February 21, 2009 - Pennsylvanian Fossils, Bibb Co, AL

Well, sometimes things happen unexpectedly.  A call on Monday to the landowner to schedule a field trip for March.  Well, actually he said, the site is ready to be reclaimed.  Next week.  Can you come this Saturday?    Well  . . . . .  Sure we can!  A hastily planned trip to Bibb County, Alabama caught many members by surprise.   We came here a couple of years ago, but our collecting area was severely restricted due to ongoing construction.  This time - no restrictions - we had access to the entire site.  Those who could come found beautiful plant material at this old coal washing facility.  Numerous specimens of lepidodendron, calamites, some delicate ferns and numerous other fossil plants were found.  Afterwards a quick trip to the Cahaba River where the Cahaba Lilies bloom in May, then to a beehive oven location.  Our last stop of the day was to collect graptolites.

Photos courtesy Bill Fowler and Vicki Lais