Jump to content

A Break in the Rain Hunt


minnbuckeye

Recommended Posts

I was summoned back to Ohio the first week of May to present my niece with her White Coat at THE Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. It was nice to return to my alma mater, if only for a day. But when I had arranged this trip, I had scheduled a few fossil sites to visit on the way. Permission had been granted, which is tough to receive. But the weather did NOT cooperate. I can hunt in rain, but not when it is a downpour.  So as I was leaving Columbus for home, I thought maybe I could indulge my fossil desires by checking out a few road cuts as I passed by. Again, each of my choices was rained out. Dejected and tired, I listened to the monotonous sound from the windshield wipers, as I drove down the highway. Then surprisingly, the rain let up. Looking at the radar, I felt it would stay dry for about an hour. So next came Google Earth in attempts to find a nearby road cut. Success was had and only 5 miles off my intended route. This site provided many fossils to choose from, but 80% of them carried ethier epibionts or attachments of coral and bryozoans after they had died, often times covering the fossil. First a few of the rare "clean" fossils from what I concluded was the Whitewater Member of the Ordovician. 

 

2021-05-019.jpg.8a8112e5444e587f65d44546203d9a9b.jpg 

This was a suprise to me. I never have found a  Bellerophon like fossil in the Ordovician this large.

2021-05-021.thumb.jpg.ea859f633d2c88bd4c758d9a875cbec7.jpg

 

 

This was my favorite bivalve:

 DSC_0642-002.JPG.45e351d357bfd3b08dfb60e8b2181ccc.JPG

  

DSC_0642-003.JPG.1c89324af7013154bf1824d8717b6710.JPG

 

 DSC_0648-002.JPG.fafec8b22ff77484eaa6b067684b41fe.JPG

 

 Bryozoans were abundant:

 DSC_0655-001.JPG.3756866e8979efedb5d2aa7c987a187b.JPG 

 

 Gastropods were not

:DSC_0657-001.thumb.JPG.8f072b1a9a1ffc27eb5d73985a8481d9.JPG 

 

These were common, but I am in need of an ID:

 DSC_0659-001.JPG.2e399a05ca91e150e251f289d743ecc8.JPG 

 

 DSC_0660-001.thumb.JPG.7000e6a7bc1d44f15f14290c6fe2da32.JPG

 

 Two types of rugosa coral were found:

 DSC_0661-001.JPG.b97a04248a84ecbeef55592f3b360c8b.JPGDSC_0665-002.thumb.JPG.ba2a9e42c7c531070de929938536a91c.JPG 

 

Vinlandostrophia were the most common brachiopod found but rarely loose from its matrix. 

DSC_0671-001.JPG.413418d9bbe22a6fdf3e23b9e24643d9.JPGDSC_0667-001.JPG.e01ad10ad01fb68f909e86a17dd5ff2a.JPG

 

 Why would this be so smooth? Just water worn???? Not even a hint of a rib! Yet it sits next to one with distinct ribbing.DSC_0665-003.thumb.JPG.7c812c9b978ba9e9ededb62ad14c689f.JPGDSC_0663-001.thumb.JPG.8a3ca623904657d57fe4a7b5993452d0.JPG

  

But as I said, "epibionts" created a "problem" if one is looking for pristeen fossils. I, for one, like epibionts or attachments of other organisms. So I was in heaven!! I will explore this site again sometime. 

 

 Here are Rafinesquina covered with Protarea richmondensis. 2021-05-023.thumb.jpg.67e25255a1766ce4e5f39644ccb927ed.jpg

 

  This fossil was covered to the point of not identifiable.

DSC_0645-001.thumb.JPG.8a72ca790adc69605f86cfe25f0142a7.JPG

 

 DSC_0654-001.JPG.99800ae6103b020b3210e8417e098bb3.JPGDSC_0678-001.thumb.JPG.45f5a23b4ebef95c26e3f5aa5c36f99e.JPGDSC_0681-001.JPG.83246a7d67f38890a9e08d5b97c7175f.JPGDSC_0686-001.JPG.562f294437457613f8e50c6d3ad0a4e4.JPG 

 

Now my favorite:2021-05-022.thumb.jpg.258ad0b2e5071aaedb2a91520717671d.jpg 

 

Nothing too special, but it made my drive home more enjoyable, knowing I came away with at least a few keepers!!

  

Mike

  • I found this Informative 1
  • Enjoyed 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, Mike, Great Finds and even GREATER IDs!!! Your photography is also superb! Thank you for sharing your hunt and finds!  Congrats on the niece following in your footsteps!  :-D

  • I Agree 1

The more I learn, I realize the less I know.

:wacko:
 
 

Go to my

Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts
 

Pinned Posts:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Bev said:

Congrats on the niece following in your footsteps! 

 

@Bev But she doesn't want to hunt fossils!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Bev said:

even GREATER IDs

 

There is the assumption that I was in the Whitewater Formation and I used a book "Sampling The Layer Cake That Isn't : The Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Cincinnatian" as my biggest reference material. @Tidgy's Dad will be along soon to correct my likely many mistakes!!

  • I found this Informative 1
  • I Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty good haul for a last-minute 'blind' hunt!

You guys in the Midwest are spoiled. :Smiling:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Wrangellian said:

Midwest are spoiled

Especially those who live in the Cincinnati arch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, minnbuckeye said:

Especially those who live in the Cincinnati arch.

Yes, especially there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, minnbuckeye said:

These were common, but I am in need of an ID:

 DSC_0659-001.JPG.2e399a05ca91e150e251f289d743ecc8.JPG


Hey Mike. Not bad at all for a quick between rain showers hunt. :) 

 

I believe these are also of the genus Hebertella. I’ll venture a quick guess at the species as H. occidentalis, but I’m not the best at brachiopod species, and am away from my study material at the moment, so don’t take my word for it. 
 

I do know a guy who is more than a little good at IDing them though. ;) @Tidgy's Dad

  • I found this Informative 1

The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.  -Neil deGrasse Tyson

 

Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are some absolutely brilliant finds here that have me drooling. 

But I'm not feeling very good today, so I'll come back to it if I may. 

Most of the ids are correct in my opinion. 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

But I'm not feeling very good today,

 

Hope all is well soon!! 

 

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...