Aussieopal Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Hi everyone, I am very new to this and have an extremely vivid imagination so please bear with me I found this piece of limestone in lighting ridge Australia and I can't help but see what looks to be a palm leaf shape imprinted into it and on closer examination it looks like a small feather imprint also. I hope my images are helpful. Ready to be told it's just a rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 I'm not seeing a leaf or a feather. If anything it's a mollusc in my opinion. It is hard to tell if it is anything indeed as it is quite worn. It may help to see all sides of it. Also, someone more familiar with the fossils in your area may be more helpful, so hang in there. 1 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Cole Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 It looks like rock to me. But I'm also completely unfamiliar with fossils in your area, so someone else may know more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieopal Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 Thank you very much! My partner keeps telling me it's just a rock but I feel like I can see more but as I said I do have an extremely vivid imagination! I will post a closer photo of the part I think looks like a feather, it think it's pretty cool none the less. Thank you so very much again I really appreciate your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacTheFossilMan Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 All I'm seeing is a rock with possible iron inclusions (orange colour), and a bit dirty with ingrained dirt (black speckles). A hard scrub would remove the dirt, but the iron inclusions are a permanent feature of the rock. 2 ~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com "Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieopal Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 Thank you very much I have a few more interesting little things I would like to ask about soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 I can't believe you guys don't know lightning ridge. That's where you find opalized fossil plesiosaurs! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieopal Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 Scylla I agree I thought lightning ridge would be far more known on a forum like this but I guess we can't all know everything. I am extremely lucky to live only 2 hours from lightning ridge and my desire for fossils has become an addiction to say the least So I can assure you all now I won't stop till I find my very own amazing finds to share. Thank you again to everyone that has given their time and knowledge. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Cole Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 @Aussieopal When I first started hunting, I was amazed at just how enormous the scope of paleontology really is! It helps explain why certain areas that are famous to some are relatively unknown or uninteresting to others. We all tend to focus on what we find or like the most. Before I came to the forum, I contacted a paleontology department at a university to ask about a couple of finds. The staff there referred me around some and ultimately couldn't help a whole lot. Part of that was my lack of knowledge on how to take good pictures. But part of it was that I was asking the wrong people. I'm sure they were extremely knowledgeable in their respective fields (e.g. environmental studies, flora, geological aging, fossils from other ages). They just weren't experts in Texas Pleistocene fossil identifications and would readily admit it. I used to think all Paleontology experts knew all the things. But it's almost similar to medicine specialization. You wouldn't ask a foot surgeon to do brain surgery. That's when I realized how important it was to make contacts with people familiar with both your area, the common geological figures there, and the types of fossils it can produce. That being said, there are some things that almost anybody who's graduated medical school can probably identify, regardless of specialty. One of the first things we all have to learn to successfully hunt fossils is how to tell the difference between a very unusual rock and an actual fossil, so it's something that even amateurs learn how to do with relative expertise once they get some experience and training under their belts. It's a lot of trial and error. Keep learning and hunting in good areas and I think you'll be amazed how much easier it gets! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieopal Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 @Brandy Cole Thank you very much! It gives me great hope that I will find something soon, I just have to keep reading and learning so I know what to look for 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Cole Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 It helps so much to see other examples. When I joined the forum, I looked for and followed accounts of people who have hunted my area of Texas to see examples of what they find here and what to look for. Then I also followed people who find and regularly ID fossils from the Pleistocene age, since that's the most common type of fossil where I am. I looked at their galleries and posts, and it helped me get a much better idea of the most common types of finds to keep an eye out for. Happy hunting!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieopal Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 On 8/10/2022 at 8:52 PM, IsaacTheFossilMan said: All I'm seeing is a rock with possible iron inclusions (orange colour), and a bit dirty with ingrained dirt (black speckles). A hard scrub would remove the dirt, but the iron inclusions are a permanent feature of the rock. Hi Isaac, Just curious as to the best way to clean it up? It does have some imprinting on it and I don't want to damage it as it's such a soft type of rock. Kind regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieopal Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 (edited) Ok so I am back for 1 last shot before it goes to the garden because the little sucker keeps catching my eye... I have come to the conclusion that it is likely to be claystone or porcelanite I have added some new photos hopefully they help I have pointed out where I see and feel indents/imprints because they just don't seem do show up in the photos due to the discolouration, I have also added a view of the back and sides for comparison and an overall idea of shape etc, I scratched a little bit on the side to show how soft it is. If this isn't anything which it most likely isn't... Is it actually possible for plants and feathers to become stamped inside rocks such as claystone, mudstone and porcelanite etc? Thank you to anyone that takes the time to read and has the patience to reply, Sorry for being a massive pain in the rear abyss Muchly appreciated by this crazy lady Edited August 18, 2022 by Aussieopal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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