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Found this one in the water near Fossil Beach at Westmoreland State Park. Very smooth on one side. Any suggestions? Is it a skull piece or maybe a joint piece?

Hi All, I thought I would share photos of a recent trip to Virginia over Labor Day weekend. We stayed in Colonial Beach, and had quick access to Stratford Hall and Westmoreland State Park. I was able to squeeze in 3 visits during the trip, once with the family, and twice solo. Friday 9/1 - Stratford Hall Had a late start, but the beach wasn't too crowded. Had the whole family in tow. My wife found a nice posterior Megalodon tooth and my daughter landed a a good looking Physogaleus tooth. I was happy to snag a complete tooth from a Odontocete. A woman with her son on the beach found a beautiful, complete Cow shark tooth. Was my mission to find a complete one, but only found a couple pieces. View of the cliffs from the beach. Area beneath the cliffs was off limits. Group shot of our finds from the day Some close-ups of the different fossils: Galeocerdo sp. (Tiger Shark)- This one washed up on the shore next to me while I was crouched, talking with my wife. Odontocete tooth Coprolite? or slag?

Well I booked a trip with Stratford Hall to do a fossil trip. If your going, be sure to PM me so we can say hello. I figured for 35 $ it was a decent deal get to explore more of the beach and I guess they have a few local people who know the geology well. The other option was 10 $ with limited beach access and no one to give me some geologic advise. If I like this one there is another in October I’ll sign up for again. Has anybody on TFF ever been to one of these events? Thanks Chris.

Sunday morning we went to Stratford Hall to do a fossil hunt with the Natural History Society of Maryland. The weather was not on board with the idea lol. It was barely above freezing and quite windy. Also tip for everyone if you buy waterproof winter gloves from Amazon double check they are waterproof. 3 out of our 4 pairs were, my oldest son's gloves were leaking at the fingertips. Also it turned out our hand warmer packs wouldn't activate when we opened them. Even though we didn't stick it out long we did find a pair of worn shark teeth and a pair of ray teeth pieces. After we got dried and warmed back up we made our way up the road a short drive to visit the birthplace of George Washington. We plan to go back down sometime when the weather will be more conducive to get in the water A few pictures from our visit, note the white caps on the river. From the parking lot above the cliffs Our meager finds

Hi all! I found this strange little item at Stratford Hall on the Potomac River in Virginia, and I can’t place it...bird? Fish, turtle? Perhaps one of you has seen that be before? Many thanks! Miocene deposits btw.

Had the great fortune to spend a few days in the northern neck with my partner looking for fossils and wandering about. Sunday we hit a low tide at Stratford Hall . A beautiful morning ,and later in the afternoon looking over our spoils at Montross brewery!

A windy chilly day on the Potomac at Stratford Hall in Virginia, but some good finds for me. Two megs in the same patch of gravel! Admittedly one is a broken mess and the other is a tiny posterior, but a thrill to find. Makos, hemi’s , and a little thresher ( I think) rounded out the haul.

Terrible surf and tides today on the Potomac at Stratford Hall, but I picked up this odd chunk of what appears to be enamel... portion of a tooth? But not marine as far as I have experience. Anyone have any ideas? Pictures aren’t great tonight, I’ll post more in the daylight. Thanks!

Hello everyone! I have not posted in a while because I have not been on any trips recently. However, I just recently had the opportunity to go on a Fossil collecting tour in a Miocene exposure in VA. I was able to meet the helpful and friendly @SailingAlongToo (thanks to him I was able to learn about this fantastic opportunity). My mom, dad, and best friend spent Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 collecting fossils along a river. On Saturday, my mom found a killer posterior meg using a kitty litter scooper in a gravel bar after not finding anything for 1.5 hours. I found two crocodile teeth and some hastalis teeth around 1.5 inches. My best friend found some hastalis teeth, and my dad found a large “cookie” Fossil of a vertebra I believe. On Sunday mom found some nice hemis and an item that could not be readily identified. I found half of a juvenile meg and a posterior meg tooth. My dad found a larger gator tooth, and my best friend also found some hemis. Here are some pictures, thanks for reading!

This looks to me like the internal mold of a crab carapace in concretion.,. What do you all think?

These two imprints were found at Stratford Hall, Virginia, last July. I had a pickle of a time photographing them so the impression would show up, especially as on one of them, the imprint is pretty faint. I was wondering if anyone could verify if these are fossils, and if so, can anyone identify just what exactly these are imprints of? Thank you for any thoughts you might have! Imprint #1 Front Back Imprint #2 Front Black and White version. Back

What a trip! I finally had the opportunity to visit the renowned Westmoreland State Park in Montross, VA. I had heard mixed feelings about the site online, with some claiming it was far too over-picked and others dubbing it reliable and productive. I decided the best way to find out the truth was to go there myself! My dad and I hit the road early to get there before sunrise. It was about a 2 hour drive. We arrived and expected to have to pay a fee to get in, but it appeared that no one was being charged. I guess there is only a fee during the summer months. We hiked down the steep trail to Fossil Beach to discover that a few had beaten us to the first spot. They, however, had only come for a short visit and were heading out just as we arrived. It was low tide, but the water was still high up the beach. My dad and I spent the first hour or so walking along the river in the water, which I typically don't do. But I was finding some great teeth! The water was relatively calm and very clear so I could see everything in the sand with ease. My dad went further down the beach while I kept a steady pace and picked up anything I could spot. After about half an hour spent in the water, I looked down a little deeper and saw a large tooth sitting on top of the sand, facing towards me. My heart skipped a beat and my first thought was "Megalodon", but once I picked it up I realized it couldn't be so. It was a very large Mako, rather. It's about 2 inches in slant height, and in great condition. Undoubtedly the largest tooth I've found in my fossil hunting career. After finding something so incredible, it seemed that the rest of the day was underwhelming in comparison. But I did manage some other nice finds. More people showed up at the beach as the sun rose and the air began to warm up. When someone came to me and asked if I was having any luck, I was more than happy to show them the huge tooth I had found. Many thought it was amazing. I also had the opportunity to explain the world of fossil hunting to an elderly couple who showed up and had no idea what everyone was looking for. I had a nice conversation with them and answered their many questions, then gave them a few teeth and got back to work. This is not the first time someone has come to me asking what exactly I'm doing pacing up and down the beach. I absolutely love to inform them when they ask. I eventually made it all the way to the border of the beach where the cliffs pick back up, where I picked up a cliff fall and carried it to a safe distance from the cliffs. I used my rock hammer to pick away slowly at the fall, but came away with nothing. The tide was getting really high and the beach began to disappear. I had to cross the stream that separates the beaches before it got too high, otherwise I would have been stranded. My dad and I decided it would be best to call it a day at Westmoreland and go grab some lunch nearby, but we weren't done hunting yet. Right down the road from Westmoreland State Park is Stratford Hall Plantation, the birthplace and childhood home of General Robert E. Lee. I have been to this site before actually, for one of my first fossil hunting trips ever. I convinced my dad that it would be worth it to go give Stratford a shot once we finished our lunches. We made the short drive and paid the entry fee then drove down to the beach for a few last hours of hunting. We were finding teeth in larger quantities than at Westmoreland, but nothing too large. It is interesting to see the varying frequencies of finds between the two sites. For example, at Westmoreland I only found two ray plates, while at Stratford I found nearly 30 of them, some large, and in less time spent hunting. Instead of beach combing like we did at Westmoreland, we sifted at Stratford for the majority of the time. We wrapped up the trip with one last walk up and down the small beach, then waved goodbye to the Potomac. The grand total of shark teeth found between me and my dad was 167. The finds are not as abundant here as some other local sites like Brownie's or Purse, but in terms of quality it is high end. We found some decent sized hastalis and Makos, and a lot of the usual Tigers, Hemis, Lemons, and Requiems. I found one tooth that I believe is the crown of an Odontocete but I could also see how it could be a small crocodile tooth because of its visible vertical ridges and the fact that it is hollow. I will be posting identification topics on that tooth and many others from this trip, because we definitely found a few strange things. Overall, a great day on the Potomac, and my first time hitting two sites in one day. I walked away with my biggest tooth and handful of other great finds. Thanks for taking the time to read my report. Hoppe hunting!

I found this over the summer at stratford hall in VA. Can anyone help me identify this? Thank you!

This tooth was found at my trip to Stratford Hall in Montross, VA on December 2nd. I found it laying out in the open among some pebbles. It’s in great condition, but I had some trouble identifying it as it looks quite different from most of the teeth I have found. The roots look as if someone peelled open a banana, and the crown extends very high up the root. There seem to be some very worn serrations on the tooth as well. After some research, I believe it to most likely be from Carcharhinus brachyurus, or Copper/Bronze Whaler shark, although I’m still not sure. I’d really appreciate some input from more experienced collectors who have a better eye. Thanks, and Hoppe fossil hunting!

For my second ever fossil hunting trip, I figured I'd test out a different site, this time on the Potomac rather than the Bay. I read about many good sites (Purse, Westmoreland, etc.) but the one that seemed most attractive was Stratford Hall Plantation, just down the road from Westmoreland State Park in Montross, VA. Although it was nearly double the length of the drive to Brownie's, I'd say it was well worth it. Instead of venturing off on my own this time, I went with my dad, who wanted to share in the experience of my new hobby. We got on the road early in the morning to get there right as the beach opened. The site itself is fascinating and has a lot of history. It is the birthplace and childhood home of General Robert E. Lee. They offer extensive tours of the house and the grounds, and as much as I'd love to learn about it (and I do plan on doing so some time), this time around I was here for something much, much, older than the Lee family. The drive from the entrance of the plantation to the beach is very bumpy and confusing, but we eventually made it there alive. When we arrived to the beach, we were the only ones there as we had gotten there quite early. It's not a very large beach, and the restricted cliff areas are very clearly marked. We began sifting and combing through the shells and pebbles. After finding a few good sized teeth within my first couple minutes, I knew that this was a good site. My dad and I worked on opposite ends of the beach to cover as much ground as possible, and we both got some great finds. Throughout the day, the beach was near empty, with only a few others showing up the whole time. For the last couple hours we had the whole place to ourselves, and we were able to get some good sifts in before the beach closed at 4:00 p.m. We encountered some interesting wildlife as well, from a dead eel in the water that scared the living daylights out of me while I was wading, to a washed up dead bird (quite large, and looked a bit like a heron with stubby webbed feet). We weren't able to catch a low tide, so we didn't have a whole lot of beach to work with but for two people it was sufficient. It was also quite cold out, and the water was absolutely frigid, but that didn't stop us from having a productive day sifting for treasures! We managed to find quite a few teeth, mostly of decent size too! My finds are to the left, and my dad's are to the right. I should mention that my favorite tooth has to be that of Hemipristis serra, so that was one of my main goals. So you can imagine I was a bit disappointed to walk away without one...or so I thought! I didn't recognize them at first, but when I was identifying my finds later on, I found that the top left row of teeth are lower Hemis (including my biggest one, which is extremely worn down and ugly, but a Hemi nonetheless)! Although I'd much rather have an upper Hemi, these finds were great as well. We both found a good amount of tigers, both contortus and aduncus, some in fantastic condition. I have to say the black tiger on the far left may be my favorite tooth so far; it's nearly perfectly preserved! I also found a bunch of small Dusky and Gray shark teeth, as well as some Lemons. The larger one in the bottom left looked different than the rest, with its strange roots and all, so I had trouble identifying it. Help would be much appreciated. The shell I believe is the Virginia state fossil, Chesapecten jeffersonius. We found hundreds of fragments like this one throughout the day, but unfortunately this was the most complete specimen we found. Then, some more ray teeth, the leftmost being the biggest I've found yet. My dad had some great finds as well, including several baby upper Hemis, making me quite jealous. His best tooth is the top left, beautiful Sand Tiger with some nice cusps that he found on dry sand near the high tide line. He also found a tiny bony fish vert, in the bottom right. Overall, this was a great trip and I'm glad I was able to enjoy it alongside my dad. I think this may be a go-to site, as it seems quite reliable and would likely produce much better in nicer conditions. We got a good six hours of hunting in, taking a break midday during high tide. Stratford is a fantastic site for collecting, although keep in mind that they do charge you for entrance onto the grounds for the day, and the beach does close quite early year round. Looking forward to my next hunt, and I hope you enjoy the report. Hoppe fossil hunting!

I found this strange fossil at Stratford Hall in Virginia. It has an odd, scale-like impression on the top face. If anyone can help, I'd greatly appreciate it. It's difficult to see and photograph, but if you look closely it will help. Thanks!

I found a lot of fossil teeth at a place known for its Miocene fossils. Could I have some help identifying this tooth? Thank you all for helping a novice! It is serrated by the way.

My wife is having surgery in a couple of days so this was her last chance to get out on the water for a few weeks. The river was pretty angry today and we searched on a rising tide, we still had a good time though and I finally was able to find my first complete cow shark tooth. Angry river! Glad the water is warming! Total haul. My precious! Found this and I'm not sure what it is...I originally saw it from this side, had I saw it from the other side I wouldn't have even gave it a second thought. Maybe part of a drum plate? Here's the other side...looks like a rock.

I asked my wife what she wanted to do for Mother's Day and much to my surprise, she wanted to go to the river! Since her surgery was last Thursday and she hasn't had much activity since then, I was pretty surprised. The idea was that she would hang out in her new beach chair and relax but the allure of shark teeth was too much for her and she cruised the shoreline a bit too. We only spent a couple of hours but I was glad to see her up and about and enjoying the beautiful weather. The water was high and rough but because of this, it continually revealed teeth. I hardly spent any time at all sitting, most of my teeth were found walking the waterline. Amazingly enough, this was my third straight trip that I found a whole cow shark tooth! Total haul: Love these teeth! I'm shocked every time I find a whole one! Dolphin tooth.

This is posted in the fossil hunting trips as well, they were both found at Stratford Hall on the Potomac. The first I think is part of a turtle shell but that is just a guess. The second looked like a tooth when I found it sifting, but I honestly couldn't say for sure. I'd appreciate any help I can get in identifying these. Thanks! Unknown #1 - Bottom view Top view Side view. Unknown #2 Looking in the end.

Hi guys I'm new to this site... Today my little brother and I where seaglass and shark tooth hunting and this is what we found as well a wave actually washed it right up in front of us. does anyone have any idea what this is?

We spent the afternoon at Stratford Hall looking for teeth after the blustery conditions the past couple of days. I learned a lesson, instead of waiing for the best tides, get there as soon as you can because there was a full beach today and some neat finds were discovered...4 megalodons, a 2 1/2+ inch mako, and a beautiful vert. I spent most of my time with a sifter in the wash since the crowds were doing a race track pattern back and forth...my finds were not as impressive, the highlight would have to be either my broken cow shark tooth or the vert. It still was a very enjoyable day to be out and enjoying the cooler temperatures.

I hate that Stratford Hall closes at 4:00 PM, though my wife and I still got a couple of hours of searching at low tide. The Potomac was completely placid today, wish I could have searched around the cliffs...someday I'll go on one of the trips there. We didn't get much, but a couple of near finds. The complete haul. Not a complete cow shark tooth but only the second one I have found. My wife found a stingray barb.

Here's a bone chunk that has me confused. Found at Stratford Hall on the Potomac (Mio/Plio) It's worn and parts are broken off, but Pic 1 suggests it had bilateral symmetry. Pic 2 maybe says vertebra or metacarpal, but pic 4 (opposite 2) looks like it terminates (coccyx?) I don't know. Hoping someone has seen this thing or can say it's just a worn broken mystery. Thanks