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Collecting trip to the world-famous Walcott-Rust Quarry


Nautiloid

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Howdy!

Last week, @KompsFossilsNMinerals and I were invited by Dan Cooper to go collect the Walcott-Rust Quarry this week, so today we both got up bright and early to make the trek out to the central Mohawk Valley for the day. After fueling up on some pancakes from Denny’s, we made the last leg of the trip to the site, which is far from easy to find or get back to! It wasn’t long before Chris and I had both found a nice crinoid calyx, and the day just kept getting better! I mainly surface collected in the piles of weathering rock around the quarry, while Chris and the rest of the guys worked to get down to and peel up some more chunks of the Ceraurus layer. I had heard that the site was pretty difficult at times, so my hopes of finding anything weren’t too high, but not one of us left home empty handed! Collecting at this site has been a dream of Chris and I’s, so this was such an amazing opportunity for us!!

 

 

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Here are some of my Ceraurus pleurexanthemus. I found 11 or 12 of these, ranging in size from a centimeter to over 1.5”. Most of these are from the Ceraurus layer, where this species is found in extreme abundance, but some are from other beds. 
F94CF9D2-783B-43B7-9096-340889AE1ADB.thumb.jpeg.13ec2756a2ca0ab7bd957f2083d607ea.jpeg2D7A7467-5C54-4497-87E0-415FE5FFD709.thumb.jpeg.bcee1415e2cc3c7eedb4567a2517fe72.jpeg5CA5C9F7-C37C-49ED-84D0-FF0FC7357E8E.thumb.jpeg.6a570dc928386f74ba8528832dcfa86f.jpeg2094783D-1574-4D0C-B812-A08939D9B0C9.thumb.jpeg.eeeac9117b8179bef8aa7a88752efb0b.jpeg7638E6AA-59D9-4F5D-B933-4B7D8C798DBF.thumb.jpeg.2f79aadeafc6109f407dc7ce03475fe4.jpeg061E3B6A-3A41-4C27-83F6-94E92204F2F9.thumb.jpeg.ef9fcf183755c6a526fd6215f0219f09.jpeg

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Here are a couple Hypodicranotus striatulus glabellas. Pretty uncommon species and one of my favorites, so I had to keep these even though they’re just pieces!B6F5FC40-6BF3-4A6C-8F99-922789E04DD8.thumb.jpeg.b30e8d8202570557b9cbe488c61053a1.jpegAA668E52-5795-4414-930B-0882A7309122.thumb.jpeg.5f4917b7cf834e040ec2cbb20e649ab7.jpeg

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Here are a couple of the crinoid calyxes I found. I think I found 6 or 7 in total, and I’ve definitely got multiple species. I’m a trilobite guy so I’m clueless as to what species they are haha. 
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This was a new trilobite species for me, and it may very well be the best specimen I ever find! This is the cephalon of Sphaerocoryphe robusta, a tiny, extremely rare species with a very bulbous glabella. I’m super grateful that I was able to keep it! 2DCFD030-B1FD-440E-909B-3F86E6061CF4.thumb.jpeg.93843aad9cfa707f925cfc43cbbadaf6.jpeg

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Lastly, here are some pics of the quarry itself. Gotta love a site surrounded by wilderness!ADAEB006-AFFB-426F-AE68-394219BE8126.thumb.jpeg.830c573bbb08175818a93f92234fbd43.jpegAD81866B-7B8D-46D6-B7EE-154450487488.thumb.jpeg.bc719cab43176467e468934d9f2b12fd.jpeg

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2 minutes ago, connorp said:

Great specimens. Any day collecting with Dan is a good day.

Thanks! I totally agree, he’s such a great guy :D

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I believe Ectenocrinus is common there, and the two you posted look like Ectenocrinus (although I may be wrong).

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Looks like an awesome day Owen! Glad you guys had a good time!

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oh, wow

normally I am not a trilo-enthusiast, but I really like your shown Ceraurus pleurxanthemus

11 or 12 of them, sounds like a gooooooooooooooood day!

 

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Congratulations! Looks like you had a magnificent time at Walcott-Rust. Thanks for sharing your adventure. 

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Congratulations! Those Ceraurus trilobites are awesome, looks like if was definitely worth the trip. A bucket list spot in NY for sure. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

It looks like it was an awesome trip for sure and you guys had a lot of luck. That crinoid and trilos should prep out superbly. Amazing finds! I’m super jealous, I tried getting in on collecting there but for some reason it never went through…I would really like to find one of those ceraurus for my collection. 

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