Prairie Notes #202 - “H” is for Hawk Encounter
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.
“H” is for Hawk Encounter
Prairie Notes #202
October 1, 2023
1) “H” Is For Hawk Encounter
2) Trespassers: James Prosek and the Texas Prairie
3) Field Report - September
4) New Species - September
5) Picnic-Talk & Prairie-Walk w/Amy Martin
6) Prairie-Sky / Star-Party Report
7) Restoration Report
8) NTX Giving Day Report
9) Prairie Proverb - James Prosek
1) “H” Is For Hawk Encounter
On September 16, about an hour before sunset, I started out on a quest to find those 3 chickens I spotted a few days before. As often happens, I ended up having one of those peak experiences that often happens at Tandy Hills, when nature reveals things not often seen by humans.
After an hour of hiking, I was topping a hill and heading towards home. Suddenly, I saw two Cooper’s Hawks zoom out of the trees in front of me. Then another. Then, one flew right over my head, brushing my hat. (I must have interrupted their solitude.) They all ended up in a big Cottonwood tree across the canyon. American Crows, the usual hawk monitors, were not around this time, but a few Bluejays and Mockingbirds were shadowing the nonchalant Hawks.
Normally, there are only two or three Cooper’s Hawks living at Tandy Hills and very rarely other hawks, but on this particular evening, they had some company. My Merlin Bird app also recorded a Red-Tailed Hawk and an American Kestrel nearby. Doing a little research, I learned that Hawks migrate from mid-August to mid-November, often in swirling masses called, “kettles” or “boils.” Whatever you call them, seeing them them in large numbers is a sight to behold. So, don’t forget to look to the skies this autumn.
2) Trespassers: James Prosek and the Texas Prairie
Connecticut artist and naturalist, James Prosek, paid a visit to Texas a few years ago and fell under the spell of prairies. Prairie grasses, wildflowers and wildlife. He has an amazing new exhibition at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art titled: Trespassers: James Prosek and the Texas Prairie, that has much to like for prairie lovers.
From the Amon Carter Press Release:
“In the Tresspassers exhibition, Prosek explores the boundaries between human and natural worlds in Texas’s endangered grasslands. It features more than thirty artworks ranging from murals to sculptures that investigate the allure of Texas’s grasslands while raising important questions about the boundaries that shape, limit, and define prairie spaces in the present-day.”
The exhibition is on view through January 28, 2024.
3) Field Report - September
We finally got a little much-needed rain in September, including, a surprise shower on the 24th. It helped a few of the fall blooming wildflowers and grasses get started and created some stunning sunsets. Much more is needed. The usual fall favorites such as, Leavenworth's Eryngo (Eryngium leavenworthii), Snow-on-the-Prairie (Euphorbia bicolor) and Prairie Broomweed (Amphiachyris dracunculoides), added a little color but were struggling. Prickly Pera Cactus (Genus opuntia) were displaying their bright red tunas. But as the Autumnal Equinox arrived on 9/23, the heat and dryness was back in force, slowing down the maturity of fall species. Critter-wise, other than the Hawks mentioned above, there were more Gary Fox and Cottontail Rabbit sightings in September. (See a short video of a hungry, Gray Fox below.) And then. . .there were the mystery Chickens and Chairs. . .
4) New Species - September
The species count for September ended up at 1968. In addition to new, ant and wasp species, there was a new bird species observed: Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus var. domesticus). It is, of course, a non-native species but this is the first time it’s been documented at Tandy Hills. They were far from any residence but were quite happy and plump. We chatted briefly. I wished them well, warned them to watch out for Foxes, Coyotes and Bobcats. Checking back a few days later, they were nowhere to be found. See them and all the other species on the Tandy Hills iNat Project Page HERE.
5) Picnic-Talk & Prairie-Walk w/Amy Martin
Friends of Tandy Hills and the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club are co-hosting a special event featuring author and naturalist, Amy Martin, in celebration of her new book, Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth.
This exciting event will take place on October 21st, from Noon - 3 PM. Come at noon and bring a picnic lunch. Amy will talk at the eastern Outdoor Classroom about how as a lifelong Dallasite she fell in love with Fort Worth nature and lead a discussion on how the bedrock and ecology of the two counties shapes their primary cities’ personalities. Then at 1 pm we’re off to recreate the hike from the Tandy Hills chapter, exploring the prairies in splendid fall wildflowers and the lush riparian corridor rich in wildlife.
IMPORTANT: > > > We will meet at the eastern Outdoor Classroom. It is located on the east end of Tandy Hills. Park on the View Street around the 3600 block. Look for the TRAIL sign and follow it due north. Other signs will direct you to the Outdoor Classroom.
6) Prairie-Sky / Star-Party Report
The September Star Party had 20 astronomers welcoming about 30 attendees on a hot Fall Equinox day. The next event is, Saturday, October 21st. Check website for more info HERE.
Here is your October sky commentary by Fort Worth Astronomical Society rep, John McCrea:
A week before our October star party on October 14th, Fort Worth will witness an Annular solar eclipse. The eclipse will start around 10:30 AM, max will be at 11:30 and will end around 1:30. In the north Texas area the sun will only be 80% eclipsed. Please use caution when viewing, by using only ISO approved solar viewers.
For our October 21st Tandy Hills/FWAS star party, we will have some new fall constellations and a preview of some winter ones as the constellations continue their westward journey. The center of our galaxy can be found in the constellation, Sagittarius (the Archer). Some of the more familiar summer constellations remaining are Scorpius (the Scorpion), Lyra (the Lyre) and Cygnus (the Swan). Among the new fall constellations visible will be, Cassiopeia (Queen of Ethiopia), Pegasus (the Winged Horse), Andromeda (daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus), Perseus (Rescuer of Andromeda) and Pisces (the Fish). The summer triangle (Vega (25 LY), Deneb (1,411 LY), and Altair (17 LY)) will still be visible. Our circumpolar friend Ursa Major (the Great Bear) will be low over the northern horizon.
The sun will set at about 6:49 PM on October 21st. We will have a first quarter moon located in Sagittarius. The “Lord of the Rings” of our solar system, Saturn (♄), about 854 million miles away, will be in Aquarius (the water bearer), and will be up all evening, as will Jupiter (♃), about 372 million miles away, between the constellation Cetus (the Whale) and Aries (the Ram). Neptune (Ψ), at 2.8 billion miles away will be between Pisces and Aquarius. Uranus (♅), 1.76 billion miles away, will be in Taurus (the Bull).
7) Restoration Report
Over the brutal summer, Friends of Tandy Hills, have been quietly making some major improvements to the natural area. A hired crew has begun clearing away Privet, dead trees and other invasive species that has encroached on the trails along View Street. New views not seen in decades are now available. Large Oak, Cedar Elm and Juniper trees, once hidden by Privet are now in plain view.
Our main crew of Cody, Matt and Noah are well-trained in how and what to cut and herbicide. Their hands-on work is essential to surgically clearing special areas where big machines cannot go. The hard labor they contributed has made visible and significant changes to the natural area. They will soon be moving deeper into the park in our efforts to reclaim Tandy Hills from Privet after decades of neglect.
The cost of this labor, equipment and supplies is paid for with your generous donations. You can make a donation to this worthy cause, HERE: https://www.tandyhills.org/donate
8) NTX Giving Day Report
9) Prairie Proverb - James Prosek
“One of the challenges for me in depicting these grasses and wildflowers has been how to express the things they need, such as water, fire, and grazing. Once the prairies have been destroyed it is very hard to get them back. The story of a prairie today is largely about lines humans draw on the land and how nature needs to cross, or trespass, across those lines, themes that I have been playing with my whole life. I fell into it all deeply.”
Become a “Friend”, HERE: https://www.tandyhills.org/donate
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.
