2020 Ontario Trilobite Hunting

[Kane]

Coronura aspectans fragments were particularly abundant in this material during my visit. There is some promise that there is more buried in the matrix, and the photos do no justice here. 

I also bumped into many Pseudodechenella parts that, as usual, I leave in the field. I'm hoping to make many more return visits in the hopes of finding a lucky complete trilobite despite the nature of the deposition conditions that do not favour that possibility.

[Northern Sharks]

Should another one of these Manitoulin trips occur, I'm only a PM away...... just sayin'

Plenty of great finds Kane, but my favourite has gotta be that Thresherodiscus. I've never seen one of those found in all my time collecting the Brechin area, but they are around.

[FossilDAWG]

4 minutes ago, Northern Sharks said:

...my favourite has gotta be that Thresherodiscus. I've never seen one of those found in all my time collecting the Brechin area, but they are around.

I had no idea they were that rare!

 

Don

[Monica]

That's a gorgeous Odontocephalus pygidium!  I love the forked end of it - very cool!

[Kane]

Thanks, Monica.  

I am hoping to return to that site before the snows bury the season. It would be nice to have a good stretch of rain-free days so that the water levels can continue their lowering trend. Getting more samples (or even a complete specimen) will be helpful for anyone planning to describe this one.

[Kane]

A bit on the cooler side today at one of my local spots, around 5 Celsius. That is just on the cusp of eyes watering.

 

No great finds, but it was interesting to bump into Anchiopsis anchiops pygidia in three distinctly different lithologies:

[Kane]

Time to call a lid on a banner year in the field. Despite, and possibly because of, Covid, this has been my very best year. I have just one more trip to make next weekend, and after that it is likely that snow blankets us for a good four months, and that will be a fine time to get at my prep backlog and dig back into the long neglected illustration work. Oh, and to do my day job.  Final papers come due very soon, and next semester will be a teaching overload. 

 

By the numbers (because that is the way I roll ):

Days Spent in the field: 71

Length of season: March 7 - November 28 (266 days). 

Distinct locations: 32

Ontario trilobite species encountered: 40

Ontario trilobite species new to my collection: 17

 

I've been fortunate to encounter some species of trilobites that are possibly new to science. A major highlight was in stumbling upon a site ridiculously full of Terataspis to the extent that they outnumber all the other typical fauna. That was a major bucket-lister for me, as it is for so many other trilobite hunters. I was also fortunate to spend a lot of time on the road with key collecting comrades as we ate up thousands of miles of blacktop on pure speculation alone. With but one exception, all road trips were done in a Ford Focus (three variations!). There was a lot of beer, and even more strikeouts as we prospected hard across Ontario, from the Niagara region, the southwestern Devonian, the Silurian Eramosa, and even up into Manitoulin Island and surrounding areas. 

 

Despite Ontario being situated on Palaeozoic riches, outcrops are very few (thanks, glacial outwash!), and sites are very rare. Most quarries do not allow collectors in under any conditions, other well known sites have been tapped out, others are under provincial park designations so no digging/collecting allowed, and the ongoing drumbeat of housing development. Obviously, with Covid, the biannual visit to Bowmanville was not in the cards. With the borders closed, there were no visits to break rock with my US friends, so the focus on Ontario became a necessity, no least of which being that more attention is needed here in terms of trilobite study. 

 

Some sites were so tiny that we exhausted them in a few hours. Others were rock dumps under bridges or in storm ponds that could be traced to quarries we cannot access. Unlike the halcyon days of Ontario collecting, we worked ten times more for ten times less yield, but that is the nature of things here. I don't begrudge it any more than I would shirk hard effort for any reward. 

 

More importantly, this season has deepened my appreciation for paleo and geology. So much time was spent in the literature, poring over maps and satellites, plotting out route logistics, and fine tuning the reading of the rocks. I feel my knowledge has more than doubled this year from experience and research. 

 

And the many people we met along the way... Farmers with really interesting life stories, quirky quarry operators, auto-shop owners, reclusive academics, a whole gamut of people from all walks of life. What is not said enough about fossil collecting is that it is also a very social activity, and you can meet a lot of fascinating people. And, of course, the long hours spent in the car with field comrades talking about everything and anything. The long conversations by the fire in some nowhere town, at a fleabag motel, grilling up our dinner after a long slog in the field -- experiences that last a lifetime. Or maybe it's setting up tents in a campground, or doing a whiplash tour of potential sites. And, of course, the lovely missus who feeds our dirty, scruffy selves after a week away. 

 

Next year is already in the planning stages. I anticipate even more daring adventures in far-flung places. It may be tough to collect good stuff in this province, but we're not going to quit and complain. We'll just go farther and dig deeper. There are some shining opportunities on our horizon, and we'll just work that much harder to realize them.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

I would say that you've had a pretty good year! 

[Kane]

Thanks, Adam! It was my very best. No regrets beyond not getting out even more.

And a huge shout-out to @Malcolmt -- One could scarcely find a better field comrade. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of some even more exciting adventures!

[Malcolmt]

He just says that because I have a ford focus which is apparently his vehicle of choice for fossil collecting

[Kane]

1 minute ago, Malcolmt said:

He just says that because I have a ford focus which is apparently his vehicle of choice for fossil collecting

As does KB and Deb.  

We were just lucky it didn't live up to its acronym: FORD = found on road dead / fixed or repaired daily.  

[Northern Sharks]

Now, now, don't knock Fords - First On Race Day!!!

[Al Tahan]

I enjoyed following along on your trips Kane. Love the prospecting part of geology.....the unknown. Can’t wait to see how you do next year! 

[Kane]

Thanks, Al.  It isn't easy pickings, but very rewarding when the effort pays off!

[Sjfriend]

Also enjoy reading and following along your trips. As a trilobite lover with a tiny collection I love seeing what others find. 

[Kane]

Way late, but finally a pygidium of Odontocephalus with both pygidial spines intact. Not found at my usual spot, but a ten minute walk from my house.

[GerryK]

This Odontocephalus pygidium looks different from those from your "usual spot."

[Kane]

Certainly a shorter terminal spine process. The facies were different, although the other associated fossils were the same as the initial spot. Trilobite fragments are exceptionally scarce in this particular material, so I unfortunately do not have more examples to make adequate comparison. It may be too soon to say if it is indeed a different species from the "usual spot" as opposed to a variation. I would think there would have to be a suitable number of morphological differences to make that call, and sadly a scrappy piece like this is not enough to erect much on! 

 

I can say there is a third spot with very different facies (a very ugly Dundee Fm horizon) where I bumped into yet another fragment in a ribbon of chert:

 

 

And finally a diagnostic bit of cephalon with the eye from the "usual spot" that is only accessible before April and after October. I've done some further prep on this piece subsequent to this photo, but the nature of silicification and grain make it a distinct challenge:

 

[Quarryman Dave]

The prep on the anchiopsis Cephalon is awesome