A Great Day Collecting at the Pennsylvanian Roadcut in Oglesby, Illinois 3-28-21

[Nimravis]

This morning I drove 45 miles to an auction that was taking place in Ottawa, Illinois. This auction takes place every couple of months starting in March and they usually have a lot of Native American objects and usually a few fossils. I the past I have purchased some Coconino trackways and a ton of Moroccan echinoids at a great price. Today I went because I was bored and wanted to see what they had. They had some Mazon Creek fossils in a box, some in a frame, some polished Orthoceras from Morocco, two small mammoth teeth and a 4” meg. The prices that were paid for these fossils was crazy, at least to me. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

I left after the fossils were sold and debated going home or driving 20 minutes farther to check out the small road cut in Oglesby, Illinois that exposes the LaSalle Limestone Member of the Bond Formation. This sight has been collected by a number of members on the Forum. I have not been here since 10-5-20 and decided to hit it for a few minutes. Once I drove up I knew that some of the head wall had come down, probably over the Winter and was hoping for something nice, I was not disappointed.

 

Here are some pictures of the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can tell from the pictures it is steep and talus filled and a roadcut that needs to be respected for it possible danger and not a sight for younger collectors.

 

This location is a great site for some pretty and sometimes large brachiopods, including Spirifer, Composita argentia, Lindoproductus cora and Juresania nebrascensis. There are also inarticulate brachiopods and Petalodus teeth that can be found if you are lucky, I was lucky today.

 

Here are some pictures of brachiopods that I came across today, many were left behind for others to collect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some brachiopod cavities are filled with beautiful crystals.

 

 

Continued on next post.

[Nimravis]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About 10 minutes after I arrived, I climbed to the top of of the exposure and found a 2 1/2 foot long piece of limestone that recently fell. I turned this piece over and found my best find of the day, a beautiful Petalodus tooth that appears may be complete. 
 

 

 

Here are a couple pics that I took when I got home.

 

 

 

 

 

Continued on next post.

[Nimravis]

I also went down the roadcut to a lower level that many collectors do not go to since it contains older fallen areas and is not really easy to get to in the Summer time. When I went there, I also noticed some new rock fall.

 

 

 

 

This area produced some large brachiopods and some easily released Composita argentia and Juresania nebrascensis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the new rock fall area at this spot I found a small inarticulate brachiopod, nothing great, but nice.

 

 

Then as I was looking more closely at the rock fall, I found my second best find of the day. A huge inarticulate brachiopod, bigger than I have ever found at this site.

 

Here are pics at the site and a couple from when I got home.

 

 

 

 

 

This was a great day collecting and not bad for about 70 minutes of collecting.

 

@deutscheben Ben you need to get back out and check out the new rock fall talus.

 

On the way home I stopped to take a pic of this cool plane on Rt. 71.

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2021 by Nimravis

[Misha]

Great finds! This location has some amazing fossils. I didn't know that inarticulate brachiopods were present there too.

 

I really wish to make it out to illinois some day, so many incredible fossils there.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Misha

[Tidgy's Dad]

Wow! 

Lovely finds, Ralph

That Orbiculoidea is massive. 

[Fossilis Willis]

Looks like a decent place to spend part of early spring day. Nice haul for an hour and change. Adam @Tidgy's Dad, sometimes I wonder if you get a notification every time someone posts the word brachiopod.

[bthemoose]

That’s an awesome Petalodus. Congrats!

[historianmichael]

That Petalodus is amazing! Nice brachs too!

[Fossildude19]

Great report and finds, Ralph! 

Thanks for sharing this.   

[deutscheben]

Hot dog that’s a beautiful Petalodus, Ralph! The giant inarticulate brachiopod is way cool too. I feel pretty good about making a trip this spring sometime, I really have missed collecting there the last year and a half.

[Thomas.Dodson]

The brachs from that site are always beautiful but that Petalodus is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.

[Susan Slater]

3 hours ago, Nimravis said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About 10 minutes after I arrived, I climbed to the top of of the exposure and found a 2 1/2 foot long piece of limestone that recently fell. I turned this piece over and found my best find of the day, a beautiful Petalodus tooth that appears may be complete. 
 

 

 

Here are a couple pics that I took when I got home.

 

 

 

 

 

Continued on next post.

Wow, I’m completely jealous, great finds. Thanks for sharing. Sue

[Nimravis]

1 hour ago, deutscheben said:

Hot dog that’s a beautiful Petalodus, Ralph! The giant inarticulate brachiopod is way cool too. I feel pretty good about making a trip this spring sometime, I really have missed collecting there the last year and a half.

Yes you should. I wish they would hurry up and open that “Fossil Park” in the old Lone Star Quarry, it would’ve great to get in there again.

[Nimravis]

3 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Wow! 

Lovely finds, Ralph

That Orbiculoidea is massive. 

Thanks for the ID Adam.

[fossilcrazee]

Beautiful brachiopods and that Petalodus is prize worthy! Thanks for sharing.

[Clint08]

Great stuff!

[Nimravis]

@connorp I forgot you love the Pennsylvanian teeth. In case you did not see my post from yesterday, check it out.

[connorp]

27 minutes ago, Nimravis said:

@connorp I forgot you love the Pennsylvanian teeth. In case you did not see my post from yesterday, check it out.

I did. That tooth is spectacular, congrats!

Edited March 30, 2021 by connorp

[Monica]

What a prize, Ralph @Nimravis!  That Petalodus is really beautiful - congrats! 

[Rob Russell]

Great stuff, Ralph. That tooth is killer. Would you happen to have a link, or any info, on that auction you mentioned. I’m just 30 miles north of Ottawa, and would love to check it out sometime if it’s open to the public. 
I’ve passed that airplane many times, and always wondered what the symbolic nature was behind its existence. 
 

 

[Nimravis]

10 minutes ago, Rob Russell said:

Great stuff, Ralph. That tooth is killer. Would you happen to have a link, or any info, on that auction you mentioned. I’m just 30 miles north of Ottawa, and would love to check it out sometime if it’s open to the public. 
I’ve passed that airplane many times, and always wondered what the symbolic nature was behind its existence. 
 

 

Thanks and PM sent.

[Nimravis]

On 3/28/2021 at 6:28 PM, Nimravis said:

Lindoproductus cora and Juresania nebrascensis. 

Correction on these names- Linoproductus cora is the correct spelling and Juresania nebrascensis is really Echinoconchus sp.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Nimravis

[Ludwigia]

Wow! Lotsa rock to choose from there! Congrats on that Petalodus!!

[Nimravis]

4 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Wow! Lotsa rock to choose from there! Congrats on that Petalodus!!

Thanks, two in two visits and one week apart- I was happy. I found the first one when I arrived and I found the second one yesterday as I was leaving.

[Bobby Rico]

Nice finds mate and great report , thanks Bobby