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My First Visit to Virginia


minnbuckeye

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Last weekend, my wife's annual family reunion took place in Newport News, Virginia. Our schedule was full of activities but I thought I must check out what fossils the York River had to offer. So while all family members slept in (Group breakfast at 8;30), I snuck out for a quick hunt. This was my first view of the York River, a photo op moment:

 

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 This alone made my day!!! But I was here to find a fossil typical for the area. As I parked, I met a local gentleman that was here for the same purpose. Though he didn't want to hunt together, he directed me to an area to collect in. His help was greatly appreciated and my success was a direct result of his suggestions. Here are my Pectans, all are Chesapecten jeffersonius ???

 

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A couple bigger ones:

 

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Mixed in with the pectans were bone fragments, some big, some small. Only wish they could be identified:

 

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Puffer mouth plate?

 

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As I was looking for fossils, I found this piece of lead. Could it be from the colonial days. Yorktown is just downstream. If so, is it legal to keep???2018-06-30.thumb.jpg.d4f01a9e3b6da943e26c89e235047ff3.jpg 

 

 The fossils I found were all in the water. It was high tide. Try not to mimic me if hunting here. Low tide would be better!! With that said, I am not sure if the following shells are fossils or just local fauna to the York River. Your opinion is worth it's weight in gold!! Please take a look and let me know if they are keepers or not:

 

2018-06-031.thumb.jpg.aa0e5e9dd1e44ecedfef0f78f9a61de5.jpg

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Cool finds! My son lives in NN, it's a nice area for sure.

 

I think you're right about the puffer, at least a member of that general family.

 

As for the lead, I think you're okay as long as you're not actually at Yorktown. But that being said, that looks to have marks from a casing, if I'm not mistaken that would put it out of colonial-era ballistics, which I believe we're just round shot. (Not my area of expertise at all, just what I think is correct.)

Jay A. Wollin

Lead Fossil Educator - Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve

Hamburg, New York, USA

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This was a unique location to "hunt" in. The water is just littered with pectins. It is hard to walk without stepping on them. Time is spent pushing aside these shells in hopes for finding a better one! Excellent area for beginners and children.

 

In closing, I must recommend the Virginia Air and Space Museum to anyone who visits the area:DSC_0194.thumb.JPG.df37c750996759a353c1d0154347bcba.JPGDSC_0173.thumb.JPG.86445d7785e598f8d7bc016c772e8ba8.JPGDSC_0172.thumb.JPG.6f03cec42f7e6ea447b1d7fc6a464354.JPG

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11 minutes ago, DevonianDigger said:

that looks to have marks from a casing, if I'm not mistaken that would put it out of colonial-era ballistics, which I believe we're just round shot. (Not my area of expertise at all, just what I think is correct.)

You would be right. Colonists were using musket "balls" at that time.

 

Great haul Mike!  You stumbled into a good spot. Congrates.

 

 

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1 hour ago, minnbuckeye said:

Puffer mouth plate?

I’ve heard them called burrfish mouth plates for the most part. Your pectins are Chesapecten’s and I’m not sure but I think Chesapecten jeffersonius is the species found near Yorktown, and it is Virginia’s state fossil. Nice finds by the way!

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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Beautiful pectens and other bivalves, Mike - thanks for sharing!

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Nice finds Mike, and that top pic is beautiful :fistbump:

Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there!

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3 hours ago, jcbshark said:

Nice finds Mike, and that top pic is beautiful :fistbump:

Thanks Jeff (and Monica). That sunrise picture was real! No photoshopping.

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Thanks for taking up way more "photo ops" than I would have thought of.  All are appreciated.

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  • 4 weeks later...

The sunrise is gorgeous. 

Yes to your ids so far, Mike, and I think these below are Chama. 

On 7/1/2018 at 2:02 AM, minnbuckeye said:

As I was looking for fossils, I found this piece of lead. Could it be from the colonial days. Yorktown is just downstream. If so, is it legal to keep??? 

 

 The fossils I found were all in the water. It was high tide. Try not to mimic me if hunting here. Low tide would be better!! With that said, I am not sure if the following shells are fossils or just local fauna to the York River. Your opinion is worth it's weight in gold!! Please take a look and let me know if they are keepers or not:

 

2018-06-031.thumb.jpg.aa0e5e9dd1e44ecedfef0f78f9a61de5.jpg

 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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The things that look like worm tubes are made by boring bivalves, either Teredina fistula or Kuphus.

On 7/1/2018 at 2:04 AM, minnbuckeye said:

 

DSC_0269.thumb.JPG.ae79d39b5d06d19b8f38f9c3fd1e8778.JPGDSC_0279.thumb.JPG.babb48733485687e5073e1e99127210c.JPGThis, I think is Mercenaria tridacnoides. 

 Mercenaria tridacnoides. 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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Your last photo of the flat shells is likely the bottoms of fossil oysters; some of the frilly oyster tops are very nice to look at.

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