MikeD Posted July 7, 2014 Posted July 7, 2014 I was traveling a couple of weeks ago and passed by a favorite Eocene fossil site that had previously been destroyed by construction. It has been bulldozed, leveled, had erosion netting put in place, and hydro-grass sprayed all around it. The material that was removed was dumped nearby, but also went away later. On my way back home, I had a little daylight left, so made a quick stop based on some info from a fellow collector. Nothing ever got built on the land and it was somewhat overgrown with weeds. I walked on in anyway. Due to our prolonged Texas drought, the grass is dead, only hardcore weeds are surviving, the erosion netting is rotted, and wind and what rain has hit the area has exposed some new finds. I find that the big red ants are sometimes good fossil collectors. These guys, not so good. The heat had them moving fast and they didn't like me standing on their mound. I had to work fast before they attacked and snatched a couple of ray teeth that I could easily see, but missed a couple of smaller items. Maybe next time. This area had been known for its three dimensional (x, y, and z axis travel), but very fragile shrimp burrows preserved in sand. Due to land clearing and erosion, I found some new ones that were much less fragile, but primarily traveling in only 2 dimensions on top of a bed of harder sandstone. (continued)
MikeD Posted July 7, 2014 Author Posted July 7, 2014 more burrows on sandstone. Finally got to where I thought teeth might be, but only found a couple. Found a nice hunk of sandstone with some fossils in it. (continued)
MikeD Posted July 7, 2014 Author Posted July 7, 2014 Then I found a small croc tooth. ID provided by dinodigger as Eosuchus. It was getting dark and I had to leave. As I was about to go, I saw another tooth and another and another and another. Picked up anything that looked like a fossil and sorted it out later. (continued)
MikeD Posted July 7, 2014 Author Posted July 7, 2014 (edited) Not bad for about a 30 minute stop. Edited July 7, 2014 by MikeD
Auspex Posted July 7, 2014 Posted July 7, 2014 Looks like a good microfossil matrix site! Bring a sifter and a bucket next time "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!
old bones Posted July 7, 2014 Posted July 7, 2014 Nice finds. Couldn't help but shudder when I saw the sand burrs....ouch.
Uncle Siphuncle Posted July 7, 2014 Posted July 7, 2014 I had a similar experience not long ago at probably the same site. Small fossils in fast eroding matrix...a perfect recipe for site regeneration. Glad I left you some gooduns! Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils."
fossilized6s Posted July 8, 2014 Posted July 8, 2014 Looks like a good microfossil matrix site! Bring a sifter and a bucket next time I was going to say the same thing while reading through his post. Haha! Color me interested in some micro matrix! ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG
MikeD Posted July 8, 2014 Author Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) Looks like a good microfossil matrix site! Bring a sifter and a bucket next time I'll definitley bring the buckets. Sifting will have to come later. Several years back, a dust cloud coming up from a a guy sifting was what alerted me to this place. Didn't have time to stop then, but checked it out later. Nice finds. Couldn't help but shudder when I saw the sand burrs....ouch. So, that's what those were. Quite painful as I unwittingly walked through a patch with short pants on. Do those things make you itch? I'm still itching from either those or some chiggers I got while there. I had a similar experience not long ago at probably the same site. Small fossils in fast eroding matrix...a perfect recipe for site regeneration. Glad I left you some gooduns! I was wondering if you had been by there. It is good that the place still produces. I was going to say the same thing while reading through his post. Haha! Color me interested in some micro matrix! Can't guarantee anything, but I plan to collect some buckets of dirt next time I go by there. It is a couple of hours+ drive from home, so it may be a while. Edited July 8, 2014 by MikeD
JohnJ Posted July 8, 2014 Posted July 8, 2014 Thirty minutes of fun! Good to hear you are getting afield, Mike. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Do while you can because the day will come when you cannot...and you would give much to do it one more time. - JJ
beesouka Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 Very exciting finds! I find that I seem to make the best finds and discoveries during little random searches and stops!
MikeDOTB Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 Pretty good 30 min trip! Love the croc tooth! DO, or do not. There is no try.
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