The annual Science Teacher Workshop was conducted by the University of West Alabama, and the Geological Survey of Alabama.  Volunteer assistance was provided by members of BPS.

Hot summer day, cold creek, shark teeth, an excellent combination!

In May BPS members showed up for a weekend of camping and fossil collecting on a private creek in Butler County. Since our last visit a number of high water events had alterered the creek. Places that had been covered in sand were now bare, with rocky, clay bottoms. Numerous small shark teeth, cochina stone, fish vertebrae, and a few pottery shards were found. One area of clay that was seen appeared to be filled with fossil leaves, with ancient leaves. There is a strong possibility that the woody and leaf material found in the clay layers is Cretaceous age.

BPS members took a weekend trip to Washington County, to an old quarry where they found echinoids, sand dollars, numerous shells,  and foraminifera, plus a few scattered shark teeth were found.

What a wonderful two day trip we had in March. The weather was sunny; light jacket weather, just right for being outside. Saturday we were at a quarry in Colbert County, and Sunday we were at a lake in Franklin County. The spoil pods were massive and extremely steep making them difficult to navigate. But being the adventureous spirits that we are, we conquered the spires and were greatly rewarded for our efforts. Among the spoils we found, Crinoids, blastoids, burrows, a few very tiny shark teeth, fenestra, hound coral, calcite crystals, stigmaria and whole rocks covered with brachiapods.

BPS went to St. Clair County this month and found various coral, including horned corals, and a number of trilobites. Shells were also found, including a few bivalves. It was an excellent collecting day, the temp was cool but not overly so and the humidity was perfect.