Ichno Fossils

[Rockin' Ric]

Yep! Me thinks I need to be a lot more careful fossil hunting now that the weather is getting warmer! I encountered a Dinosaur cousin (2-foot Copperhead) I didn't want tangle with...don't know how I missed him the first time...I walked by where it was once, I had come back to the area and was on my knees inspecting a fossil about 3 feet from where it sat. Whew, close call, a hobby that has its dangers! I did find several trace fossils though... Central Alabama Carboniferous, Parkwood Formation. 

[Fossildude19]

Yikes! 

"Snakes! Why does it always have to be snakes!"      

Glad you saw it before anything untoward happened. 

 

Great fossils, Ric!

Love seeing these. 

Be careful out there, folks. 

Regards,

[EMP]

I've always hated the spiders, especially the creepy looking black ones that hide under the pieces of shale as you pick them up. 

 

And no, I have no intention of ever finding out what kind they are. 

[Cluros]

I picked up a slab last year to discover two snakes curled up under it. Fortunately they were corn snakes. Certainly wakes you up and gets your attention.

[PFOOLEY]

Gorgeous Agkistrodon....

[Phevo]

I bet that snake was guarding a treasure..

 

Those are some really nice trace fossils, is it the same sort of shale found in southern Utah?

[Peat Burns]

Beautiful snake.  Cool ichnofossils, too.

[Rockin' Ric]

4 hours ago, Phevo said:

I bet that snake was guarding a treasure..

 

Those are some really nice trace fossils, is it the same sort of shale found in southern Utah?

I dunno Phevo, never been to southern Utah...this shale is very thin sheets, most that fall from the 50 foot rock wall shatter into pieces. It's usually in those pieces I find the trace fossils. Sorry, can't be any more informative. Attached is a pic of a large section that sheared away from a rainstorm. 

[Rockin' Ric]

10 hours ago, EMP said:

I've always hated the spiders, especially the creepy looking black ones that hide under the pieces of shale as you pick them up. 

 

And no, I have no intention of ever finding out what kind they are. 

EMP, u talking bout these kind of creepy crawlies? Jumping spiders I can handle but the Black Widows that's another thing....

[ynot]

3 hours ago, Rockin' Ric said:

talking bout these kind of creepy crawlies?

How about these (I hear they can jump pretty good.)...

[EMP]

13 hours ago, Rockin' Ric said:

EMP, u talking bout these kind of creepy crawlies? Jumping spiders I can handle but the Black Widows that's another thing....

 

One time I saw a HUGE garden spider, had to be about 3.5 inches long on a massive web covering up all of an outcrop. The worst part was I didn't see it until it was right in front of me! You can guess what my reaction was .

 

I've always hated the big wolf spiders the most. Every now and then I come across a black widow and that's when I hightail it away from the outcrop. It's a bit unnerving to find a cobweb but see no spiders in it...

 

Thankfully no brown recluses...yet...