Ludwigia Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 (edited) A vast horde of fossil collectors descended recently upon the cretaceous layers of several quarries to be found on the outskirts of the German city of Hannover. All were participating in an excursion organized by the German fossil forum "Steinkern". We visited 3 different quarries over the weekend with the courtesy of the Holcim and Heidelberg cement companies and all had the opportunity to make some nice finds. But not only that. A good portion of our group stayed overnight in a nice hotel where we had a room to ourselves on Saturday evening and where we traded gossip and of course fossils with each other over a delicious buffet served with balkan flair. Here is a little picture reportage closing off with a few of my finds. I'm not finished with the preparation yet, so more are due to follow. The Misburg north quarry. The quarry at Hoever. Meeting point. Saturday evening. Yours truly on the left with Kalle. The buffet. Yummy! Edited May 18, 2013 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 May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) Now some finds. They are all from the Campanian layers at these quarries. Sea urchin Echinocorys conica. Micraster sp. The sponge Coeloptychium agicoides View from the top. Various perspectives of the sponge Verruculina macrommata revealing the preserved roots which anchored it to the sediment. In the photo on the right the phragmocone of the heteromorph Scaphites ammonite can be observed. Edited May 18, 2013 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squalicorax Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Those sponges rock! My Flickr Page of My Collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79424101@N00/sets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) Those sponges rock! Yes, there aren't many locations where you can find them in that quality, but the Hannover area is really top gun in that respect. But not only for sponges. Also shark teeth for instance. I didn't find any myself, but some colleagues concentrated themselves on the search for them and were successful. Others were just plain lucky. Kalle found a tooth from your namesake squalicorax in FtM quality, for instance. Maybe he'll notice this thread and post a picture of it. Edited May 18, 2013 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ammojoe Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Beautiful finds, Roger, thanks for sharing . Kind regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Roger.... The micraster is fabulous.... It looks like you had a great time collecting and exchanging stories.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Hi Roger, quite the finds and nice report! Sounds like alot of fun! I went out last week also with a good sized group from our local Tampa club to a limestone quarry as well and they had a sizeable horde of young cubscouts and there was alot of activity!! Most seemed to have a great time early on but they got a little baked...it got hot and they stayed from 9am to noon---a number of us diehards including myself managed to stay until almost 2pm! Hope your outing was a bit cooler! Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 Thanks for the nice comments, guys. Yes we really did have a wonderful time and we were far enough to the north not to get baked to a crisp. To the contrary, on Saturday it was overcast and comfortably cool short sleeve weather. Sunday rained a bit, but that didn't stop us diehards. You can find fossils easier in the chalk when they're wet. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 You had me at "rooms to ourselves": pretty classy! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 You had me at "rooms to ourselves": pretty classy! Like I said, the buffet was great! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 19, 2013 Author Share Posted May 19, 2013 Finished prepping a few more finds: Another smaller Verruculina macrommata, 4.5cm. wide. This one is extremely pyritized. Aparently they tend to break down quickly, but I prepped it anyway out of curiosity and coated it with zapon lack in the hopes that it survives a while. Another Micraster sp. 6cm. long. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 19, 2013 Author Share Posted May 19, 2013 (edited) Couple more: Echinocorys sp. 4.5cm. long. Galeola papillosa papillosa with pyrite crystals. 4cm. long. Pyrite concretions are quite common. 8cm. long. Edited May 20, 2013 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 I wish I could have joined yall for that party. And I'll take a German buffet over American fast food any day... Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 Another successful trip for you Roger. Congrats! The sponges are fantastic looking. -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 20, 2013 Author Share Posted May 20, 2013 I wish I could have joined yall for that party. And I'll take a German buffet over American fast food any day... A family from the Balkan peninsula runs the hotel, so it also had its southern European flair with spicey olives and such...I think your wife would have loved it too. Another successful trip for you Roger. Congrats! The sponges are fantastic looking. Even Evgeny is impressed, and that's saying something... Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 I've got a few more things finished now. Slowly getting to the bottom of the barrel. Pyritized solitary coral Parasmilia centralis. 4cm. long. Pyritized Brachiopod Orbirhynchia bella. 1cm. Small Echinoids Galeoloa senonensis approx. 2cm. long. A collection of smaller unidentified sponges. The little round one measures 2cm. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masonboro37 Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Thank you so much for sharing and the pic's are a delight! Pyritized brach and the echi's Process of identification "mistakes create wisdom". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Po68a.2.jpgPo68b.2.jpgPo68c.2.jpg Another smaller Verruculina macrommata, 4.5cm. wide. Just wow.... Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 Thanks to you Missourian and Masonborough! I should have the last things done soon and shall post then one more time. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Roger..... quite a selection you got.... You need some good drawers now to put them all in..... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Roger, Thanks for the great report and wonderful pics of your finds. Always enjoy seeing what you find, and the pyritized sponges and brachs are noteworthy. Congratulations on good time all around. Regards, 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...
Fossildude19 Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Roger, Thanks for the great report and wonderful pics of your finds. Always enjoy seeing what you find, and the pyritized sponges and brachs are noteworthy. Congratulations on good time all around. Regards, 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...
Ludwigia Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 Roger..... quite a selection you got.... You need some good drawers now to put them all in..... The only drawers I've got left are under my trousers Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 Roger, Thanks for the great report and wonderful pics of your finds. Always enjoy seeing what you find, and the pyritized sponges and brachs are noteworthy. Congratulations on good time all around. Regards, Thanks Tim Yes, the pyrite makes them something special. I just hope they don't disintegrate after a few years. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 Here are the last ones. Unidentified sponges with a brachiopod on the right in the first photo. 11x10cm. Partial spines from the sea urchin Temnocidaris sp. 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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