Stocksdale Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Good luck. I look forward to hearing the report. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Well i finally made it home. It was very nice to meet everyone! I believe we all got about a bucket full. Anyone looking to do this, just a warning, this is not for the faint of heart. It was grueling. Blisters, ticks, mosquitos, hurt muscles, but worth it! Hopefully i can make it back soon! Thanks guys for helping a Mazon virgin! ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I'd like to thank all the folks (many of them TFF members) who came out to join us on a fun dig for Mazon Creek nodules yesterday: Rob, Tom, Charlie, Andrew, Jenica & Joe, Rich & Tyler, and Keith. I'm not sure of everybody's username on the Forum but it was great digging with you all (though we did scatter quite a bit at the dig site). I'd especially like to thank Rob for organizing the dig and bringing out buckets and digging tools for us to use (TSA frowns upon paleo picks in your carry on). I'd also like to thank Charlie for staring this topic (allowing others to learn about this outing and join us) and for bringing the birthday cupcakes which provided lots of sugary goodness and energy for digging all day. I've discovered that cupcakes can easily be consumed with dirty hands (thanks to the paper cups) as long as you pretty much stuff your gob with the entire treat in a single ungraceful maneuver. Thanks to everyone for the conversations we maintained while scattered among the brush digging in our independently chosen areas. Thanks also to Keith to prospected out a suitable area which we tried valiantly to turn into a well (though we didn't make it down to the water table...yet!) The day was not ferociously hot (for a Florida transplant) and the shade of the underbrush and occasional breeze kept things from getting meltingly hot. You'll see in some of my upcoming photos that I didn't pack quite enough water though and I started turning red--not from the sun but from a bit of dehydration toward the end. Suprized to report that this is the first time I've been digging for Mazon Creek nodules that I didn't come away with more than I planned (a cargo of ticks). A generous cloud of 25% DEET periodically kept the mozzies mostly at bay throughout the day. We got so caught-up in digging for nodules that we really didn't get around enough to take photos of all of the group but my wife Tammy did make the rounds a little to see how others were doing. Here are a few of the group who were out on the dig: Rob, Tom, Charlie and Andew: -Ken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 As I mentioned above I was motivated to try out this new means of searching for Mazon Creek nodules. Till now I had only surface hunted a few times. The prospect of digging down for some less weathered nodules among the clay and shale layers was quite intruging and I tried to make the most of it. Though I didn't really photo document the progress of the mineshaft I ended up creating, here are a few images to show what five and a half hours of solid digging (with breaks only for water and cupcakes) can achieve. The start--prospecting to verify it wasn't somebody's spoil pile: Digging away--getting deeper and finding some nice nodules: Using the pick to pry some nodules from the wall of the pit: That silly expression on my (reddened) face is what is know as bliss: That's not sunburn, that's heat exaustion (not that it stopped me). Tammy, my good wife and digging partner laughing at my obsessiveness: -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 It's really great to see scenes from the hunt at this legendary site; thank you! "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...
Stocksdale Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Cool. Neat to see the pics. Some impressive excavating. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triflin_Trilobite Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Wow! Looks like an awesome time I came down with a really bad chest cold so I wasn't able to make it, unfortunately. Maybe the next one! Also, that is an impressive hole, Ken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Russell Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I had a great time with all! What a pleasure meeting most of you for the first time, and always a pleasure to see old friends again. I'm thankful that we all had the success that wee did. And grateful for all of the fellowship we all shared. I saw a lot of smiles yesterday. None as big as when Tammy pulled out the coffee and cup cakes she and Ken brought to share. I look forward to seeing some of fossils from all of the concretions we collected, and was happy to see the amount of good quality nodules everyone had in their buckets. Ken, Tammy, and I are potentially planning a return trip this Saturday for any of those who may be interested. Anyone is welcome to join. Rob Finding my way through life; one fossil at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomKoss Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Looks like you all had a great trip this weekend! Really gonna have to use some vacation days to join in on one of these trips. I was at pit 11 friday, So over grown had issues not getting lost in the grass. Actually found more ticks <17 in just over an hour> than nodules. Glad you all had a better experience than I did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Love the pics and what a great trip!!! Made so by some great members on here. Sure doesn't sound like it's for the faint of heart... We have loads of ticks around here and worse than ever last year. We had quite a few episodes but nothing like that! This is such a great site because of the members. I would seriously consider getting mauled by ticks to be surrounded by such great company. Thanks for sharing guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) Sorry for the few insitu shots, but here's what we were working with. The weather was beautiful, and the mosquitos weren't too bad. But i did find one tick on me when getting into the shower perched on my chest. I feel so used.... Here's my inner burrower coming out. My haul These are the most promising rounded off nods My smaller rounds Here are some nice cigar shaped or hopefully fern or tully shaped nods! Continued... Edited June 9, 2014 by fossilized6s ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) Here are the nods that im calling squares. They're either broke in half, oddly shaped or just look bad. But my newbie came out and said "why not, what if"? Here's a nice large rounded heart shaped nod This has some real promising clues in it And this was the second nodule that I've ever found. And it was already popped for me! It is beautiful example of a solitary fern leaf. It's the size of a quarter. I ended up giving it to my girlfriend. And here are a few pieces of nicely preserved petrified wood. I'll keep you guys posted if anything pops soon. Thanks for looking. And please feel free to join us next time! Edited June 9, 2014 by fossilized6s ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFossils Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Wow! You guys did some serious digging. Looks like a lot of fun. Hope you find some neat things. Your fern that split is a cyclopteris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I did manage to photo document a sequence of in situ images before tossing the nodules in our bucket. Many times the smaller nodules would simply separate from the clay matrix and I'd see them sitting in the bottom of the abyssal pit that I was excavating. These I'd toss up to my wife so she could see them and get them safely in our bucket. Sometimes the smaller (and occasionally larger) nodules would hide in a shovelful of material that I'd toss up on the flat area beside my pit. We found that the easiest way of searching through the clumps of clay was not to use any tools more specialized than those tied onto my feet. By stepping on the clods to break them up and sweeping the clay debris with our shoes we could make sure there were no nodules hiding from us. While I did use the shovel at times to sweep away the tailings from our ever growing cavern, many times it was easier on the tired back muscles to just sweep the clay away with our feet. On occasion while digging, the shovel would reveal the presence of a hard nodule with a distinct clink (sounding almost like hitting a buried bottle). The shovel might chip away a bit of the outside layer of a nodule (much like peeling an egg) revealing the rusty brown color of the sideride concretion. I tried shooting a few removal sequences for the vicarious enjoyment of those who could not attend this weekend. I love in situ photos and videos from others and try to repay the favor when I can. A pair of nodules at the edge of the hole with a shovel ding visible as a rusty brown chip on one of the nodules. Another couple of nodules right next to the first pair (funny how they tend to cluster). Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Here's another sequence I hoped would capture the process of finding and removing a larger nodule. I apologize for the two middle images which are a bit out of focus. Once again you can see where the shovel nicked the corner of the nodule removing a chip of the clay encrusted outer shell revealing the rusty inner goodness that signals a camouflaged nodule. I've yet to rinse off the dried clay from the nodules (was busy yesterday visiting with family and eating my fill of authentic Chinese food down in Chinatown in Chicago--we have no authentic Chinese restaurants near us in South Florida). Off to go clean-up some nodules and take some photos of our haul from Saturday. Stay tuned... Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 "Dances With Nodules"...I like the imagery "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...
fossilized6s Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Chas, you should head up here to see the Kirtland Warbler before it becomes extinct, and hunt some nods! ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I led many groups on their quest to check Kirtland's Warbler off their lists; never had the time to hunt fossils, though. "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...
Stocksdale Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) digit: I did manage to photo document a sequence of in situ images before tossing the nodules in our bucket. Many times the smaller nodules would simply separate from the clay matrix and I'd see them sitting in the bottom of the abyssal pit that I was excavating. These I'd toss up to my wife so she could see them and get them safely in our bucket. Sometimes the smaller (and occasionally larger) nodules would hide in a shovelful of material that I'd toss up on the flat area beside my pit. We found that the easiest way of searching through the clumps of clay was not to use any tools more specialized than those tied onto my feet. By stepping on the clods to break them up and sweeping the clay debris with our shoes we could make sure there were no nodules hiding from us. While I did use the shovel at times to sweep away the tailings from our ever growing cavern, many times it was easier on the tired back muscles to just sweep the clay away with our feet. The George Langfords (junior and senior) didn't know how easy they had it just walking around and picking up nodules from the barren strip mines. I don't recall anything about abyssal pits in their field notes!! Edited June 9, 2014 by Stocksdale 1 Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 The George Langfords (junior and senior) didn't know how easy they had it just walking around and picking up nodules from the surface of barren strip spoils. I discovered that site a while ago and found it fascinating--what a time to be a fossil hunter. Been scrubbing the clay coating off the nodules (and making a mess in the sink). Have found that several of the "nodules" we tossed into the bucket were really "fakers"--layered clay in the form of nodules. Didn't notice in the field as we were just chunking nodules in the bucket to sort through later. When you are trying to wash the clay coating off something completely made of clay you figure out the difference pretty quickly. Nice to find out now before I have to schlep these non-nodules back to Florida. Did come across some things already split-out from our dig. The black fern leaflet was pretty cool to see come out of hiding as the layer of clay was washed away. There is another split piece that has something botanical looking inside which reminds me of a piece of bamboo though the fossil is much too old for that. Another one that looks promising is what I've termed "the dugong bone" as it's shape reminds me of things I've pulled from the Peace River. Small piece of a large fern--nice and black. Looks botanical but no idea what it is yet. Here's the "dugong bone" which looks to have something in the center as it is poking out one side (fossilized corn dog?). More as I come across it. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 The first one is a nice neuropteris leaf. The second one (I think) is a really nice calamites stem (equisetum). Just for fun...here's an image from the George Basement site. It is a location just a little more than a half mile from where you were at. Things changed a bit. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 In your neuropteris specimen, you can see the tiny hairs of the leaf very nicely... Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 ...Looks botanical but no idea what it is yet.... This is pretty interesting! ...Here's the "dugong bone" which looks to have something in the center as it is poking out one side (fossilized corn dog?).P6091078.jpg Carboniferous Corndog! "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...
Fossildude19 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 In your neuropteris specimen, you can see the tiny hairs of the leaf very nicely... Which would make it a Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri. I agree - nice find. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Which would make it a Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri. That's why this forum is worth its weight in gold. I'm going to have to get the flora book for the Mazon Creek fossils now that I actually have some fossil bearing nodules. Came across another Macroneuropteris leaflet during my cleaning of the nodules, but oddly on the "outside" of a nodule--must have encrusted an already forming nodule. Now that my haul from last weekend is all washed (and all the faker clay "nodules" have been culled) I've got them drying on the dining room table (see image below). I've quite a variety of nicely shaped (both round and oblong ones) as well as some not so classic which will likely get tossed. I suppose if I had access to Mazon Creek nodules more often I'd be a bit more choosy in what gets tossed into my bucket but for now I'm probably more inclusive than I should be. A view of the haul from the weekend: Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now