Calvert Formation - Stratford Hall and Westmoreland State Park

September 11, 2023

Hi All,

I thought I would share photos of a recent trip to Virginia over Labor Day weekend. We stayed in Colonial Beach, and had quick access to Stratford Hall and Westmoreland State Park. I was able to squeeze in 3 visits during the trip, once with the family, and twice solo.

Friday 9/1 - Stratford Hall

Had a late start, but the beach wasn't too crowded. Had the whole family in tow. My wife found a nice posterior Megalodon tooth and my daughter landed a a good looking Physogaleus tooth. I was happy to snag a complete tooth from a Odontocete. A woman with her son on the beach found a beautiful, complete Cow shark tooth. Was my mission to find a complete one, but only found a couple pieces.

View of the cliffs from the beach. Area beneath the cliffs was off limits.

Group shot of our finds from the day

Some close-ups of the different fossils:

Galeocerdo sp. (Tiger Shark)- This one washed up on the shore next to me while I was crouched, talking with my wife.

Odontocete tooth

Coprolite? or slag?

September 11, 2023

Friday 9/1 - Stratford Hall (Continued)

Tympanic Bulla (Whale?)

Carcharocles megalodon (posterior tooth)

Physogaleus contortus

Carcharhinus sp.

Carcharodon hastalis

Edited September 11, 2023 by Masonk

September 11, 2023

Nice finds.

Thanks for sharing.

September 11, 2023

Saturday, 9/2 - Stratford Hall

While the family slept in, I did a couple hour hunt back at Stratford Hall. Arrived at opening at 10am and stayed for about 2 hours. Few more people compared to the day before, but still room to spread out.

Found a lot of bone material this day. I also made my largest shark tooth find to date, a 35mm (diagonal) Isurus Retroflexus. Another surface find, sitting there as I was kneeling, getting ready to sift some material.

Group Shot

Someone suggested this may be part of a whale tooth

Horn Coral

Not sure exactly, however looks like a bi-valve

Section of a shark vert

I believe these are both sections of teeth from Notorynchus sp., Cow Shark

Couple Carcharhinus sp. teeth

Isurus Retroflexus

September 11, 2023

Monday, 9/4 - Westmoreland State Park

We had an 11am checkout that day, however we're always night-before-packers, so I knew I could squeeze in one last trip before we head back home to PA.

I left at 6:00am and arrived @ Westmoreland around 6:30. It was high tide, but I figured if I get there early, maybe I'll luck out with some surface finds. Walked about a half mile to the beach and did a quick scan while walking from one end to the other. Expected other people to arrive, but wound up having the place to myself the entire 2+ hours I was there.

Not a large beach, but comparable to Sratford Hall