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Showing results for tags 'california'.
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This was found at a sale of an old rock collection. Seller said it's from California but not sure that's correct
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Hello all! This is my first post, so forgive me. I found this near a small stream in a hiking spot called LimeKiln in Porter Ranch, California, Los Angeles County. I know nothing about the area, and while I’ve heard that LimeKiln used to be a lime quarry I don’t even know what lime looks like so I’d rather not guess as to what sorts of rocks are nearby. Anyway, is this an actual fossil? It feels heavy like a rock, not light like bone. If so, any ideas as to what it might be? Please forgive my hand holding video with no measurements. I will dig up a ruler tomorrow, but for tonight I’m just so excited about this I’m posting anyway, just in case what I have found is super obvious. Forgive me, I’ll do better next time! I really appreciate you looking at this thing I’ve found. It’s been on my list to find a fossil for a very long time. Hopefully this is it! IMG_1382.MOV
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Hi, Here is another find and a newbie ignorance question. I located on private land, in a wash, dried mud and sand. Mojave Desert near Barstow, California. Prehistoric bones have been found through the area. It is not a heavy as other rocks of like size, dark color, and the end broken open looks different than a rock. I thought petrified wood was a possibility, but it look nothing like the pieces of petrified wood I have. It doesn't feel spongey, but looks it a bit. It has a bone-type shape. I have not cleaned it yet, don't want to ruin it if I got lucky. Planter of keeper? Its probably petrified trash... Thanks for the help!!
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Hey all, I live in Northern California and enjoy traveling the western United States. Fossils and geology are a fascination, and I'd like to learn more.
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Hi, Please see the attached pdf file. I found this large fossilized bone in a creek bed in California. Based on photos found online, it appears to be an astragalus. It has a distinct rectangular quartz inclusion that may have filled a preexisting cavity. I'm curious whether that is a distinctive trait that might allow it to be identified. Again, scanning the web, it may be a sloth or hippo, but I have no idea whether they corresponded in size. Being new to fossilling, I'm not at all sure of its origins. I originally thought it was a dino bone and am open to all opinions! THANKS! FossilFind2022.pdf
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Hello All, This is my first time posting here, so I hope I'm doing this right. I did my best to crop the pictures I have and hope I've included what's needed. During our annual Thanksgiving trip, a friend of mine found what appears to be a large whale vertebrae on 11/26/22 in the Monterey Bay Area, between Seacliff Beach and New Brighton Beach in Aptos. Based on the known sea mammals that pass through these parts and a quick Google search, it looks to be a Humpback vertebrate, but there’s also the Blue Whale, Gray Whale, Fin Whale and Killer Whale. My guess is a Humpback, but that's just a hunch. It was found about 8-10” under the sand, just after high tide. At first, he thought it might be a tree stump or part of an anchor. It was pretty far up the beach, closer to the walkway than the beach water. The surrounding sand was damp and the bone still needs to dry since it’s been under water/wet sand for who knows how long(?). There is a gift shop nearby and they have fossilized bones, including one that’s a humpback vertebrae and it’s a lot smaller than the one found. It did say in the visitors center that these fossils have been found in the area that date back 2-5 million years. It seems improbable in my mind that this found one is anywhere near that old, but I’m a complete newbie to this. Thankfully, this forum looks like the ideal place to ask these questions. Is there a way to tell either how old or large the whale was, based off this information? Also, is there a particular method used to dry these out and get it back to its natural ivory color? I read that leaving it in the sun will bleach it, but I’m assuming that takes a while to do. Here are the measurements and pictures. If more specific pictures need to be added, let me know and I'll have them snap what's needed. Widest point: ~21” (side to side) Diameter of center: ~13.5-14” (one side is a little wider than the other) Depth: ~9.5-10” Thank you all in advance, Jason
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I'm thinking I have it backwards but I don't know it's big and I'm just not sure what the heck I have here
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Found this heavily mineralized rock on the California Coast (Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County). Looks like petrified wood, but I’m not sure if the “growth rings” are actually indicative of past tree growth, or if the lines are from some metamorphosed, sedimentary geologic origin. There appears to be some grain-like structure mixed in with the heavily silicated rock which leads me to lean towards an ID of petrified wood. Let me know your thoughts!
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Hi, I found this on the beach in Monterey, California, USA. I am not sure what it is and am wondering if this group could help me with identification. Thank you.
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This is a holdfast of a particular seaweed (not giant kelp) and is found in California
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Rare fossil clam discovered alive at Naples Point, California
Oxytropidoceras posted a topic in Fossil News
Rare fossil clam discovered alive by Harrison Tasoff, University of California - Santa Barbara The open access paper is: Valentich-Scott P, Goddard JHR (2022) A fossil species found living off southern California, with notes on the genus Cymatioa (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Galeommatoidea). ZooKeys 1128: 53-62. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1128.95139 Yours, Paul H.- 1 reply
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Hello Everyone, I'm in Simi Valley, California. This area was once underwater, millions of years ago. Many fossils have been found here and they used to mine oyster shells here where there was an area with 22.5 million tons of it here. Can't wait to learn from you all.
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I found this in a sand dune near Morro Bay, California. I've had it for decades, and am curious if anyone can shed some light on it's identification. To me, it looks like a tooth, but I've never seen any fossil teeth in photos that look like this. Thank you in advance!
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Stumbled across this large potential fossilized bone on a beach walk today. Any ideas on what animal it could be from? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Shoe in one photo for size reference.
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Is the fossil site at Union Wash worth going to? I've read that the site's been depleted of fossils. Is that true?
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Found this at an empty creek near Samoa Way in Roseville California. Plant Fossil or rock?
LexonTheDragon posted a topic in Fossil ID
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Are there any Santa Margarita fm fossil sites that are still open/able to be collected from in and around the SF Bay Area? I want to try and hunt from the formation but all the classic sites, like bean creek, are now closed for collecting.
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Hello, Could anyone identify the species of these two beetles from the La Brea Tar Pits of Los Angeles, California, USA? The large one is 3 cm and the small one is 1 cm. I've heard the terms "water beetle" and "carrion beetle" get thrown around but it's confusing. I think the larger might be Cybister explanatus? Thanks.
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Advice for Obtaining Fossil Hunting Permission
Thecosmilia Trichitoma posted a topic in Questions & Answers
I have recently been researching several local road cuts that expose fossils, and am interested in obtaining written permission/ a permit from Caltrans to surface collect there. I would like to know if this is possible for an amateur collector, and if anyone has personal experience obtaining collecting permission from government agencies. I would also appreciate any recommendations for obtaining this permission/ information to give when applying. Thank you! -
Anyone know anything about Californian Helicoprion fossils? I know they’ve been found in Eastern California, but that’s about it and I’d like to learn more.
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Sorry for the low image quality, I have nowhere else to photograph stuff (my desk is not better either )
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I’d like to see the Pliocene fossils from California that people have I’ll start off with some fossils I collected from the Purisima formation at Capitola Beach A vertebra with a shell on the back A heavily eroded whale vertebra with some associated (rib?) bones Some cool clam shells Edited to add: Here’s a clam shell I dug up from the Pinole Tuff formation when I was 7. It was the first fossil I ever found
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Hello everyone, I'm currently in California driving through many of the national parks, and other beautiful sites of the state. I saw that we may be driving through Bakersfield from Sequoia National Park while going towards the LA area and I was wondering if it would be worth paying a visit to the famous Shark tooth hill location, but immediately a few questions came up that I decided to ask here. First of all, does anyone know how accessible the site is? Does one have to walk far to reach it or is it pretty much accessible by car? I'm with my family who are unfortunately not very excited by fossils and if it's not that accessible they won't want to go. Additionally, what kind of equipment is needed? Since I came here from across the country I obviously don't have any gear with me. Do you need to actually dig, or is it possible to surface collect? And finally, I saw a few things online about valley fever, how big of a concern is this? If it's something you need to protect yourself from, what kind of mask would work? Thank you to everyone who looked, Misha
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Hello, I just joined the fossil forum - I have an amateur interest in fossils and a few items I have purchased or been given over the years (I received several fossils form my late grandfather). Most of the items I have came without information (identification, age, locality... etc.) My goal is to learn a little bit more and see if I can ID any of these items to a passable degree. Thanks, - Connor Long
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Hi All; I found this in a stream bed in Northern California. It looks like a heart and had some unusual indentions & stippling that caught my eye. Any help to let me know if this is a fossil would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Q
