The Callovian Woods. This time with Camera.

[Ludwigia]

I recently posted a report here about the finds I made on a trip to the Wutach Valley and promised that the next time I went there, I would finally remember to take my camera along.

For those of you who may not be aware, the Wutachtal (in German) is quite a large area and also the name of a municipality in the southeastern Black Forest region. Within this area are a good number of beautiful nature reserves, the best known of which is the Wutachschlucht, or Wutach Gorge in English. It's not quite as huge as the Grand Canyon, but is certainly comparable with the Verdon Gorge, a famous tourist trap in the Provence in France. The Wutach (English: angry brook) has its source in the highest peak of the Black Forest massif, and winds its way eastward through crystalline paleozoic sediments and then more and more rapidly cutting down through first Permian, then Triassic and finally Jurassic and Cenozoic layers. One would think when you move down that the layers would get older, but due to 2 successive tectonic uplifts in the Late Jurassic and late Cretacous periods, the entire southern German tectonic plate is tipped 7° to the east. All of the Cretaceous sediments were also eroded away a long time ago, which is why they can't be found, even underground, in southwestern Germany.

The area that has particularly interested me is the one in the municipality of Wutachtal, where a good portion of the Jurassic layers are exposed. It's a classical area for geologists and paleontologists and of course amateur collectors like myself. I've been exploring and looking for exposures for many years, first focussing on the Lower Jurassic, then particularly the Middle Jurassic Aalenian and Bajocian stages and now for going on 2 years, I've been concentrating my efforts on the Callovian Wutach Formation. I've managed to find an area where I've been able to regularly make some finds and recently returned to an exposure which panned out quite well, so I decided I definitely had to get back there again soon. So I was just there yesterday. Here come some pics of it to which I'll first describe the exposure for you.

 

What you see here is a series of mostly soft clay marl layers with the odd hard marly limestone bank in between. Almost all of the sediment is extremely turbidite and full of iron oolites, which accounts for the pronounced red, reddish-brown, yellowy and violet tints. In the middle of the photo is the negative imprint of a large Macrocephalites ammonite which I dug out on the previous excursion.

 

This imprint sits on top of a hard limestone bank. The sediment above it is a much softer clay, which allows mostly for a successful excavation of the fossils in this particular bank. And at this partular small exposure I should add. Conditions can vary when one moves horizontally. Nevertheless, fossils found in this bank here are by far the best preserved.

 

This photo shows the same layers, just a little to the right.

 

And here a little to the left. Note the white limestone sinter, which can be a disturbance to the fossils. The lithological name for this zone is the "Rotes Erlager". As a biozone it's called the herveyi zone. This is about 1 meter thick.

 

This pile which lies between pic 1 & 3 accomodates my scree, broken bits of ammonites, for the moment. I'll be removing it later on, just as I have in the past at the other points, in order to get at the layers.

 

This was my first find of the day. Looks to be a Choffatia sp. Slightly deformed.

 

A couple more. Not easy to see what's in the matrix, is it? Now you know why I use an air abrader

 

You just have to break up some of these big rocks in order to get the little jewels out. Otherwise your knapsack is so heavy by the end of a successful day, that you can't heave it onto your back any more.

 

At this point, I'd dug into the sinter vein. Time to get it out and get around it.

 

 

 

I've just run out of pixels. Time to move on to the next post

 

[ynot]

Looking good so far!

[Ludwigia]

 

The photos above show that all's not always what meets the eye. What looks to be a nicely preserved ammonite on on side is often disturbed or even missing altogether on the other. This happens quite often. I'd estimate that at the most a third of what I dig out is worth taking home. And then even more gets culled in the workshop after prep.

 

I've placed my hammer at the base of the koenigi biozone, which is called lithologically the "Graublaues Erzlager". Erz means ore, by the way. These layers used to be mined in the past for their iron in certain areas. The colors speak for themselves: grey-blue. It has a thickness of roughly 2 meters. Only a portion of it exists here, since this exposure is part of a landslip which slid down the hill during a large landslide many years ago.

 

I'm about to extract these ammonites from the koenigi zone. They look quite alright, but I'm not expecting much, since most of the fossils from here are extremely weathered and fall apart easily.

 

Sure enough. Even the one on the right was missing the inner whorls.

 

This one was in one of the few concretions which occur in that zone, so it's at least worth taking home for closer inspection.

 

 

A series of finds which found their way into my bag.

 

[aerogrower]

Very nice report and love the pictures. Thanks for posting this.

[FossilDudeCO]

Wow Roger, that stuff looks like loads of fun!

1:3 ratio on what gets kept isn't that bad!

Love all the pictures, really gives me a better understanding of your area.

 

I love all of the ammos you prep and leave in the matrix, that is always a fun thing for me to see.

 

 

[Ludwigia]

The extraction process of a largish Macrocephalites sp. ammonite. It'll have to be glued, but I think it's going to be alright.

 

A few more little ones in between.

 

Another extraction pictorial. This one will need some TLC, it being broken, missing a few little parts and quite weathered on one side. I always love a challenge and if worse comes to worst, I've got a scree pile at home as well

So, that's it for the time being. I'll post some more here once I get down to prepping these things.

 

[Ludwigia]

32 minutes ago, ynot said:

Looking good so far!

 

Hopefully looking even better once I start prepping

 

9 minutes ago, aerogrower said:

Very nice report and love the pictures. Thanks for posting this.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to my cube so I can present it along with my prepped finds.

 

8 minutes ago, FossilDudeCO said:

Wow Roger, that stuff looks like loads of fun!

1:3 ratio on what gets kept isn't that bad!

Love all the pictures, really gives me a better understanding of your area.

 

I love all of the ammos you prep and leave in the matrix, that is always a fun thing for me to see.

 

 

It's fun alright, but it sure is tiring as well. I was plumb tuckered out after 5 hours of digging. I also like to keep the ammos in the matrix as much as possible if they present themselves nicely.

 

 

[jewelonly]

Roger, the pictorial report was worth the wait!! It's always fun to learn and be entertained at the same time! I'm glad that you were successful once again, although the process appears to be quite a challenge. Thank you for taking the time to document it.

Looking forward to seeing their beauty revealed!!  

 

Leah

 

 

[Kane]

So this is where the magic begins. These are great site photos. 

[Ludwigia]

18 minutes ago, jewelonly said:

Roger, the pictorial report was worth the wait!! It's always fun to learn and be entertained at the same time! I'm glad that you were successful once again, although the process appears to be quite a challenge. Thank you for taking the time to document it.

Looking forward to seeing their beauty revealed!!  

 

Leah

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, Kane said:

So this is where the magic begins. These are great site photos. 

 

Thanks for your encouraging comments

[JimB88]

Awesome report Roger! Looks like you found some goodies too!

Whats the straight object in this pic?

 

 

A belemnite? Keel of a thin ammo?

[Ludwigia]

3 hours ago, JimB88 said:

Awesome report Roger! Looks like you found some goodies too!

Whats the straight object in this pic?

 

 

A belemnite? Keel of a thin ammo?

 

You got it right first time. It's the impression of a belemnite which broke into a good number of pieces which flew off unretrievably.

 

I got going with the prep and decided to start with the first find pictured above. It turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment as you can see in the pics below. The inner whorls are practically nonexistent.

 

I chose the next one since it looked like it might be one of the more rare species and there was also the indication that another ammonite was attached to it. This also turned out to be what one might call a dud. Pity. It would have made a nice multi if it wasn't so eroded that the air abrader started to blow off the substance even at low pressure. My observation was however correct. It's a Cadoceras with a Homeoplanulites attached and a partial in its belly button.

 

The next one turned out much better. I also chose it, since I was hoping for a Cadoceras and it panned out very well. "Klein aber Fein" is the appropriate German adage. This is only the second decent one that I've managed to find here.

 

This Cadoceras quenstedti now has the honor of being the first to be placed next to @aerogrower 's cube which arrived today on my doorstep. It just took 5 days for the trip from the USA, which I think sets a new speed record

 

If I find some time tomorrow, I'll be tackling the 2 larger Macrocephalites in need of repair.

 

[Monica]

Wow, Roger - what a great place to hunt!!!  Thanks for taking us along for the ride 

 

Monica

[jcbshark]

Excellent pics Roger, thanks for taking me along makes digging and sifting seem like a cake walk in comparison 

[Ludwigia]

4 hours ago, Monica said:

Wow, Roger - what a great place to hunt!!!  Thanks for taking us along for the ride 

 

Monica

 

4 hours ago, jcbshark said:

Excellent pics Roger, thanks for taking me along makes digging and sifting seem like a cake walk in comparison 

 

Glad to oblige. I must admit, it is a little more heavy duty burrowing into an exposure, but it must still be pretty tedious heaving a wet shovel all day

[Jeffrey P]

Thanks Roger for the great, detailed report and pictures of your latest excavation. Congratulations on the Cadoceras, lovely! Have to check out that site the next time I come.

[Ludwigia]

7 hours ago, Jeffrey P said:

Thanks Roger for the great, detailed report and pictures of your latest excavation. Congratulations on the Cadoceras, lovely! Have to check out that site the next time I come.

 

I'd be happy to take you along, but be prepared for a lot of digging & delving

 

I found some time today and had a go at the 2 Macrocephalites. This first one turned out ok, although the part of the whorls on the right was badly affected by erosion. I had to use a bit of stonemeal to fill in some cracks and gaps.

 

I'm not so sure if I want to continue working on the second one. Half of one side is missing and the better side is partially extremely eroded. The only way to save it would be to do a lot of building up with epoxy kitt or plaster of paris and I'm not so sure if it's worth it. I've put it aside for the time being.

 

 

I also managed to get this Homeoplanulites sp. and the following Macrocephalites rotundus finished today.

 

 

 

 

[Monica]

Hi Roger!

 

Well done re: prepping those ammos!  I especially like the Homeoplanulites sp. sitting on that little chunk of matrix - it's amazing how you can make those septal walls within the phragmocone visible!!! 

 

Monica

[Ludwigia]

10 minutes ago, Monica said:

Hi Roger!

 

Well done re: prepping those ammos!  I especially like the Homeoplanulites sp. sitting on that little chunk of matrix - it's amazing how you can make those septal walls within the phragmocone visible!!! 

 

Monica

 

Thanks, Monica. You could do that too if you had an air abrader. Of course you need to know a bit about ammonite anatomy as well in order to know what to expect and where to expect it.

[RJB]

Wow!    When you take your camera you really put it to work.  Great pics and you explain things very well.  Really love all the pics Roger.

 

RB

[Ludwigia]

3 hours ago, RJB said:

Wow!    When you take your camera you really put it to work.  Great pics and you explain things very well.  Really love all the pics Roger.

 

RB

 

Thanks, Ron. Glad you appreciate this.

[Ludwigia]

Well, I got the rest of them finished now. I threw quite a bit out this time since they weren't worth keeping, but still ended up with these ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JimB88]

wow those are neat! Looks like the oolites 'had a go at the one' but that makes it more interesting. Love the small ones btw! Great job on prep as usual!

[Ludwigia]

4 hours ago, JimB88 said:

wow those are neat! Looks like the oolites 'had a go at the one' but that makes it more interesting. Love the small ones btw! Great job on prep as usual!

 

Yup. Those oolites sure can be nasty. They, along with the sinter, were responsible for ruining more than half of the finds this time around.

[PFOOLEY]

A most excellent report, Roger and thanks for sharing another perspective of your adventures. I am very happy you took your camera.

 

I can't stop looking at this one...

 

 

...just beautiful!