Sh0n Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 A few weeks ago, took a trip to Calvert Cliffs state park. Didn't find too much, as I didn't have a lot of time to search. I did keep finding big hunks of clay as I got close to the cliffs at the far end of the beach area. Do these pieces of clay often contain fossils? I tried breaking a few open but didn't really have anything to do that with. Is it worth bringing a small probe and/or chisels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 The clay is where the fossils come from, but they are not evenly distributed. Unless you see fossils exposed in the hunks, it probably wouldn't pay to dismantle them. Any teeth you might find in them would be in nice, unworn condition though (if you didn't break them getting them out). "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...
obsessed1 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I have found that a lot but not all the vertebrate fossils come from thin lenses of material that are rarely found in the chunks you are describing. This is not to say they aren't fossils in them, just that busting random chunks of clay probably won't be very productive. Your best bet for searching those chunks is to look then over very carefully to see if any small portion of fossil is visable then carefully extract it. But only in the loose chunks never from the cliff face its self. Also the more northern cliff areas tend to be more productive. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sh0n Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Yeah I wouldn't go breaking open every one I found. That's why I'm thinking about some kind of small probe to poke into a few of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sh0n Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 I have found that a lot but not all the vertebrate fossils come from thin lenses of material that are rarely found in the chunks you are describing. This is not to say they aren't fossils in them, just that busting random chunks of clay probably won't be very productive. Your best bet for searching those chunks is to look then over very carefully to see if any small portion of fossil is visable then carefully extract it. But only in the loose chunks never from the cliff face its self. Also the more northern cliff areas tend to be more productive. Good Luck! This is from the park itself. Sometime this summer, I'll purchase a sea kayak to get access to the cliffs not a part of the park, so I appreciate the tip about the more northern cliffs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hokiehunter Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I would say as Kevin said it is not worth your time to break or "probe" random chunks of clay unless you actually see a fossil sticking out and it is completely detached from the cliff. Even then I would be hesitant to "probe or break anything" from a large chunk (i.e something you can't easily pickup). If it's submerged in the water fair game but the large chunks at the base of the cliffs are still part of the cliffs and should be considered off limits. Breaking these only serves to speed erosion and damage public/private property. My advice would be look for shell hash and gravel in areas that have the grey clay balls. Focus on the gravel and not the balls and you will do much better. I've found a 100+ megs and 1000's of other nice fossils/teeth but I can count on one hand the number that came out of a clay ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sh0n Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 I neglected to mention these were coming from the water while I was sifting gravel. Collecting beneath the cliffs at the park is prohibited, but I was very close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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