Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Last weekend I had the chance to go to deep spring rd for the first time. It was very ambitious but since @Scylla was going I figured I would just go for it! It was really snowy I’m really excited to be able to study this site further once the site thaws. I saw the literature said the rock exposed shows a clear coarsening up sequence and the fauna changes as well. I really can’t wait to catologue my finds from here! regardless of the weather I still found some goodies. I did find a greenops with the tail tucked underneath. Almost a full prone. I was a fan of the associated fauna here. The cephalopods and bivalves are really nice. I didn’t take home a lot but I liked what I took This greenops can pop up of the chunk of shale seen in the photo but I have it in place. The tail is tucked under attached to the counterpart. Kinda cool to see the potential for this site! This cephalopod was pretty cool. Im not 100% sure if this is a worm burrow or predation marks? Most likely worm burrow? I’m not sure how predation marks would preserve this seems like an internal mold so I’m leaning to the burrow thought. Anyone know for sure? I liked this bivalve a lot! I forgot the name but I will soon have it locked down. I think I’ll be finding many of these this year! It was fun meeting up with gus a fellow forum member. The conditions were kinda hardcore but I can’t complain I still had a blast. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 I also have to confess to dipleura fever and slipped over to Cole hill rd for a look on my way home....the snow was deeper there!! I couldn’t really do a whole lot but took home a few pieces. 3 pygidiums and 2 cephalons along with some associated fauna. Needs a thaw for sure but it was fun getting out there. The trilo-bits ha. I gotta get names on these but I got a few nice quality specimens. Thats all.....we are currently supposed to get a lot of snow (6+ inches) tonight. I was almost gonna go back to DSR this weekend cause we had a thaw all week. So much for that . Thanks for reading, Al 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Excellent finds. Some of those molluscs are really splendid and it's always nice to see trilobits. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 Thanks! @Tidgy's Dad I really can’t wait for the snow to finally be gone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Great finds, Al. The one you thought was a cephalopod is just that. Probably Michelinoceras. The bivalve is Orthonota undulata. Nice introductory visit for you. Much better hunting, without the snow! 2 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...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 10 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said: Great finds, Al. The one you thought was a cephalopod is just that. Probably Michelinoceras. The bivalve is Orthonota undulata. Nice introductory visit for you. Much better hunting, without the snow! Thanks Tim!! I wasn’t sure if the markings on the cephalopod were predation marks or worm burrows....what do you suspect? Those “scratches” were what I was unsure of it wasn’t all that clear after reading it back to myself lol. Ops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 2 minutes ago, Al Tahan said: Thanks Tim!! I wasn’t sure if the markings on the cephalopod were predation marks or worm burrows....what do you suspect? Those “scratches” were what I was unsure of Ooops. Sorry, missed that. They look a bit like possible borings, or predation marks. 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...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 @Fossildude19 I’m kinda undecided myself on what it may be...I’ve been going back and forth....predation marks sounds cooler but I’ll have to say I don’t know until I see more! I’ll have to do more collecting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 I like that Orthonota with 2 valves intact. Also the snail looks interesting... any more detail on that if you took a closer pic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Nice finds for a cold hunt. Don't get frost bite out there. 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 That Orthonota is gorgeous!!! Congrats!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 The temps stayed in the 20's all day, but it just diddn't feel cold. Two other TFF members were there with us. Grant is in the foreground, Al is hidden in the black rocky area in the back by the trees and Gary is at the bottom of the hill near the orange bucket. If anyone finds a big Dipleura pygidium where Grant is in this picture, please PM me. He would like to add it to the rest of the fossil. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Some fossils just seemed to jump out at you like this bivalve in a patch of snowmelt The counterpart can be seen in the nearby gravel. Once I lifted my hammer to find a Brachiopod had frozen itself to the tip! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Grant did manage to lift one nice slab with a pretty nice Goniatite on it. My job seemed to be making big slabs small so they fit into the car 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 After a death defying romp on the ice covered cliffs of Cole Hill we sadly had to say goodbye to Al who was really fun to collect with. A very late lunch of blueberry pancakes with bacon and maple syrup at the D&D diner in Shelburne got us refueled for the 5 hour drive home. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 12 hours ago, Wrangellian said: I like that Orthonota with 2 valves intact. Also the snail looks interesting... any more detail on that if you took a closer pic? @Wrangellian That gastropods I think you are referring to is Bembexia sulcomarginata. The one I have is decent but it seems there is room for more detail!! This was an interesting find for me. It’s a very different looking gastropod from anything else I have found. Looking forward to finding a more detailed specimen! Also looking forward to finding one without me putting a nic in the fossil trying to reduce the rock lol. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 You did well - and particularly under snowy conditions. And once the snow is clear, and the chain gang of us descends on the spot, we can start ripping out the slabs! 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Some interesting stuff. Love the Orthonota. Makes me wonder what your going to find with the weather gets warmer and things dry up. Good luck RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Nice report Al and Gus! Proves that you can still manage to score fossils in the worst of conditions. I have done it enough times in the past, but for now I will wait just a bit longer! 1 I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 2 hours ago, Kane said: You did well - and particularly under snowy conditions. And once the snow is clear, and the chain gang of us descends on the spot, we can start ripping out the slabs! Oh yea I can’t wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 Haha Dave @Darktooth as tempting as it was to go again this weekend I can only justify it so many times to my fiancé before I start to sound crazy lol @RJB I hear it’s a very diverse site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 3 hours ago, Al Tahan said: Also looking forward to finding one without me putting a nic in the fossil trying to reduce the rock lol. A lot of that shale tends to crumble in the worst possible places. I would have been happy with your finds any time of the year, snow or not. Great finds, all of you. I have some partial Orthonatas (orthonotae?) from the site but none as nice as yours. It's such an enjoyable place to collect, especially with other TFF members. It looks like I won't be able to get there this spring, though one never knows, do one. 2 Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 11 hours ago, Al Tahan said: @Wrangellian That gastropods I think you are referring to is Bembexia sulcomarginata. The one I have is decent but it seems there is room for more detail!! This was an interesting find for me. It’s a very different looking gastropod from anything else I have found. Looking forward to finding a more detailed specimen! Also looking forward to finding one without me putting a nic in the fossil trying to reduce the rock lol. It looks pretty good to me but then I don't know the site. The drawing might be idealized. Yes, you have to be careful with shale everywhere. I think I've got some of the worst over here! I learned the hard way not to try to trim matrix in the field when I shattered a shark tooth that way (to mention just one). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Really nice finds guys. Congratulations. Hitting those sites with that much snow was definitely hardcore. And despite the adverse conditions you scored some excellent finds: The orthonata and cornelites bivalves, and the nautiloid were particularly sweet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonianDigger Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Very cool stuff! Now I'm itching to get back out there! 2 Jay A. Wollin Lead Fossil Educator - Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve Hamburg, New York, USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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