Cast Fossil? Central MN Bird Head Imprint?

[It's a Hard Rock Life 4 us]

Howdy-ho, folks:

 

I was helping my dad dig a ditch and found this, it's in Stearns County MN.  We live on top of a glacial dropoff (top of a rather large Hill, similar to powder ridge if you know the area). 

 

It looks like the head of something, with a beak and all.  However, am i seeing something that's not there? is it worth my time to take somewhere?  If you look at it up close, it has features, and what looks like freaking feathers.  There are even symmetrical eye holes, looks like it laid down somewhere and that was it. 

 

I did post this on reddit and got laughed at, i figured before cutting this thing up into strips I'd get a second opinion. 

 

It's about 8 inches long, sorry i forgot to take pics of it with a ruler.

 

Worse case worse - to prove it's not  anything, should I just cut it up?

 

Views: left, right, bottom.

 

Edit: for anyone interested, I inherited grandfather's rock "collection" (but really these were rocks he found at the farm) and if you know anything about the other rocks I just added - if you know anything, let me know.  I'd also be game of giving some of these to anyone in the local mn area, if interested.  these were in a pike on his workbench, supposedly they were "rarer" rocks, but that was just from him picking things up, could have been just what he found pretty or something.

 

grandpa was a grade a [jerk] so no one really wants 'em for the sentimental value, sadly enough.  I may just create a new posting with pics of some of the rocks, don't want to waste too much of your guys/girls time however.  i myself travel most of the time and live in a tiny apartment so keeping more than one or two is out of the question, unfortunately as well.

[Plantguy]

Awesome photos and very cool find! I'm afraid its not a bird fossil but I can see why you would think that and wonder about it...the staining and the variation in composition and veins and its shape have made a great likeness.

 

I am curious about some of the fracturing/irregular lines are...maybe someone else more familiar with the geology there can tell us what they are and what exactly the rock type is.  Not sure if I'm looking at some limestone/dolomite or some metamorphic rock. I dont think the lines/textures are organic in nature but I defer to the locals and others...There are some mighty old rocks in that area! 

Dont cut it up! Its a keeper as is. I can tell you as a collector of odd rock stuff...your bird looks better than my turkey vulture head petrified wood chunk from California. 

 

Thanks for showing us...hoping others will chime in with rock/mineral/feature types...

 

Regards, Chris 

 

 

[It's a Hard Rock Life 4 us]

yeah, once start researching this stuff you get kinda hooked, now when hiking around in central mn i'm always looking at creek beds, etc. - there's so much variation, especially in the sedimentary rocks.  At the time of taking pics I didn't have a lens to do real close up shots with; i might take a few closeups for the heck of it - the "eye" looking area is what made me think - fossil? but yeah, there must've been some other explanation, perhaps some kind of sinkhole where the water drained or something.

[ynot]

To me it looks like a bunch of weakly metamorphosed sandstone and limestone with mineral filled cracks and some foileation.