Deep Springs Road Quarry 7/18/16

[Jeffrey P]

Tim (sTamprockcoin) and I went to Deep Springs Road Quarry just west of Hamilton, NY in Madison Co. This was on Monday. I didn't have very high expectations. It was Tim's first time there, but I've been going there foir the past three years, over a dozen times. I've lost count. It is the eastern most exposure of the Windom Shale (Moscow Formation) Middle Devonian Hamilton Group. I especially like it because of the abundant well preserved fossils and biodiversity. Most of my collection of Middle Devonian fossils from Central New York are from there. I've introduced a number of Forum members to the site and I was confident that Tim would love it, but I had doubts I would find much that was noteworthy. My last time there- the planned Forum meet up on May 15th I didn't do so great. Also, I had just gotten back from a spectacular trip to Buffalo and a very productive outing in Morrisville. I figured I was overdue for a letdown. In addition, the weather report wasn't good- predicting showers and thunderstorms. The possibility of getting completely rained out was a possibility. That plus, I was coming from four and a half hours away, an hour more than my usual trip. I figured I'd be tired and not my best.

We met at the Dunkin Donuts in Hamilton and Tim followed me out to the site. To my surprise, the couple who were previously camped at the quarry had vacated. That immediately improved the parking situation, but more importantly, it opened up another section of the quarry the Forum members weren't able to explore the last time. That's where I spent my efforts. Within a few minutes I found a tiny goniatite. DSR has produced the largest number of goniatites in my collection. It rained lightly much of the morning but that didn't effect our collecting. In fact the wetness helped me spot the smooth shell of another, larger goniatite that was lying out in the open.

Tornoceras uniangulare

Edited July 21, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

Two goniatites lying side by side found just before we left the site:

A primary attraction are the trilobites. I've found more complete trilobites here than any other site in Central NY. It is also the best site I've been to for Greenops. Here is one I found, just missing part of the pygidium.

[Jeffrey P]

Probably the find of the day for me was a rolled complete Dipleura dekayi. It was the first one of these I've found at DSR. I've been there when others have found them and I already had a collection of partial specimens from there. This one was found when I lifted a large slab and saw the imprint on the slab and recognized it. It took a little while of searching to find the actual fossil on the slab beneath it.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

In addition, this writer found gastropods:

Glyptomaria capillaria and Retispira leda

and a small crinoid stem piece:

Edited July 21, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

And there were brachiopods:

Rhipidomella penelope (left) and

Tropidoleptus carinatus (right)

Edited July 21, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

and there were numerous Spinocyrtia granulosa:

[Jeffrey P]

and finally there were bivalves. This is a Modiomorpha concentrica:

Edited July 21, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

The owner's son stopped by in the afternoonon on his ATV to say hi. The sun came out and shined brightly. It turned out to be a very good day after all and Tim did very well too.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[ynot]

Nice trip report, and fabulous finds!!

Congratulations on finding Your first complete Dipleura dekayi.

Thanks for sharing!!

Tony

[doushantuo]

Good finds,all of them.Good Tornoceras,important in Devonian biozonation

Excellent Modiomorpha,too

Edited July 21, 2016 by doushantuo

[Fossildude19]

Looks like your streak of good finds continues!

Congratulations on the enrolled Dipleura, Jeff!

Excellent finds and great report.

Thanks for posting them.

Regards,

[Shamalama]

Wow Jeff, you seem to know that quarry well and always come away with some good stuff. Congrats!

[snakebite6769]

Congrats on the Fantastic Dipleura, amongst other things. I will be out there next weekend, hopefully you left me some goodies lol.

[Trevor]

Awesome finds Jeffery! It was good that you had a productive hunt despite indicators of misfortune.

[njfossilhunter]

Wow Jeff......That's some fantastic finds...Oh Man...You have to bring me there one of these days.

[Pagurus]

"...and there were brachiopods..." Always brachiopods.

Seriously good finds, Jeff. I'm real happy you found that Dipleura. Thanks for sharing your trip. Great report, as always.

Mike

[PFOOLEY]

The goniatites you're finding are pretty swell.

[Jeffrey P]

Nice trip report, and fabulous finds!!

Congratulations on finding Your first complete Dipleura dekayi.

Thanks for sharing!!

Tony

Thanks Tony. Actually that wasn't my first complete Dipleura. It was just my first from Deep Springs Road. I found two other complete ones at Cole Hill, a half hour east of there. I'm very partial to the complete juvenile I found last December also posted in a Trips report and in my Middle Devonian Gallery.

[Jeffrey P]

Good finds,all of them.Good Tornoceras,important in Devonian biozonation

Excellent Modiomorpha,too

Thanks. I very much appreciate the Devonian mollusk fauna.

[Jeffrey P]

Looks like your streak of good finds continues!

Congratulations on the enrolled Dipleura, Jeff!

Excellent finds and great report.

Thanks for posting them.

Regards,

Thanks Tim. I appreciate your support. You know how I've been searching for that complete Dipleura at DSR for the past two years now.

[Jeffrey P]

Wow Jeff, you seem to know that quarry well and always come away with some good stuff. Congrats!

Thanks Dave. I wish I knew the quarry better, but the layer in the middle just below the ichnofossils seems especially productive for large bivales, goniatites, and trilos.

[Jeffrey P]

Congrats on the Fantastic Dipleura, amongst other things. I will be out there next weekend, hopefully you left me some goodies lol.

Thanks Rob. Good luck collecting there. Hope you do well.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

Awesome finds Jeffery! It was good that you had a productive hunt despite indicators of misfortune.

Thanks Trevor. Hope you get to check it out someday. You won't need a sifter.

[Jeffrey P]

Wow Jeff......That's some fantastic finds...Oh Man...You have to bring me there one of these days.

Thanks Tony. I hope we do get out there together someday. You'll have to get up super early though.

[Jeffrey P]

"...and there were brachiopods..." Always brachiopods.

Seriously good finds, Jeff. I'm real happy you found that Dipleura. Thanks for sharing your trip. Great report, as always.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I could have posted a lot more brachiopod photos.