08-06-vl-jaw-297
More pieces of the fish jaw are being found as members watch the excavation.
More pieces of the fish jaw are being found as members watch the excavation.
James Lamb demonstrating the "taste test", does it taste more like chicken, or fish?
John and Larry found a good part of a fossil turtle in an area not easily accessible.
As we hear screams of excitement from Claire, everyone begins converging on the site where Jan found a nicely preserved fish jaw with teeth, and also vertebra and other bones.
At lunchtime, James Lamb made the rounds of flags where members had marked fossil finds, with many of us tagging along to learn the proper scientific names (or at least hear them said out loud!), and see if what we found was actually fossil material!
As James Lamb excavates dirt, more and more turtle bone is exposed, Also a large shell is in the same area.
We had an area designated as the "Cool Off Station" stocked with cold drinks and fans, manned by Greg, where members dropped off their ice chests and retreated when they got too hot. If you look carefully, you can see coolers hung in the trees, in an attempt to keep out the fire ants. Thanks to Don, who brought popsicles for everyone to enjoy! There was a great view of the gullies from this vantage point.
James Lamb spotted the bones of an adult mosasaur skull, and several (5-6) vertebra of a baby mosasaur, mostly caught in the roots of the small tree. One was so lightweight, it was caught in a spiderweb! The bulk of the bones washed down the gully long ago.
John carefully wraps foil around the turtle bones that have been excavated from the site by himself, Larry, and James Lamb.