RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hello everybody! In continuation of the Frozen Fossils and Frozen Fossils II topics this report covers fossil hunting in real winter, with excavating fossils from under the snow (@JamieLynn might be interested). The trips took place this week when we had a thaw with temperatures raising to +1-2 Celsius after a long period of frost (so that digging became possible). This time I visited the same site as in FF2, which is MUCH poorer than the one covered in FF1, but MIGHT yield more diverse fossils (which was unfortunately not the case). 14 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 To get to the fossil layer (Amoeboceras serratum ammonite zone) we had to remove: 1. snow 2. compacted Holocene layer with occasional stones/bricks/glass fragments (which was not hard as it easily broke into big pieces) 3. soft Jurassic clay feeling like earth Near the riverfront the target layer started just there 9 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 While a bit further (a matter of half a meter) went a series of thick and heavy hard-to-remove clay blocks. After turning them over it was possible to see the thin so-called "macroconch layer" where 90% of the fossils were concentrated 14 Link to post Share on other sites
jpc Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 OOohh, this is getting exciting.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Unfortunately the fossils are still rare in this layer and consist of imprints by 99%. On the other hand those imprints are colorful and iridescent Such lenses as below with lots of fossils are rarely seen; not to mention that outside of the m. layer lies mostly empty clay 15 2 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Sometimes ammonite parts become pyritised, if this concerns a couple of whorls, they are usually inner ones, so that the center is preserved in 3D, while the rest of the shell is flat. Alternatively only the body chamber retains its initial form as below 10 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Some of the harvested 3D ammos. The center one (2,5 cm) features a part of its siphuncle visible 18 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Grammatodon bivalve is another trademark of the site (2cm) Probably a Lingula brach, 0,5 cm And a crushed Pictavia snail 9 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 That's all for now. Thanks for reading! 15 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Kane Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Great finds, and I can appreciate your dedication in doing all that digging. I'm actually a bit tuckered just seeing it! I would think digging so close to the shoreline makes it a bit difficult to keep the water out if the hole gets deeper than the waterline. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
JamieLynn Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 While I very much appreciate the beautiful fossils you find.....yeah, that's WAY too much work and WAY too much snow! hahhahha! Keep at it, my friend, I will enjoy your finds from afar! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 17 hours ago, Kane said: I can appreciate your dedication in doing all that digging. I'm actually a bit tuckered just seeing it! I would think digging so close to the shoreline makes it a bit difficult to keep the water out Thank you! At first I was hoping to find something unusual then decided to uncover 15-20 square meters of the layer just for experiment and almost all I found is pictured here Yep, the water keeps soaking in, you can scoop it out though. Also present are LOTS of mud, wind, cold and lots of digging and moving clay blocks Link to post Share on other sites
jpc Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 11 minutes ago, JamieLynn said: While I very much appreciate the beautiful fossils you find.....yeah, that's WAY too much work and WAY too much snow! hahhahha! Keep at it, my friend, I will enjoy your finds from afar! As a lover of snow and cold, weather and hard work for fossils... I love these posts. : ) Thanks for taking us out to your river. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Tidgy's Dad Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Love the field photos and the ammonites and that first Grammatodon is gorgeous but most of all I adore that Lingula. Oh, but brrrr!!!!!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Ludwigia Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Being a Canadian, I can well sympathize with your need to get out at every chance during the long winter to try and dig up some treasures. They sure are pretty! Hopefully you can find some larger 3D ones at some point. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 17 minutes ago, jpc said: As a lover of snow and cold, weather and hard work for fossils... I love these posts 14 minutes ago, Ludwigia said: Being a Canadian, I can well sympathize with your need to get out at every chance during the long winter to try and dig up some treasures Thank you! Exactly, we have to seize the opportunity not to wait half a year, and this is the only site available (and only operational) in winter. The unfriendly conditions only add to a spirit of adventure 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Thecosmilia Trichitoma Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Your trip reports are THE BEST on this forum! So are the fossils! How do you preserve them after the hunt to make sure they don’t fall apart when drying? They look pretty fragile, especially the imprints. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Sjfriend Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Love those ammo colores. I too know cold but unfortunately my frost level is counted in multiple feet this time of year. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Coco Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi, I admire you going out in the cold and the snow. Of course you are used to these weather conditions, but when I think that in Florida we have members who walk around and pick up tertiary shells in a mild weather (this is my impression seen from my distant France) while others are forced to endure cold and frost. You’re brave, I don’t think I would, and your report is very interesting. It shows us the difficulties of finding fossils in your home. Coco 3 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 46 minutes ago, Thecosmilia Trichitoma said: Your trip reports are THE BEST on this forum! So are the fossils! How do you preserve them after the hunt Thank you, I am flattered I just try to convey the atmosphere. As to preservation, it's enough to apply some PVA (polyvinyl acetate glue) solution then maybe Zaponlack (cellulose nitrate). Both are widely used here 23 minutes ago, Coco said: in Florida we have members who walk around and pick up tertiary shells in a mild weather Merci, Coco! But they can't find ammos in Florida, so they have their own restrictions Thanks for your kind words Link to post Share on other sites
FossilDAWG Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Your dedication is very admirable! And the fossils are beautiful! . Of course it helps one to keep warm when you are working hard digging. It's funny how one gets used to different climates. The first time I went to Florida was on a February spring break trip when I was living in Ottawa Canada. In Ottawa it was around -10 in the warmest part of the afternoon, with 2-3 feet of snow. When we got to Florida we were warm in a T-shirt and shorts. I remember seeing a road crew doing hard physical work with pickaxes and shovels, and they were wearing winter jackets, gloves, and hats that covered their ears. I would have died of heat stroke, but to those guys it was seriously cold. Don 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Thomas.Dodson Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 If it's not frozen solid it's perfectly fine to go collecting! Nice report. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Fossildude19 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Thanks for the great report, @RuMert ! Always a pleasure to read your adventures. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
RuMert Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 58 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said: When we got to Florida we were warm in a T-shirt and shorts I remember when I 1st came to Florida it felt like entering a hot bath. And it was March probably. Same with Morocco, it's surprising how many people wear coats, hats and flat caps in temperatures we consider summer Link to post Share on other sites
jpc Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Your post got me thinking... can I do a winter trip some of my favorite sites? A lot of my sites are walk around a lot until you find a fossil. These are eliminated when they are covered with snow, and I cannot say if there will be snow until I get there, and most are an hour away, so a risk of being a waste if time. Not going to do that. But what about quarry sites?... one of my favorites is about three hours away. I could pack my Alaska gear and more and spend a day or two. The weather would have to be not too cold. I have dug in frozen ground and permafrost. It is no fun. Very slow. While it would not be permafrost here, icey mudstone would probabaly be ruinous to the fossils. I tried it once and where there should have been good matrix/bone separation, there was none. OR!... maybe I could collect a large chunk without plaster jacketing! Camping out in the winter might be OK if it is mild enough overnight, say, just a bit below freezing. (Last night would have been perfect). The days are pretty short and I do like to maximize my daylight at this site... but what about a battery powered flood light....hmmmm..... Thanks for wasting your time thinking out loud with my RuMert-inspired trip. If I do this, you guys will be the second to hear about it (Mrs. jpc is first). 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now