Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 jpc started a thread a while back called "Fossil Trip Idea-Europe anyone?" http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php/topic/17320-field-trip-idea/ I thought I could at least make a virtual start here by showing you some of my favorite fossil hunting sites. You know. The ones you visit mostly since they're relatively close to home and once you've been going there for the umpteenth time you start to ask questions and begin to specialize. The first on the list is the clay pit just on the outskirts of a rural town called Geisingen, located about a half an hour's drive northwest of the Lake of Constance. I've been visiting this location for many years now and have made many nice finds there. The most exciting ones so far, since they're extremely rare for this site, were the discovery of a jaw section of a huge sea crocodile Steneosaurus, and a number of vertebrae from Ichthyosaurus. 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 The jaw find goes a few years back. I showed it to a couple of palaeontologists who got very excited and we turned the pit upside down with a troop of about 10 geology students searching for more, but unfortunately to no avail. One result of this action however, was that we made the first proper profile of the pit. Here's a pic of Philipe and Manuela at work on it and also the resulting table. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 (edited) Here are a few views of the pit during the time in which it was still being dug. Unfortunately there's been hardly any work done there for a couple of years since the ownership changed hands. You're still allowed to collect there, but it's a lot of work, since there aren't any dozers making it easier for you and you have to create your own circumstances. But that's a bit like being out in the woods and you still can make some good finds with a bit of perseverance. Edited December 11, 2010 by Ludwigia 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nala Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 That's a great report!Thanks to share ,i can't wait for the next :eat popcorn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 (edited) I've been busying myself lately posting finds from here in my gallery and you can have a peek if you like.http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/gallery/album/1009-middle-jurassic-ammonites-from-south-germany/Those finds are ammonites, but you can also find such things as these: Pholadomya murchisonii and Ctenostreon pectiniforme Pyrgotrochus sp. and Pleurotomaria rotundata Cenoceras sp. and Astarte voltzi Grammatodon sp. and Megateuthis sp.Hope you're enjoying the trip. Edited May 17, 2014 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 Oh! Hi nala. Nice to see you popped in. Thanks! My wife wants to play backgammon now. Be back in a while. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Roger.... You have some brilliant sites close by... and producing some quality fossils.... Great preservation...Thanks for the reports... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 It's always so good to see others corner of the world and what fossils are in it. Excellent collection you have too! Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 Roger.... You have some brilliant sites close by... and producing some quality fossils.... Great preservation...Thanks for the reports... Right you are Steve. The preservation is in many cases extremely good, including shell-preservation sometimes. And if they're not so well preserved - some spots turn out to be quite weathered - then the calcite preservation of the innards makes for interesting "slices". It's always worth a cut before throwing them away altogether. Roger Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 It's always so good to see others corner of the world and what fossils are in it. Excellent collection you have too! Thanks roz I'm off to bed now. Over and out, Roger Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 This is beginning to look promising. I'd like to pull the trigger on a trip like this soon while life for me is simple... Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 This is beginning to look promising. I'd like to pull the trigger on a trip like this soon while life for me is simple... Ok Dan. Like I said, just get in touch when things start to get concrete and I'll see what I can do for you. Roger Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandomas Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 (edited) This is beginning to look promising. I'd like to pull the trigger on a trip like this soon while life for me is simple... Hi Dan, keep in touch there are a lot of fossil places around ... just to be hooked to this post Edited December 16, 2010 by Nandomas Erosion... will be my epitaph! http://www.paleonature.org/ https://fossilnews.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 I'm updating this thread today. The clay pit has not been in operation for several years now. The fossiliferous "Geisingen-Oolith" is completely covered with tons of debris which is also very mucky. You would need a week of digging to remove it and the overburden and even then there's no guarantee for good finds. 2 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 Roger, sorry to hear that the Geisingen clay pit is no longer a practical site for collecting. I would have loved to visit there. Those bivalves and gastropods are exquisite. That ichthyosaur vert looks like the one you showed me. It was enormous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 3 hours ago, Jeffrey P said: Roger, sorry to hear that the Geisingen clay pit is no longer a practical site for collecting. I would have loved to visit there. Those bivalves and gastropods are exquisite. That ichthyosaur vert looks like the one you showed me. It was enormous! Yes it is a pity, but what can you do? You're right. That vert was the one you saw. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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