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Quick trip to my local beach


Sjfriend

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Last week took a short drive (11 miles of road and 3 on beach) to our local fossil area. 99.9% of our finds are plant parts. Mostly Alder and Willow leaves with some Meta Sequoia tossed in. Some times a birch leaf will find its way in. In the right rocks I've found a number of what I believe are alder cones as well.. After I get back home I'll start working on IDs. Unfortunately the literature is scant but was given one that has some local info. 

 

Some planes will have single leaves in good shape. While others are stacked on top of each other but the leaves are damaged. It looks like they preserved after they started to rot.

 

There are other areas with a wider selection of leaves but you have to take a boat. And with our tide changes (between 7-25ft) it can take some planning.

 

I will add more once back home and can work on more photos

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Here is one of the bigger slabs I collected that day. This one is mostly alder with a little meta sequoia tossed in. You can see the apparent rot on some of the bigger leaves.

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Forgot to mention,  all our local sites are miocene.

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Beautiful scenery! That slab is pretty cool!

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I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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Great specimen! How much does that puppy weigh? Did you take it home?

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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On 4/29/2019 at 5:10 PM, Mark Kmiecik said:

Great specimen! How much does that puppy weigh? Did you take it home?

Weights about 43lbs and yes. It is sitting in a place of honor on my deck. Have someone at a university that is interested in looking at some of the local stuff so getting a good sampling for them to look thru.

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On 4/28/2019 at 12:24 PM, RandyB said:

How big is that slab, trying to get a feel for the scale

About 28 inches wide. Forgot to place hammer alongside for sizing.

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We find pieces ranging in size from 2 inches (usually pretty beat up) to over 15 feet across (fairly fresh). They are exposed along the bottom / lower bluff by the surf during our really high tides.

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Those are some nice looking plants!! I bet you have a really nice collection :) 

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Usually I like images of scenery more than the fossils, but those leaves ARE STUNNING!!!!! (as is the scenery)

 

Mike

 

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On 5/2/2019 at 7:53 AM, Rowboater said:

Neat plant fossils!  Any idea how old?

Approximate age is 5-7 million years old

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1 hour ago, minnbuckeye said:

Usually I like images of scenery more than the fossils, but those leaves ARE STUNNING!!!!! (as is the scenery)

 

Mike

 

Thanks. Quite a few leaves have such detail it's impressive.  After I get home I'll start getting more photos on here.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/4/2019 at 8:58 AM, Ludwigia said:

Very impressive block. Do you need to give the leaf fossils some kind of protective coating?

Basic leaves, no, as long as they stay hands off. Some of the better pieces still have light carbon films which can be rubbed off. Those I've started to consolidate with some Vinac I was gifted.  Also, some have carbonized wood which will quickly start peeling up if not consolidated. The worst are the Meta Sequoia. A little light brushing will pull it off. Some of the better finds I'll protect just to be sure. Can't wait to get home and get back to the area.

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Nice leaf plates!

(btw Metasequoia is one word)

You say you put that big piece on your deck - I guess you don't have room for it inside, but I would not expect something like that to last one Alaskan winter outdoors, would it?

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On 5/4/2019 at 6:18 AM, Rowboater said:

Beautiful and old!  (Like so many of us!)

^_^ Not as old as most of the other fossils you see on TFF, but they're all important for the 'complete picture'. :look:

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On 4/26/2019 at 7:01 AM, Sjfriend said:

Unfortunately the literature is scant but was given one that has some local info...

 

 

This classic monograph describes the Kenai Peninsula flora:

 

Wolfe, J.A., Tanai, T. 1980

The Miocene Seldovia point flora from the Kenai group, Alaska.

United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper, 1105:1-52  PDF LINK

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58 minutes ago, piranha said:

 

 

This classic monograph describes the Kenai Peninsula flora:

 

Wolfe, J.A., Tanai, T. 1980

The Miocene Seldovia point flora from the Kenai group, Alaska.

United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper, 1105:1-52  PDF LINK

That's the one UAF paleo dept gave me :) Big help. Only problem is, it's mostly from the other side of the bay which has some different species (about 1 - 3 million years difference)

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