder is about 20 feet above an active spring, where water emerges from a small cavity beneath limestone boulders.”
All signs, so far, point to the likelihood that it might be an artifact. It has markings carved by a human and does not look recent. But Mr. Everett, who is always careful and conservative in his assessments, is planning to visit the site again soon for a more thorough investigation. For now, this is his conclusion:
“So far, the origin and meaning of the petroglyph is undetermined, pending further investigation (e.g., whether there is a campsite on top of the ridge or anywhere nearby, whether debris [including the limestone boulders and even the sandstone boulder itself] from I-30 construction was dumped in this location).”
We will keep you posted on what we learn going forward.
As always, thanks for reading these Prairie Notes and supporting Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. Your donations are welcome HERE.
DY
The possible petroglyph / artifact found near the spring at Tandy Hills. All we know for certain, so far, is what you see here.
2) Field Report - October
We had heavy rain on October 1st which brought about a kind of second spring. Starting about October 9th, we had picture perfect weather for most of the month. Exploring and hiking was fun again after a long, hot summer. We also got tons of privet removed. Liatris, Senna, Maximilian Sunflowers had a great October. The grasses are always nice in the fall. So much to see!
Click on pics for a fuller experience.
The prairie on October 1st after almost 5” of rain. More was coming soon.
More clouds but no rain on October 15.
Bullet blue sky and cool temps on October 19 made hiking a pleasure.
Inviting trails await you.
Maximilian Sunflowers brighten up the dusk on October 19th.
The setting Sun atop Broadcast Hills on the cusp of a new trail.
Maximilian Sunflowers are so amazing this year I devoted this larger gallery to them. Check out this video showing Maximilian Avenue on Broadcast Hill.
Fall is for lovers of all kinds at Tandy Hills.
3) New Species - October
In October, we gained a few new species somewhat appropriate for Halloween. None have ever been documented here. The overall species count reached a new milestone of 2,800. See a few notables below or see them all at the Tandy Hills iNat Project Page HERE.
4) Newsworthy & Noteworthy
>>>>>>> The NY Times reported in October that iNaturalist and other citizen science websites are being flooded with A.I. slop images. I asked Sam Kieschnick about this and he wrote, “Yeah it’s actually a bummer because stuff is coming faster than us curators can flag it. Unfortunately many of them are from students that are forced to use iNat for a class project.” Read the free article HERE.
>>>>>>> The Friends of Tandy Hills were represented on National Night Out by, Don & Debora Young. It was a well attended event at the Reby Cary Youth Library & Park. We preached about Tandy Hills until we were hoarse and helped a million little kids make wooden cookie necklaces. (Note: the “cookies” were made for us by, Paul Rodman.) We also reminded their parents that Tandy Hills was just 3 blocks away! I also had a nice chat with State Rep, Ramon Romero, who said he wants to help Tandy Hills any way he can.
>>>>>>> On October 14, several members the Friends of Tandy Hills attended the launch of the new, Fort Worth Open Space & Parks Conservancy. Led by co-chairs Mayor Mattie Parker and Marty Leonard, Conservancy will work alongside the City of Fort Worth, community partners, and private landowners to enhance existing parks and conserve strategic lands and waters for generations to come. We are hopeful that Tandy Hills urgent needs will be included in this endeavor.
Read more on their website HERE.
>>>>>>> Connor Kee and Halle Kruchoski, trainees in the current 2026 Cross Timbers Master Naturalist class, held a Bioblitz at Tandy Hills on the morning of October 18. The group made about 300 iNaturalist observations of about 100 unique species. We are very grateful to this group and wish them success in the MN training.
From left to right (all CTMN 2026 trainees): Matthew Berrones, Val Gladkaya, Nadine Hutcheson, Halle Kruchoski, Chris Smith, Connor Kee, Halle Thomas, and Kim Rodriguez. Not pictured (not CTMN members): Bryce Hamelwright and Isabel Held
>>>>>>> On October 24th, Don & Debora Young gave a brief presentation / introduction to the Cross Timbers Master Naturalist class. The class of about 30+, is focused on land management and was led by Suzanne Tuttle. Land management is something we do a lot of and were happy to share with these future stewards. Also, joining us was Keandre Rush, who works for Friends of Tandy Hills as a Land Manager and is a keen observer of the natural world. He gave a brief intro abut the work his team have been doing and led the group to a large meadow that was recently been cleared of invasive and woody species.
>>>>>>> Our friend and associate, Cody McCoy, organized a team to remove trash from the new Ben Street property during the annual, Keep Fort Worth Beautiful, event. The Neighborhood Litter Stomp yielded a bunch of tires and other trash. BIG thanks to Cody and those who showed up to help.
>>>>>>> The New York Times has a great story in the October 23rd edition about, 16-year-old Violet Clinton who has tracked down 11,377 moths since last April. She is doing award-winning field research and has even consulted with our own, Sam Kieschnick, who knows a thing or two about moths. Read this FREE article HERE.
>>>>>>> One of the four main characters in Edward Abbey’s fictional masterpiece, The Monkey Wrench Gang has died. Ken Sleight, affectionally known as, Seldom Seen Smith, died in October at age 97. In real life, Ken was a river guide. When Glen Canyon was threatened, he became an activist bent on stopping the dam. His support of protection for Glen Canyon and against the dam fit right in with Abbey’s story. Sleight is also the guy who read the eulogy at Abbey’s memorial service in 1989.
>>>>>>> Grant Foster, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Biology at Texas Wesleyan University brought his biology students to Tandy Hills in October for lab credits. Grant is taking over for Dr. Bruce Benz who has retired from teaching.
>>>>>>> The Native Plant Society of Texas has announced the annual awards for 2026. From their website:
The Mary Jo Laughlin and Dr. Eula Whitehouse Memorial Award is awarded for visual art that illustrates, interprets, or promotes Texas native plants. The award goes to James Prosek for his rooftop mural Fort Worth Prairie No. 1 in downtown Fort Worth. In what is now the largest prairie mural in the world, this hand-painted work spans 300 feet in length and 15 feet in height, covering roughly 5,000 square feet atop The Westbrook, a Deco Revivalist building in Sundance Square. The mural depicts more than 252 specimens of 100 native plant species, each rendered from direct observation with attention to both scientific accuracy and painterly detail. Positioned seven stories above the street, the mural elevates both its subject and the questions it poses. It restores visibility to a landscape that has largely disappeared and suggests that how land is understood is inseparable from how it is cared for. Commissioned by Sasha and Edward P. Bass and Sundance Square, the project reimagines the role of public art in the city—as a form capable of holding ecological memory, challenging perception, and reconnecting viewers to the landscapes that shaped the place they inhabit.”
>>>>>>> Congratulations to our friends at Native Prairies Association of Texas on their 40th anniversary. We see you and appreciate you! If you are not already a member, we encourage you to support them any way you can. Check out their website HERE.
>>>>>>> The next General Meeting of the Fort Worth Audubon Society is on Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 6:30 PM. The program is titled, Soaring Over the Suburbs – Mississippi Kites in Texas and Beyond, presented by, Dr. Ben Skipper, Professor of Biology at Angelo State University. Visit the FWAS website for full details. HERE.
5) GUido & The Stink Bug
In our home across from Tandy Hills, we have dozens of Texas Spiny Lizards roaming our property. We have all sizes from cute little, 3” long ones to mature adults. But one of them behaves differently from the rest. He was not shy and seemed unbothered by our presence and always did push-ups to show us who was boss. We named him, Guido. All summer Guido spent his afternoons and evenings perched atop a post in our yard. He would only come down from his post when the Sun warmed him up. He chased bugs and other lizards around us all morning and returned to his post every evening.
One morning, when he was sleeping in late, I noticed a little green bug on his tail that was hanging off the edge of his post. He was half asleep and didn’t realize he had breakfast perching on his tail. I gave him a gentle nudge and he turned to see the Green Stink Bug on his tail. In a flash, he had the bug in his mouth while I snapped a few pics. He went back to sleep.
Then in mid-October when the temps dropped drastically, he was not looking so good. All the other Lizards in our yard were already hiding under a rock somewhere getting ready to enter a state of brumation. After a brief warm-up and photo-op inside, he allowed me to move him to a sheltered place on the ground, under our porch boards. We hope to see our friend again next spring.
6) In Memoriam: Jack mackie
We are saddened to learn that, Jack Mackie, passed in October. He designed and fabricated the Trout Lily Clock sculpture on E. Lancaster in 2013. The sculpture is just a few blocks from Tandy Hills. Jack was a super nice and talented guy. Unfortunately, his sculpture was vandalized a few years ago and Jack was in the midst of repairing it when he died. The following is from the FW Public Art website:
“Mackie was commissioned by the City of Fort Worth to create the East Lancaster Public Art Plan, which identified locations and opportunities along the corridor for enhancements by local artists. He choose East Lancaster Transit Center for his contribution, Trout Lily. Trout Lily references the nearby Tandy Hills Natural Area. Trout Lilies are the first flower to pop up after the winter and act as a time piece to identify the arrival of spring. The clock dangling from the flower's pistil acts as a timekeeper for one of Fort Worth's busiest transportation hubs.”
7) Prairie Sky / Star Party report
The October 17th star party was one of the best attended yet. It helped that Prof. Doug Ingram, of TCU, had his astronomy class meet at Tandy Hills to earn lab credits. 42 of them attended as well as, 6 astronomy students from Lamar High School. There were 16 to 19 FWAS members present with 22 telescopes. Otherwise, there were the usual happy crowd of star-gazers.
See the complete 2026 schedule, HERE.
Fort Worth Astronomical Society representative, John McCrea, has the forecast for the LAST star party of the season on November 17th:
“For our November 14th FWAS/Tandy Hills star party, we will have most of our familiar winter constellations. Some of the more familiar summer constellations remaining are Lyra (the Lyre) and Cygnus (the Swan). Among the fall/winter constellations visible will be, Cassiopeia (Queen of Ethiopia), Pegasus (the Winged Horse), Andromeda (daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus), Cepheus (Husband of Cassiopeia and noted for a pulsating type of star known as a Cepheid variable, which is a standard candle for measuring distances, discovered in 1912 by Henrietta Leavitt). Perseus (Rescuer of Andromeda), Pisces (the Fish), Taurus (the Bull) and our friend the Pleiades (the seven sisters). The summer triangle (Vega (25 LY), Deneb (1,411 LY), and Altair (17 LY)) will still be visible, but low in the west. Our circumpolar friend Ursa Major (the Great Bear) will be low over the northern horizon.
The sun will set at 5:28 PM CST on November 14th. The moon will be a 5.2-day old waxing Crescent in the constellation Sagittarius. The crown jewel of our solar system, Saturn (♄), about 808 million miles away, will be in Pieces, and will be up all evening. Neptune (Ψ), at 2.8 billion miles away, will also be in Pisces. Pluto will be in Capricorn.”
8) Prairie Proverb - Stefan Chmelik
“Over the last few 100 million years of evolution, connection is a major element within the way we’ve learned to self-sooth and self-pacify ourselves and to feel safe. We’ve developed and grown up in communities. We have connection with animals and with nature, or we did until fairly recently. And that’s part of the problem, right? That connection with nature is quite possibly the most powerful healer anyone can also have”
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Prairie Notes© is the official newsletter of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. All content by Don Young except where otherwise noted.
