francis Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 (edited) We're birders living in Sichuan - but on our travels we often get to see interesting fossils. However these ball like objects have us a bit baffled!!!! Found in NE Sichuan - they vary in size and are easily extracted from sediment that encrusts them. Inside they're brown. Anybody have an idea???? Edited December 15, 2009 by francis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pom Allen Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 look like small concreatons to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francis Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Has anybody seen similar concreation? What interested us about these things were that we found them in just one small area - where they were extremely common - all very round and regular - but of varying size. The oval looking specimen looks like two balls pressed together. We've also found compacted clays and stones in similar sediments - but nothing like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 They look similar to concretions found at Mazon Creek... ...if you are able to break one open... the concretion may contain a fossil. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 ...and those fossils could be microscopic, look very closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francis Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 (edited) After looking at pictures of Mazon Creek concretions - My link mine seem a rather different - far more regular in shape - they're all, nearly perfectly round (both those collected and the many other examples that were seen at the site) - and far softer. They break open easily, no need for a hammer - contain a filling that breaks down into a extremely fine brown powder. It looks like any fossils hiding in these are going to be pretty microscopic. Thanks for the input - and tips. Edited December 15, 2009 by francis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 They appear to be concretions, similar to "moqui marbles" but without the siderite component. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francis Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 I've just been looking up Morqui Marbles - and our balls look just like them. It seems a good match - both in appearances and the fact that these things if opened crumble away into powder. I think I can now very safely assume concretion and definitely not fossil. Its also interesting to note that similar concretions have been found at archeological sites - as both play objects for kids and religious objects - looks like I'm not the first person to be intrigued by these balls. Thanks again for the help in ID'ing my find - and just to prove we sometimes stumble on real fossils - here's pic of a very fossil rich rock found at a very bracing altitude of 4,000m - just on the very eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Now then, tell me about the birding there! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francis Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Here's a bird, and pretty prehistoric looking one - that goes with that fossil rock. Blood Pheasant - but you have to go to whole other forum to see our bird pics - Sichuan bird thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldom Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Now then, tell me about the birding there! I am proud of you man you held it in all the way till post #9. Picking on Auspex aside I to would like to hear a little more about birding in China. Galveston Island 32 miles long 2 miles wide 134 bars 23 liquor stores any questions? Evolution is Chimp Change. Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain! "I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen." Ernest Hemingway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francis Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Well this is a fossil forum - so I'll make compromise - heres another pic from 4,000m - White-browed Rosefinch - but I'm sure if we'd got that rock properly in focus we could have found a fossil or two in there!!!! The birding is pretty good out here - but come quick before they cover the whole of China in Concrete!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thank you! Aside from a few days in New Zealand this year, I have never birded outside the N. Am. continent Maybe when I retire again... "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa dino Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 They look similar to concretions found at Mazon Creek... ...if you are able to break one open... the concretion may contain a fossil. PL I have also found concretions like those(?) in south of Glendive Montana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Those are some beautiful birds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa dino Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Has anybody seen similar concreation? What interested us about these things were that we found them in just one small area - where they were extremely common - all very round and regular - but of varying size. The oval looking specimen looks like two balls pressed together. We've also found compacted clays and stones in similar sediments - but nothing like this. Some photo's of the concreatons from south of Glendive MT. very dense & heavy, not much is known about them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Eaton Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Grandpa Dino, I noticed the upper right one has an outer layer flaking off. I am not sure if these nodules are from ocean sediment, but if so maybe a chance they are giant pearls? Here is a link from Ocean's of Kansas. http://www.oceansofkansas.com/FieldGuide5.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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