February 17, 2007 - Mississippian Fossils, Franklin Co, AL

Once again, the word, "intrepid" comes to mind when BPS makes a midwinter trip! With the temps in the upper 30's and low 40's and 15-20 mph winds, it was a toss up as to which trip to this site was the coldest! In spite of the weather, around 23 fossil seekers came for the fun. Our first stop was under sunny skys and slight winds which brought the temperature up to a bearable level. This is a great site, featuring a prehistoric coral reef that always has excellent specimens washed out during the previous year. It's always a temptation go after the big boulders, but they're much larger than they look (like iceburgs) so we can only stand and drool and capture them on camera. At the first stop on the lake numerous specimens of blastoids, archimedes, and crinoid stems were found, and a very nice piece of petrified/ permineralized wood. Next we went to the other side of the lake where it was downright windy and bitter cold. More crinoid stems, straight cephalapods, and some unknown specimens were collected as well as great slabs of fossil hash. These make great teaching tools as well as attractive showpieces. We were also treated to the sight of Bill "walking on water!" Next we stopped at a roadcut which yielded a few more nice specimens, and a lot more icy wind. After one last site check, hunger was the issue, so most of the group organized to follow Greg, who always seems to know the best places to chow down, to a long enjoyable evening meal at a "secret" local steak house, After a great time of good food, rehashing the day and catching up, tired BPS members headed home.

--Edited by Vicki Lais

(Photos courtesy Jan Novak, Bill Fowler, Chris Lais, & Vicki Lais)

BPS members gathering for fossil trip


BPS hunting fossil corals

BPS hunting fossil corals

fossil coral

searching for fossil coral

fossil coral

fossil coral

fossil coral

fossil coral

BPS members ready to hunt fossils
On to the next stop, where we were given an overview of the collecting area.

hunting fossils on lakeshore
Shoreline of the lake, water is way down in winter.

fossil horned coral
Horned coral.

fossil sponge
A sponge?

fossil coral
Horned coral.

fossil shell
Nice brachiopod.

broken up pieces of fossil
Most rocks in the area consist of numerous small fragments of fossils. Most visible on this specimen are crinoid stems and bryozoan (or the netting material from archimedes.)

fossil blastoid pieces
Parts of very large, but broken, blastiods.

fossil pieces

fossil pieces

fossil gastropod
Tiny gastropod.

fossil gastropod

round fossil
Unknown round fossil.

unknown fossil

unknown fossil
Another unknown fossil.

fossil wood
Very nice specimen of petrified/permineralized wood.


Bill and fossil specimens
How'd he do that?? Bill has found several nice specimens. Click, then click again for larger image.

fossil cephalopod
Nice cephalopod.

fossil shells
Brachiopods.

fossil shells

hunting fossils on hillside
After the lake, we collected at a nearby roadcut.

fossil cephalapod
Numerous specimens of burrow casts were found, and also a few straight cephalopod's (in middle).

geologic layers
At the last stop of the day, geologic layering is very prominent.

Sarah hunting fossils on hillside

Ramsey hunting fossils on ledges
Tall people have a distinct advantage!