Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Hi everyone! Well, Viola and I have officially expanded our fossil-hunting area to include Hungry Hollow!!! We joined in on a field trip organized by the Niagara Peninsula Geological Society this past Saturday, April 29th, and we spent 3 fairly cold and windy hours scouring the South Pit for fossils. Luckily, the pit's rocks are incredibly fossiliferous, so we came away with many specimens. Here are a few pictures of our adventure... Picture #1: Viola in the centre of the pit, looking for little things like brachiopods and bactrites: Picture #2: Viola at the side of the pit holding up her favourite solitary rugose coral: Picture #3: Most of our haul for the day: Picture #4: Some nice hash plates from the pit, mostly containing brachiopods and Tentaculites sp.: Picture #5: SO many rugose corals in the pit!!! Picture #6: A bunch of things, including brachiopods (Mucrospirifer arkonensis and others), crinoid bits, bryozoans, corals, smaller hash plates, and my favourites: pyritized bactrites: Picture #7: A pretty star-shaped encrusting bryozoan (Botryllopora socialis) on the side of a rugose coral: Picture #8: Some organisms on a Mucrospirifer arkonensis - perhaps a couple of gastropods or ammonoids, a bit of encrusting bryozoan, as well as a couple of tiny ostracods (maybe): Picture #9: An Eldredgeops rana cephalon (partial): Picture #10: A trilobite pygidium - it's orange and oh-so-cute!!! I have to thank @Bob for showing Viola and I around the pit, and telling us about the fossils that we were finding - he was an amazing help!!! We had such a great time - hopefully we'll be able to visit again soon!!! Monica (and Viola) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Nice trip report If you'll be returning when the river is less high, glad to take you to some great Widder exposures along the north bank. And maybe some Greenops if you hammer a bit. I would be happy to help out (only 30 min away). Better brachs for Viola where we are! The missus and I have been collecting there for years. Sometimes every weekend, so just let us know! 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 6 minutes ago, Kane said: Nice trip report If you'll be returning when the river is less high, glad to take you to some great Widder exposures along the north bank. And maybe some Greenops if you hammer a bit. I would be happy to help out (only 30 min away). Better brachs for Viola where we are! The missus and I have been collecting there for years. Sometimes every weekend, so just let us know! Hi Kane! That would be wonderful!!! Viola did end up getting two beautiful and complete brachiopods thanks to a couple of other fossil-hunters who were generous in sharing their finds with her, but I'm sure that she'd love to have more, so I'm certain that we'll take you up on your offer!!! We're actually hoping to take a girls'-only overnight trip out that way sometime in the summer and visit Rock Glen Conservation Area (Bob has offered to show us around there), so if we could collect some nicer brachiopods while we're there, then that would be fantastic!!! I'll let you know when to expect us By the way - I was pretty unprepared for how mucky it was!!! Viola actually got stuck in some mud - I pulled her out first, and then her boots, one at a time. She was so deep in the mud that some actually got into one of her boots!!! She was a trooper, though, and put her feet right back into her boots (after I was able to wipe a bit of the mud away by using some of the dried reeds in the pit) and trudged along with a thick layer of muck attached to them for another 2 hours - she's a very dedicated fossil-hunter and I'm a very proud mother Monica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Excellent report, pictures, and finds! Thanks for posting. Glad you had a productive trip. Regards, 1 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...
caldigger Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 With that many Rugose Coral, you can hardly call them solitary! Lol What is with all the straps holding Viola together? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Great report and pics! I am glad you were able to spend quality fossil hunting time with your daughter. Looks like you gals found some nice prizes. 1 I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 40 minutes ago, caldigger said: With that many Rugose Coral, you can hardly call them solitary! Lol What is with all the straps holding Viola together? Hi Doren! Apparently it's a requirement here in Ontario that quarry visitors wear a reflective vest with a big ol' X on the back (even if it's a non-working quarry), so Viola and I were just following the rules. I also had some "straps holding (me) together", but mine were green - there wasn't much colour choice for the adult version of the device. I could've worn an actual reflective vest, but they don't seem to make them for kids (at least not with a reflective X on the back), so when I picked up one for her I decided to also get one for me. They were really inexpensive, too, so it was an easy choice Monica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said: Excellent report, pictures, and finds!:) Thanks for posting. Glad you had a productive trip. Regards, Thanks, Tim! We had a very productive trip! 24 minutes ago, Darktooth said: Great report and pics! I am glad you were able to spend quality fossil hunting time with your daughter. Looks like you gals found some nice prizes. Thanks, Darktooth! We definitely found some nice stuff, and different from what we find in the creeks here in the Toronto area, so it was totally worth the 2-hour drive west! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 It looks like you two had a great day! I love all those corals! Muddyday, Tuesday, Wednesday, ... 1 Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Always fun and exciting to hit a new fossil spot. Even better when you find stuff. Really good to see you taking your kid with you. My kids are all grown up now and missing the fossil hunts with dad. RB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Hi @Monica! Wish I had a picture, but there is this one block that is so encrusted with brachs that I know Viola would be over the moon. Again, it is a bit of a hike through the woods, under a few fallen trees, but we are talking massive spirifers in large numbers. If I go up in the near future, I can probably slice off a piece and send it to you. There are some layers in the Widder where it is more brach than matrix. As opposed to the Arkona Fm, they come out clean and unbroken. I also have buckets of the stuff and would be willing to part with some if that would thrill Viola Just send a PM and I'd be glad to send some your way. Glad you had fun - I was worried due to the weather forecast and the fact that the rivers were running fierce. 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belemniten Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Really nice finds and a great trip report 1 Many greetings from Germany ! Have a great time with many fossils Regards Sebastian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Wow! Great finds all around. Love that hash plate of Tentaculites. Thanks for sharing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 @Peat Burns Absolutely! Those hash plates / shell pavement pieces are a wonder. How could one NOT pick them up and take them home? The cool thing is to put the microscope or magnifying lens on them and find all the ostracods nested there! 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 19 minutes ago, Kane said: @Peat Burns Absolutely! Those hash plates / shell pavement pieces are a wonder. How could one NOT pick them up and take them home? The cool thing is to put the microscope or magnifying lens on them and find all the ostracods nested there! Yes sir! Looking for ostracods is awesome. I like to take mud from sites like that and run it through a USGS sieve series. It's amazing the amount of micro diversity in some of these sites! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I've read on this forum about folks who alleviate their cabin fever in the long winters by sieving the mud from their boots! I've actually done similar with Arkona mudshale, taking a bunch home that has some bits in it and letting the rain wash away the matrix until all you have left are the fossils themselves. It's sometimes incredible the kind of microfossils turn up that way! 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Glad to see that you and Viola finally got out there. I was sure you'd enjoy it (despite the mud) and it looks like you did. Isn't it amazing how many rugose corals are laying around there? And be sure to take up Kane on his offer, but don't forget your rubber boots 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I was delighted to read about and see photos of your fossil adventure. With success like that, Viola's interest will certainly grow and grow. It always gives me a good feeling to learn of parents and kids sharing an experience in nature, mud or not. 1 Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 16 hours ago, Pagurus said: It looks like you two had a great day! I love all those corals! Muddyday, Tuesday, Wednesday, ... We had an AWESOME day (despite the mud!)! We also fell in love with those rugose corals - we couldn't believe how many were just lying around! After a short while of collecting them we forced ourselves to stop picking them up so we could focus on some of the smaller things, but it was hard - they seemed to scream at us: "Pick me up!" 4 hours ago, RJB said: Always fun and exciting to hit a new fossil spot. Even better when you find stuff. Really good to see you taking your kid with you. My kids are all grown up now and missing the fossil hunts with dad. RB It really was fun, and Viola provided me with very good company 2 hours ago, belemniten said: Really nice finds and a great trip reportz Thanks! 2 hours ago, Peat Burns said: Wow! Great finds all around. Love that hash plate of Tentaculites. Thanks for sharing! I used to be in love with the orthoconic nautiloids that I commonly find here in the Toronto area, but I must admit that Tentaculites sp. and bactrites might just be taking their place in my heart 47 minutes ago, Ludwigia said: Glad to see that you and Viola finally got out there. I was sure you'd enjoy it (despite the mud) and it looks like you did. Isn't it amazing how many rugose corals are laying around there? And be sure to take up Kane on his offer, but don't forget your rubber boots Hi Roger! It really IS amazing how many beautiful rugose corals are lying around in the South Pit - Viola and I could barely stop ourselves from picking all of them up!!! As for me taking Kane up on his offer - don't you worry - I definitely will - Viola wants (she would probably say that she needs ) more shells!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 14 minutes ago, snolly50 said: I was delighted to read about and see photos of your fossil adventure. With success like that, Viola's interest will certainly grow and grow. It always gives me a good feeling to learn of parents and kids sharing an experience in nature, mud or not. Hi John! Viola and I really did have a great time together that day. We arrived at Hungry Hollow at noon, collected until 3pm, stopped off for McDonalds on the way home (we felt that we earned ourselves a little treat after fighting the cold wind and the sticky mud for 3 hours!), and then washed our finds before bed that night. It was wonderful to spend a full day just with Viola since normally I feel as though I'm being pulled in many different directions. We are definitely looking forward to visiting Penn Dixie next month - hopefully Viola will find herself another trilobite then - fingers crossed! Monica PS - Part of our success might be attributed to the good-luck charms that were with us that day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Great report Monica, glad you and Viola had a great day. Weather is weather I guess. Part of the hobby/interest. Your haul is pretty impressive, wherever I've been on a hunt I've never had a haul like yours! 1 John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 2 hours ago, JohnBrewer said: Great report Monica, glad you and Viola had a great day. Weather is weather I guess. Part of the hobby/interest. Your haul is pretty impressive, wherever I've been on a hunt I've never had a haul like yours! Hi John! I'm pretty happy with what we collected, too - admittedly, we went a bit crazy with the rugose corals, but since I've only ever found one near where I live (and a squished one at that), I just couldn't help myself! Is Violet still helping you collect fossils? I hope that all is well - take care, Monica 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Great report, finds and pics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 30 minutes ago, Nimravis said: Great report, finds and pics. Thanks! I'll try to get more pictures the next time Viola and I go out hunting somewhere special (my hands got muddy pretty quickly this time, so I didn't want to touch my camera after that - next time I'll remember to either wear gloves while collecting or carry wipes on my person and not just leave them in the car!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Definitely work gloves! I've had shards of rock slice through my hand when busting rock without gloves. Bleeding really drives the point home! And it keeps your hands clean for camera time 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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