In the Wutach once more.

[Ludwigia]

I hadn't visited one of my favorite Callovian sites in the Wutach Valley since last November, so since the temps have been moving up and above 30°C. over the last few days, I figured that the muddy slopes there were probably dry enough by now for me to have a go at it again. No worries about sunstroke either, since the site is in the shady woods. I spent about 5 hours at the exposure and managed to come up with a few good finds. Here are some photos of the extrication procedure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's pretty slow going here, since marly overburden first needs to be removed and the fossiliferous iron-rich sandstone horizon is quite hard and compact, but it usually splits as wished if you work at it properly. And you are almost alway guaranteed a few good finds.

Here's what I ended up with by the end of the dig.

 

 

I'll post more later once I get down to prepping.

 

[fossilhunter21]

Those are some very pretty finds! 

And they haven't even been cleaned yet! 

 

Thanks for sharing.   

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by fossilhunter21

[Fossildude19]

[FossilNerd]

Nice report as usual Roger! With the temps climbing your fossil season will be in full swing.

 

Speaking of swinging… I recently started using the longer handled rock pick hammer like the one you have and I really like it. I find it very useful.  

[Ludwigia]

7 hours ago, FossilNerd said:

Speaking of swinging… I recently started using the longer handled rock pick hammer like the one you have and I really like it. I find it very useful.

 

Yes it has a lot of clout, which is why I prefer it as well. And it can also do good precision work.

[RuMert]

Lots of finds as usual good job

[pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon]

Interesting report and beautiful finds! 

[Ludwigia]

I figured I'd show some before and after pics on these first ones which I finished off today.

 

Cadoceras quenstedti ø 6cm. Somewhat distorted, but not an everyday find, so this is definitely a keeper.

 

Macrocephalites sp. ø 7cm.

 

Choffatia sp. ø 7cm. I found this one in the scree on my way back down the slope practically as is.

 

Homeoplanulites sp. ø 7.5cm. I decided to take this completely out of the matrix. This sample has a particularly narrow whorl width.

 

Choffatia sp. If the outer whorl was complete, it would have had a diameter of 16cm. and that is all just phragmocone. These guys could get huge.

 

Another Choffatia sp. ø 12cm.

 

[Everhardus]

Nice report Roger !

[Jeffrey P]

Excellent day! Great report and pics. Wonderful specimens and prep. I especially love the Macrocephalites. Congratulations Roger and thanks for sharing your adventures.

[Ludwigia]

3 hours ago, Everhardus said:

Nice report Roger !

 

1 hour ago, Jeffrey P said:

Excellent day! Great report and pics. Wonderful specimens and prep. I especially love the Macrocephalites. Congratulations Roger and thanks for sharing your adventures.

 

Thank you gentlemen for your kind words.

 

Continuing on now where I left off. Got 4 more done today.

 

Homeoplanulites sp. ø 6cm. The outer whorl on this one was incomplete and didn't look very nice, so I removed the rest of it.

 

Macrocephalites sp. ø 8cm. With a small "bite" out of the keel.

 

A small Choffatia sp. missing a bit out of the keel and a pretty distorted Macrocephalites sp.

 

Macrocephalites sp. ø 5cm.

 

[fossilhunter21]

Looking good!

[Everhardus]

Again a nice Macrocephalites ! Love the Homeoplanutites as well.

[Ludwigia]

I didn't get all that much done today, since I preferred to be riding my bike by this nice weather. The one at the bottom didn't turn out well, so it's now in the disposal bucket, but the other 2 little Macrocephalites sp. turned out nicely.

 

 

 

 

[Ludwigia]

The last little ones are finished now.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bobby Rico]

Great prep work and interesting  repot too . Cheers Bobby 

[Ludwigia]

1 hour ago, Bobby Rico said:

Great prep work and interesting  repot too . Cheers Bobby 

 

Thanks Now I have to figure out what I do next. But first, a good bike tour.

[JimB88]

Awesome job as usual Roger!

[hemipristis]

The title of your thread sounds like a country song    

[Ludwigia]

46 minutes ago, hemipristis said:

The title of your thread sounds like a country song    

Willie Nelson?