Guest solius symbiosus Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Mike, are you coming home for X-mas? I haven't hit the "garden" in a while. If you are going to be around, I will wait to make the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbowden Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Yes jkfoam, that's the same type of beaks, one has the tip broke off and the other is just a nub. I need to go back though, found some great frags of large oyster, maybe a whole one there somewhere. Also found an 3/4" otolith from a fish that must be a lot like a red snapper, spot on match. This, from the size of it would put the living depth at 200 to 500 feet. I wonder where the beach is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 Mike, are you coming home for X-mas? I haven't hit the "garden" in a while. If you are going to be around, I will wait to make the trip. Thanks, but unfortunately not this Christmas. Will probably come up there some time in 2009. Hey Pat, John found a squid beak, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Yes jkfoam, that's the same type of beaks, one has the tip broke off and the other is just a nub. I need to go back though, found some great frags of large oyster, maybe a whole one there somewhere. Also found an 3/4" otolith from a fish that must be a lot like a red snapper, spot on match. This, from the size of it would put the living depth at 200 to 500 feet. I wonder where the beach is? Maybe the scale I found was from the same type of fish? I'll have to post pics when everything's cleaned up--the scale is about an inch long and /2" wide--dark black haha I think I might have been digging in the same place as y'all today when I started out--who dug that huge hole in the orange shale-like layer under the shell bearing layer? It had fresh scratchings. Most of my finds were today pretty common species, but I was happy to find what I did--I still have 4 gallons of micro-fossil bearing dirt to go through, so I might find more yet, hopefully some more of those little turbinolia corals..they're just soo dang small and the two I found were hiding inside a couple larger shells I found By the way, has anyone slide down those slopes before? I sorta slide a ways because a gust of wind knocked me off balance on a steep slope...I should do that more often, I knocked out about 5 or 6 fossils along the way and had a couple of those in my lap haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbowden Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Silverphoenix, can you post a picture of the scale you have, the ear bone I found looks like the one from Lutjanus campechanus. The things that look like worms are in fact parts of a coral head, plus other things that are in this layer could be the right ecosystem for a red snapper. My question is, where are the fish bones? When are you going again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kauffy Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Awesome finds! looks like lots of fun, wish i could have joined you looks like a really nice exposure and the fossils are so exquisite! "Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I'm going back probably Saturday, possibly Sunday. I'll also be going again probably Wednesday if not Tuesday. I'll know better as the week progresses. Here's the scale I found along with the shells I have clean--I have a lot that need to be cleaned still---some are in bags of dirt waiting to be sifted out...I have em everywhere lol I actually found a protosurcula fossil on my boot when I walked in the door--it was stuck to some mud I had picked up on the way back haha Anyways, these represent at least 30 or so Eocene species--about 6 hrs of work total so far...I need to just get out and dig for a day and I'll be happy... coral--only piece besides the turbinolia that I've found Microfossils (3mm and under) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kauffy Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Just got started with my fines, good stuff but just a tad fragile cleaning is slow. My best find is a squid beak and a fragment of the same. Got some nice corals and a complete ray plate that was destroyed in the wash, didn't take it out of my pocket. I would like to go back soon had a great time with everybody. Those fossils are awesome! i can see the attraction to the location, it must be very fossiliferous sediment... "Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kauffy Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I'm going back probably Saturday, possibly Sunday. I'll also be going again probably Wednesday if not Tuesday. I'll know better as the week progresses.Here's the scale I found along with the shells I have clean--I have a lot that need to be cleaned still---some are in bags of dirt waiting to be sifted out...I have em everywhere lol I actually found a protosurcula fossil on my boot when I walked in the door--it was stuck to some mud I had picked up on the way back haha Anyways, these represent at least 30 or so Eocene species--about 6 hrs of work total so far...I need to just get out and dig for a day and I'll be happy... wow... stunning collection! i really like the diversity of gastropods. "Turn the fear of the unknown into the excitment of possibility!"We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Awesome finds, looks like a big variety of things. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkfoam Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Thanks for the picture, I haven't found one of those yet, but I'm hoping to find one when I go next week. I also haven't found a cornulina armigera yet or any worms, but maybe something will turn up. I've found a couple architectonia scrobiculata and one bryozoa (fragile little sucker! he was whole when I found him )--those seem to be pretty rare.Thanks for the information---I saw that most of the fossils were in the grey-green layer about 2 yards from the top---I dug in the shale/clay layer below that (orangish) and found nothing---will the shark teeth be in a younger layer than the gray-green layer I was digging in? Silverphoenix, If you want to find Cornulina armigera I recommend you go to the Claiborne Bluff on the Alabama River at Claiborne, Alabama. The C. armigera are extremely rare at the Whiskey Bridge location but in the Alabama locations (Gosport Sand Formation) they are not too uncommon. JKFoam The Eocene is my favorite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkfoam Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Yes jkfoam, that's the same type of beaks, one has the tip broke off and the other is just a nub. I need to go back though, found some great frags of large oyster, maybe a whole one there somewhere. Also found an 3/4" otolith from a fish that must be a lot like a red snapper, spot on match. This, from the size of it would put the living depth at 200 to 500 feet. I wonder where the beach is? jpbowden, A 3/4 inch otolith is a monster, generally they are smaller (3/8 - 1/2 inch). There are two of these macro otoliths found at Whiskey Bridge. I'll picture them below. There are probably another 8 to 12 species of otoliths to be found there but they are micro in size, about a millimeter or so in size, some not described in the literature. You are right, these earstones are from a Drum fish. I actually found a pair of these otoliths at another Texas Eocene location that had become opalized with common opal. Why they were opalized and others found in the immediate vicinity were not I never could figure out. Corvina gemma Ekokenia eporrecta JKFoam The Eocene is my favorite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbowden Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Your quite right about it being a monster, the otoliths tell you a lot about this part of the world back then. I have so many to go through and identify, sharks on the other hand are always on the move and never really settle down in one place. Drum and others live in one spot most of there lives moving out for food and then return. When I was growing up I had a choice of what to do in the summer when school was out, go chop cotton, or work on a shrimp boat. Shrimping was the way to go for me. Very hard work, but it had it's reward, really great food, wine too. We went every where, sometimes off Florida, some times South America. We did the Texas bays from time to time, we had a small boat for that, but following the tuna took the big rig, I remember when I would get back, I would rock back and forth for a week! Fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1971 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 wow... stunning collection! i really like the diversity of gastropods. Very nice collection! Thanks for the pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1971 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Here is a photo of a squid beak. This one is Belosaepia ungla. As to shark teeth, I never found many shark teeth at that location but I don't look for shark teeth, not my cup of tea. As best I remember, and it has been a while since I collected the Brazos Eocene, the shark teeth were mostly found right at the top of the Mosely's(SP?) limestone ledge, about half way down the bluff under the bridge. JKFoam That is very cool! I would love to find one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 I decided to go again today---brought back about 6 or 7 gallons of microfossil dirt and some AWSOME finds!!! I found a sweet honey hole there and brought back 2 or 3 new species that I've never found before. Still searching for shark teeth, but this was extremely encouraging. I'll post pictures this weekend or so. Best trip so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 jpbowden,A 3/4 inch otolith is a monster, generally they are smaller (3/8 - 1/2 inch). There are two of these macro otoliths found at Whiskey Bridge. I'll picture them below. There are probably another 8 to 12 species of otoliths to be found there but they are micro in size, about a millimeter or so in size, some not described in the literature. You are right, these earstones are from a Drum fish. I actually found a pair of these otoliths at another Texas Eocene location that had become opalized with common opal. Why they were opalized and others found in the immediate vicinity were not I never could figure out. JKFoam I always just called them drum rocks. My late mother in law would catch drum and cut out the rocks. When she got enough, she took them to a jeweler and had a necklace and bracelet made out of them. They turned out beautifully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 I know it's a little late, but I just washed the matrix from last Friday. Here's a few of the best... field shot low res low res hi res hi res squid beaks The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 All I ever find is shells...some sweet ones for sure, but I like verts and teeth too---I'm going back Saturday, would you be interested in going? I'll trade my shell honey hole for where those teeth are found. I need to post pictures soon, I'm still in the washing process. I found a lot more and better stuff today than I have on my last 3 trips combined because of this spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Nice finds JohnJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Nice finds JohnJ. Thanks, m-betts. I know the Maryland and Florida collectors probably yawn looking at the paltry Texas, Stone City Eocene material (can't blame them), but trophies are a function of context. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Thanks, m-betts. I know the Maryland and Florida collectors probably yawn looking at the paltry Texas, Stone City Eocene material (can't blame them), but trophies are a function of context. Hey I do the jig when I find one nice like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 johnj - the stuff is outstanding for that site. tj would have been thrilled to have a result like that from stone city. you've obviously got quite a bit of expertise when it comes to coaxing fossils into your possession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbowden Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Here's a couple of neat guys I found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Here's a couple of neat guys I found. They're very neat, but I'm gonna' need some help with what they are "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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