8/12/17 Matoaka Beach

[ynot]

The mushrooms You show are not "oyster" mushrooms.

[Miocene_Mason]

2 minutes ago, ynot said:

The mushrooms You show are not "oyster" mushrooms.

I call shelf fungi tree oysters sometimes, it's a generalization. These may be turkey tails specifically (trametes versicolor if memory serves) but I'm not sure, there's many types.

[ynot]

1 minute ago, WhodamanHD said:

I call shelf fungi tree oysters sometimes, it's a generalization. These may be turkey tails specifically (trametes versicolor if memory serves) but I'm not sure, there's many types.

We have an oyster mushroom out here that is considered a gourmet mushroom, and it is bad to call inedible things by edible things names. 

Idiots get confused easily and may end up poisoning themselves.

Besides You would get mad if I gave You a piece of cardboard and told You it was a fillet mignon steak.

You can have all the A-1 You want!

[Miocene_Mason]

1 minute ago, ynot said:

We have an oyster mushroom out here that is considered a gourmet mushroom, and it is bad to call inedible things by edible things names. 

Idiots get confused easily and may end up poisoning themselves.

Besides You would get mad if I gave You a piece of cardboard and told You it was a fillet mignon steak.

You can have all the A-1 You want!

Sure, I stay away from 'shroom consumption unless a liscenced chef can serve it up. And don't down cardboard, as it says here you get 10% your daily need of iron in one serving, I've been known to have seconds

[SailingAlongToo]

@WhodamanHD

 

At least you got out and the day turned out to be fairly decent with the storms holding off till later in the afternoon / evening. Little bit of rain doesn't bother me but I'm not a fan of the lightning, especially on the water.

 

The water level along the Cliffs on Saturday was quite high, in fact the low tide we saw Saturday afternoon was higher than the normal high tide. Sunday morning's high tide was even higher than Saturdays. Was definitely difficult hunting along the cliffs this weekend with little to no beach in many areas. At least the wind stayed down till about 115 - 120p on Saturday, then it started gusting from the South around 15 knots. That got the waves up pretty quick. In about a 15 mins time period it went from flat calm to 1 1/2 - 2 foot swells, so we headed back north. We were running along the cliffs with 2 boats on Saturday but didn't get a chance to stop by Matoaka. When we were heading south near the Cabins about 1215 pm, I did see someone carefully traversing in front of the large rip rap (more like armor boulders) along the beach.  Any chance that was you?

 

Our group did OK on Saturday but nothing to write home about. Bunch of small teeth, a few medium sized teeth but no big ones. A few verts were found along with some shells, etc. Not really productive but it was better than a day at work.  

 

Next time we head that way with the boat I'll give you a heads up. Maybe we can catch up and get you to some places you typically haven't had access to before.

[Miocene_Mason]

32 minutes ago, SailingAlongToo said:

@WhodamanHD

 

At least you got out and the day turned out to be fairly decent with the storms holding off till later in the afternoon / evening. Little bit of rain doesn't bother me but I'm not a fan of the lightning, especially on the water.

 

The water level along the Cliffs on Saturday was quite high, in fact the low tide we saw Saturday afternoon was higher than the normal high tide. Sunday morning's high tide was even higher than Saturdays. Was definitely difficult hunting along the cliffs this weekend with little to no beach in many areas. At least the wind stayed down till about 115 - 120p on Saturday, then it started gusting from the South around 15 knots. That got the waves up pretty quick. In about a 15 mins time period it went from flat calm to 1 1/2 - 2 foot swells, so we headed back north. We were running along the cliffs with 2 boats on Saturday but didn't get a chance to stop by Matoaka. When we were heading south near the Cabins about 1215 pm, I did see someone carefully traversing in front of the large rip rap (more like armor boulders) along the beach.  Any chance that was you?

 

Our group did OK on Saturday but nothing to write home about. Bunch of small teeth, a few medium sized teeth but no big ones. A few verts were found along with some shells, etc. Not really productive but it was better than a day at work.  

 

Next time we head that way with the boat I'll give you a heads up. Maybe we can catch up and get you to some places you typically haven't had access to before.

Yeah, I saw the bad forecast but decided it was better to go then than to go the day after the rain when all the fossil hunters would come out. May have been me, I was there about that time, a few times I checked the breakers to see if any thing good had got caught in them. I'm 14 btw 'bout 6 foot, big dark curly hair. Sure, I'd love to go hunting with ya, maybe I can capture some of your experience and luck! Let me know when I'll see if I can work it out.

[I_gotta_rock]

On 8/13/2017 at 3:27 PM, WhodamanHD said:

Well that's good, I can go back without fear of snake (although there probably are some venomous ones out there

I agree with the Northern Water Snake. If you are concerned about the venomous ones, they all have very triangular heads. This one is much more ovate.  The most dangerous-looking snakes in your area are Eastern Hognoses. They are also totally harmless. They spread hoods like cobras, put on a big show, and strike at those that threaten them, but their fangs don't extend, their "venom" is barely-venomous saliva, and they always strike with their mouths closed!

[Miocene_Mason]

5 minutes ago, I_gotta_rock said:

I agree with the Northern Water Snake. If you are concerned about the venomous ones, they all have very triangular heads. This one is much more ovate.  The most dangerous-looking snakes in your area are Eastern Hognoses. They are also totally harmless. They spread hoods like cobras, put on a big show, and strike at those that threaten them, but their fangs don't extend, their "venom" is barely-venomous saliva, and they always strike with their mouths closed!

I've seen watersnakes 'round before, but I just stay away from most snakes (although I'll catch or get close to the black rat snakes and the ring necked as well as the small worm ones you get once in a while) but I like to take a picture, I should probably learn all the differences, fossil hunting is taking me to increasingly secluded areas. I've had scares from baby rat snakes which look like copperheads ( especially when you accidentally step on what looks like a copperhead). The hognose sounds like an evolutionary mistake, strike but not bite? Feels like hawks would catch on to that real soon...

[I_gotta_rock]

Just now, WhodamanHD said:

I've seen watersnakes 'round before, but I just stay away from most snakes (although I'll catch or get close to the black rat snakes and the ring necked as well as the small worm ones you get once in a while) but I like to take a picture, I should probably learn all the differences, fossil hunting is taking me to increasingly secluded areas. I've had scares from baby rat snakes which look like copperheads ( especially when you accidentally step on what looks like a copperhead). The hognose sounds like an evolutionary mistake, strike but not bite? Feels like hawks would catch on to that real soon...

They are mimics. They have no real defenses, so they just look though. Their fangs are angles back in their mouths to "pop" toads that inflate when in danger, so they can swallow the toads, which are 80% of their diet. If the false-strike doesn't work, they act like they are writing in agony and then play dead. Hawks don't like dead meat.

[Miocene_Mason]

5 minutes ago, I_gotta_rock said:

They are mimics. They have no real defenses, so they just look though. Their fangs are angles back in their mouths to "pop" toads that inflate when in danger, so they can swallow the toads, which are 80% of their diet. If the false-strike doesn't work, they act like they are writing in agony and then play dead. Hawks don't like dead meat.

Interesting, strange little critters. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for telling me so I don't freak out when I see the wired cobra looking snake staring at me!

[I_gotta_rock]

Just now, WhodamanHD said:

Interesting, strange little critters. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for telling me so I don't freak out when I see the wired cobra looking snake staring at me!

Some are even solid black.

[Miocene_Mason]

Just now, I_gotta_rock said:

Some are even solid black.

That's cool, I assume the hognose would give away it's true affinities though. When I was in middle school, there was a seminar with reptile handlers, and they had a cobra, not unfanged, and the guy did the whole dance thing with it, in a small weaver basket it could easily escape, and there were little kids sitting  few feet away. It didn't help when he said he had been bitten twice. Good thing there isn't cobras here, and all the rattlesnakes give you a warning if you get to close!

[I_gotta_rock]

3 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said:

That's cool, I assume the hognose would give away it's true affinities though. When I was in middle school, there was a seminar with reptile handlers, and they had a cobra, not unfanged, and the guy did the whole dance thing with it, in a small weaver basket it could easily escape, and there were little kids sitting  few feet away. It didn't help when he said he had been bitten twice. Good thing there isn't cobras here, and all the rattlesnakes give you a warning if you get to close!

Most venomous snake bites are dry bites. They can choose to inject the venom or not and at least some have to chew to work it in. Generating venom is al lot of work and the snake charmer probably was not considered worth the trouble. Just got bitten because the snake didn't like something that day and was not in the mood to be bothered. Rattlesnakes seem to have bad dispositions. Copperheads are so docile you have to usually pick them up or step on them to get bitten. Watch your step.

[Miocene_Mason]

1 minute ago, I_gotta_rock said:

Most venomous snake bites are dry bites. They can choose to inject the venom or not and at least some have to chew to work it in. Generating venom is al lot of work and the snake charmer probably was not considered worth the trouble. Just got bitten because the snake didn't like something that day and was not in the mood to be bothered. Rattlesnakes seem to have bad dispositions. Copperheads are so docile you have to usually pick them up or step on them to get bitten. Watch your step.

I know that dry bits usually happen first, but I don't want to take my chances! I will definitely watch my step, although with fossils I'm like a moth to a flame, oblivious to what's around me. Just kidding, I'm always checking for wildlife, no snake bites, jellyfish stings, widow spider bites, or anything yet, hope it stays that way.

[I_gotta_rock]

Meanwhile, I have spent the last month identifying a big batch of shells I collected from Matoaka the first week in July and donated the the DE Museum of Natural History. Here's some help on your finds:

The geoduck is Panopea americana.

The steinkern is a cockle shell, Chesacardium sp.

The first "clam of some sort" is probably a Stewartia anodonta, but without seeing the inside I can't be sure. S. anodonta is very thick and flat. If it's not thick, it could be S. formani or a slightly different shell of another genus.

The turritellas are all T. plebia.

The first "lingula" is modern. Nice find, though! Fragile things!

The second "lingua" is probably a fossil based on the color. I don't see it on what I have on my desk here at home, though.

The second "Clam?" is a venus clam of some sort, but I can't tell which from the angle. Need a top view wand and interior view..

The oyster is probably modern.

 

I am slowly posting images of the Miocene collection from DMNH here in the Collections section. Many are not on Clavert Marine Museum's site, or much of anywhere online. Been digging through some very fragile books lately! Keep your eyes open.

 

[Miocene_Mason]

5 minutes ago, I_gotta_rock said:

Meanwhile, I have spent the last month identifying a big batch of shells I collected from Matoaka the first week in July and donated the the DE Museum of Natural History. Here's some help on your finds:

The geoduck is Panopea americana.

The steinkern is a cockle shell, Chesacardium sp.

The first "clam of some sort" is probably a Stewartia anodonta, but without seeing the inside I can't be sure. S. anodonta is very thick and flat. If it's not thick, it could be S. formani or a slightly different shell of another genus.

The turritellas are all T. plebia.

The first "lingula" is modern. Nice find, though! Fragile things!

The second "lingua" is probably a fossil based on the color. I don't see it on what I have on my desk here at home, though.

The second "Clam?" is a venus clam of some sort, but I can't tell which from the angle. Need a top view wand and interior view..

The oyster is probably modern.

 

I am slowly posting images of the Miocene collection from DMNH here in the Collections section. Many are not on Clavert Marine Museum's site, or much of anywhere online. Been digging through some very fragile books lately! Keep your eyes open.

 

Thanks! I'll definitely be looking through your posts! I was trading the one clam, here is the bottom view, I said I thought quahog, is this wrong?

[I_gotta_rock]

Quahogs are more heavily textured. This is a Macrocallista, probably M. acuminata. 

[Miocene_Mason]

Just now, I_gotta_rock said:

Quahogs are more heavily textured. This is a Macrocallista, probably M. acuminata. 

Thank you so much!

[I_gotta_rock]

My pleasure! Makes all that painstaking digging worth the effort if I can help someone else figure it out!

[Kimi64]

On 8/13/2017 at 8:56 AM, WhodamanHD said:

Echinoid?

Clam of some sort?

^top and bottom^

Thanks for posting the echinoid photo. I was given on this summer by a "Friends of Calvert Cliffs" volunteer. She said it was an Epiphysis, but later I found a few of those, so I knew that it had to be something else, so thank you. 

[Miocene_Mason]

6 minutes ago, Kimi64 said:

Thanks for posting the echinoid photo. I was given on this summer by a "Friends of Calvert Cliffs" volunteer. She said it was an Epiphysis, but later I found a few of those, so I knew that it had to be something else, so thank you. 

No problem, happy you got an ID!