Videos of Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth
Explore videos showcasing the beauty, biodiversity, and conservation efforts of Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas.
Explore videos showcasing the beauty, biodiversity, and conservation efforts of Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas.
You want to know something amazing? More than 175, NEW species were recorded at Tandy Hills between April 1st and May 13th, 2026. You are looking at one of the most remarkable landscapes, not just in Fort Worth, Texas, but, anywhere! Please stay on the trails. I know it's tempting but it harms the land and its inhabitants, AND it's illegal.
As of may 2nd, 2025, the famous, Iconic Meadow of Tandy Hills remains mostly untrammeled by visitors. The sky is often full of Barn Swallows and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.
From @science-dex:
Before DFW was cars and concrete, it was prairie 🌾 This is a cool as heck 200-acre remnant called Tandy Hills that includes rocky limestone and marl soils, has over 1,500 documented plant species including several rare and endemic species.
This was an unexpected discovery on my hike today.
Are you suffering from sneeze attacks and watery eyes? The Ashe Juniper Trees (misnamed Mountain Cedar) are in full bloom now. That "smoke" you see contains tiny little "fish hooks" that give you the dreaded, Cedar Fever. Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, Texas, 2/26/2025.
A Spotted Towhee was observed doing its distinctive, "two-step" foraging, near Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas. January 2026
A healthy pair on their way to bed at the nearby Tandy Hills Natural Area.
There was a Coyote sighting, October 31, 2025, at Tandy Hills in Fort Worth, Texas. A hunting she will go! Video by, Olivia A.
In late October, I had a minor episode of amazing-ness. I observed an American Crow perched atop one of the trail markers at Tandy Hills, which was a bit odd. It looked like it was lost in thought, staring straight ahead as the wind ruffled through its feathers.
I saw this last year and here they are, going at it again. I almost blushed. You should have seen them flying together while, in flagrante delicto.
On September 16, 2023, I took a late evening hike at Tandy Hills. Normally, there are only one or two hawks living at Tandy Hills. Tonight, I was treated to a group of about a dozen. As I topped a hill, I saw two fly out of the trees. Then another. Then several. Then one flew right over my head and brushed my hat. YES!
I was taking a photo of the sunset on March 12, 2023, when suddenly, a Cottontail Rabbit came running towards me at full gallop, then another and another!
Hawks and Crows are in a perpetual state of war. In this case, the outnumbered Cooper's Hawk is being "monitored" by three, very territorial Crows who want him to move on.
I observed an, Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer, climbing a tree at Tandy Hills Natural Area on May 23, 2022.
Also known as, Hummingbird Moths, this one was seen at Tandy Hills Natural Area on April 11, 2022, feeding on Purple Paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea).
On September 28, 2021, a Gray Fox was observed at Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, Texas
Arkansas Yucca plants are having an unbelievable 2021 at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth. Some are 6' tall and surrounded by an array of prairie wildflowers. Here's a view form Outdoor Classroom #1.
On May 22, 2021, the Barn Swallows returned to Tandy Hills and they put on quite a show. This aerobatic ballet went on for about an hour. Then they moved down the street and started again.
A pair of, American White Pelicans, flying in perfect tandem above Tandy Hills Natural Area, on February 19, 2021, as an airliner flew into the frame.
The aptly named, Tandy Hills Iconic Meadow is perhaps THE most biologically diverse prairie meadow in north Texas. Dozens of species of native widlfowers cover the meadow every spring. Not just a pretty sight, the Iconic Meadow is an important source of sustenance to pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Additionally, new species are still being discovered as of 2021.
A large group of several dozen Kites feeding on dragonflies and other insects on August 16, 2020.
More than a dozen acrobatic Barn Swallows swarmed over Tandy Hills Natural Area on June 18th, 2020 consuming vast amounts of insects. At the same time, a large number of Dragonflies was doing the same thing.
Broadcast Hill land acquisition by City of Fort Worth celebration
A Common Buckeye butterfly and a Western Honeybee sharing a Purple Coneflower at Tandy Hills on a perfect spring afternoon at Tandy Hills.
In April 2020, I came upon an Oak tree at Tandy Hills that had a small hole in the trunk. Dozens of insects were fluttered around the hole apparently getting sustenance of some kind.
March 21, 2020: The meadows on Broadcast Hill (soon to be part of Tandy Hills Natural Area) are awash in Purple Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea), a prairie wildflower native to Fort Worth.
A Turkey Vulture soaring spectacularly on a brisk November day at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas is a beautiful thing.
The light was magical on November 19, 2019, when the Red Oaks at Tandy Hills Natural Area lit up as if on fire next to the faded prairie grasses.
June 29, 2019, after a rain storm at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dragonflies and a variety of pollinators crisscross the Iconic Prairie Meadow on June 13, 2019
Environmental activist Don Young tells us about his efforts to protect Tandy Hills Natural Area near downtown Fort Worth, toasts to his lovely wife, Debora, and blows harmonica on a Joni Mitchell song with host Jeff Prince.
A variety of Coneflower species thickly cover this meadow that was burned in summer, 2016. There may be up to 3 species present including, Narrow-leaved, Purple and Topeka Purple. Utterly amazing. Utterly amazing re-growth for the burn.
The Iconic Meadow is thus named for it's amazing floristic diversity and beautiful panoramic wildflower views. Here it is in all its glory on May 12, 2019.
A Monarch butterfly just minutes after emerging form it's chrysalis on November 5, 2018, at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, TX.
A wildfire being extinguished at Tandy Hills Natural Area on November 26, 2018.
Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, TX, October 27, 2018: A trio of Sleepy Orange Butterflies engaged in a manic, aerial dance was a sight ot behold.
On a very hot summer solstice eve at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas, the Texas Bluebells (Eustoma exaltatum subsp. russellianum) are blowing in the prairie wind.
The Iconic Meadow is knee deep in native wildflowers whirring with pollinators and birds. The wheel of life is churning magnificently tonight.
On April 5, 2018, Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides), are in full bloom in a secret place inside Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, TX. The bees and I shared in their glory.
As a photo project, I stood at the approximate same spot nearly every day from February 28, 2015 until June 9, 2016, taking photos of the Iconic Trail at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas. This ridge contains some of the richest diversity of native wildflowers and grasses in north Texas. This particular time period just happened to be one of the wettest in many years, thus, the many cloudy days depicted in this time-lapse.
On July 8, 2017 @ 8pm, the sun conspired with an evening storm to create a double rainbow above Tandy Hills.
Grooved Nipple Cactus, uncommon at Tandy Hills Natural Area, being pollinated by a voracious group of Kern's Flower Scarabs. This was the second bloom for this cactus in spring 2017.
A pair of Queen Butterflies in an apparent mating ritual at Tandy Hills Natural Area, 7 April 2017.
Pollinators partaking of Sensitive Briar (Mimosa roemeriana) pollen At, Tandy Hills Natural Area, Fort Worth, Texas, 15 April 2017.
The first Saturday of every June is National Prairie Day. What better place to spend the day than Tandy Hills Natural Area. Here's a slideshow of the spectacular landscapes you can expect to see throughout the year at Tandy Hills. All photos by Don Young.
On January 28, 2017, a diverse group of 50 hard-working folks showed up at Tandy Hills for the 9th annual Brush Bash. With help from City of Fort Worth Park & Rec Dept., we reclaimed a big section of prairie, opening up views to the west not seen in more than 50 years. Learn more about this and other conservation and education programs at tandyhills.org.
Here's a fun little video from, April 22, Earth Day, 2014, when City Councilwoman, Kelly Allen Gray, awarded Friends of Tandy Hills with a Proclamation in honor of Prairie Fest. Left to right: Jim Marshall, Philip Hennen, Don Young, Debora Young, Anne Alderfer and Jenny Conn. April 22 is also the birthday of Tandy Hills Natural Area, the day the property was purchased by the city.
By December, the fall grasses and wildflowers are fading at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas. That's when the leaves of the bottomland Oak trees turn from green to red, yellow and orange. It'll have to do until spring.
On April 22 - 23, 2016, Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area hosted the most comprehensive bioblitz in Texas. Dozens of the top scientists across the state descended on Tandy Hills to conduct a biological diversity inventory of all living species.
The Iconic Meadow, Tandy HIlls Natural Area - 5/21/2016
A short video by, Andrew Brinker, a participant in the Tandy Hills BioBlitz, a citizen science event with hundreds of people documenting species using iNaturalist.
Magic is afoot at Tandy Hills Natural Area in Fort Worth, Texas, when Snow on the Prairie (Euphorbia bicolor), blows in the autumn wind.
NBC 5 TV segment "Where in North Texas" featuring Tandy Hills Natural Area. Aired during morning news on November 9, 2011.
Founder of Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, on Talk Street with Scott Murray
Brave Combo, Katsuk, gorgeous Fort Worth's Tandy Hills Natural Area...what else do you need?
