Fox River, Kane Co. Illinois - Question

[plankton]

The dry conditions recently really exposed the bedrock along the banks along the Fox River. I noticed this in Batavia. I looked around for fossils for awhile, but didn't see anything.

Does anyone know what age this rock might be? Should I expect to find anything in this rock? Is there a better area along the Fox to look than others?

I saw Rob Russel's post from earlier this summer and he found some interesting stuff.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Rob Russell]

Hello plankton,

Here's a link to my galleries here on TFF. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php/gallery/member/2411-rob-russell/ I'd say about 85% - 90% of the fossils I have pictured here are found in the Silurian aged dolomite along the banks of the Fox from S. Elgin down to Aurora. Their's a bit of ordovician aged sediment exposed in Yorkville with nice brachiopod preservation. As far as the preservation in the dolomite I'd call it fair to poor at best. But fossils are still available to find in it with a little luck and persistence. I did find two bison teeth, a nice elk antler, and a unidentified cannon bone this summer on some of those dried up beds. Along with hundreds of cow and horse bones. Over a hundred vintage bottles, six pottery trowels, a clay brick (possibly from a kiln), and some associated pottery to boot. So in general I'd say the Fox has plenty to offer in the tri-city area alone. Or at least it did til I got in there. I'd be happy to meet you down there some time plankton, and do what i can to help you out so you may find fossils. If I could offer any advice it would be to "look small", and slowly. Things will then beguin to come into view. I wish you luck, and hope to see some of your finds before to long. Once again, feel free to hit me up if you'd like.

[plankton]

Thanks for the response! That was great info.

My wife and I went for a walk today down at the Fabyan park in Batavia. We spent about an hour poking around both banks of the river. There were lots of good exposed rocks and fragments. We only found two pieces of a brachiopod. Like you said, we found some interesting glass bottle fragments - old stuff.

I have a question; so is it that the animal life of those sediment layers just didn't get fossilized or that there just wasn't much life there to begin with?

Thanks for the offer to meet up. I will keep that in mind.

Have a good one!

[Auspex]

...is it that the animal life of those sediment layers just didn't get fossilized or that there just wasn't much life there to begin with?...

Either is possible, but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Interpreting the (grossly) imperfect fossil record is as much art as science (at least when compared to physics, say), and there are many sub-disciplines peeking at such questions from many angles. That said, life was probably as abundant then as it is now, and chances are that it is usually a lack of conditions favorable to fossil preservation that leaves the gaps.