After the Flood

[Al Dente]

I decided to check out a couple of Yorktown Formation outcrops along a river this weekend to see what damage the recent flood from Hurricane Matthew has done. These outcrops are nearly vertical walls with layers of fossil shells. One of the outcrops was rejuvenated by the floods and the other completely buried. This first photo shows the mudline in the trees where the flood waters reached. The second and third show the slumping of the outcrop that completely buried the fossils.

 

[Al Dente]

One of the outcrops did have nice exposures and I was able to find some fossils in place which is nice because I now know where the fossils are coming from. These include Emmons Fish Teeth and Great White Shark teeth. In the past I've always found these loose at the site but now I've found them in place. The first photo is what the shelly layer looks like, then some photos of in situ fossils.

 

 

[Al Dente]

I also found a loose Great White tooth that looks like it has been reworked quite a bit. It was stuck under an oyster shell. My finds of the day were a very large otolith from Melanogrammus (Haddock) and a left femur from a razorbill Alca antiqua. This is the first bird material I've found outside of Lee Creek. I also brought home a bryozoan colony Stylopoma spongites that had nice preservation of the zooids.

[Al Dente]

Here's the other Great White.

 

 

[ynot]

Very nice finds! Loving the color of the first GW.

 

Tony

[Shamalama]

That Bryozoan is freaking awesome! Thanks for the report.

[doushantuo]

Nice Bryo!!!!

 

[jpc]

Nice bird bone... complete!!

[digit]

Great report--love the in situ photos. Makes me dream of being out in the field while stuck here behind my keyboard. I could spend a week at that site and not get bored.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[FossilDudeCO]

great photos and write up thanks for sharing!

Totally jealous of the GW's, I don't have any in my collection!

[sixgill pete]

Very nice Eric. The flood definitely left it's mark in our area. One of the sites I go to on the big part of the Neuse, has been transformed. All of the water flowing out has scoured it and exposed much more of the formation. Spent a short while there Sunday morning and found a few nice things. 

 

The razorbill femur is fantastic.

[RJB]

I really need to get out more often!  Nice in situ photos. 

 

RB

[Grimlock]

Awesome hunt! Love the pics

[James Puls]

Nice finds! Loving the Great White

[Plantguy]

Looks like a place I could spend months at and never get nothing done around the house!

 

I agree that bryozoan is something else. Is that preservation level unusual? I keep looking at the worn ones from down here in the Tamiami spoils and keep hoping! 

 

Congrats. Regards, Chris 

[Al Dente]

1 hour ago, Plantguy said:

Looks like a place I could spend months at and never get nothing done around the house!

 

I agree that bryozoan is something else. Is that preservation level unusual? I keep looking at the worn ones from down here in the Tamiami spoils and keep hoping! 

 

Congrats. Regards, Chris 

I think the preservation is fairly typical for the Yorktown Formation. I photographed a region that was in a recess on the colony. The high points tend to have some wear.