fish vertebra

May 26, 2012 - Cretaceous fossils, Butler County, AL

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.

Alabama

Fish vertebra

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Fish vertebra

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Fish vertebra

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Fish vertebra, enchodus tooth and several shark teeth found in the gullies. Notice the whiteness of one of the shark teeth - many have deteriorated under the hot sun.

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Tiny fish vertebra.

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Close-up of a fish vertebra

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Row of fish vertebra on the side of a gully.

August 16, 2008 - Cretaceous - Dallas and Perry Counties, Alabama

Day 1 Friday Day 2 Saturday Day 3 Sunday

A weekend trip to the Cretaceous chalk gullies of Dallas County Alabama and a creek in Perry county turned up numerous fossils. Ancient creatures, including shark, turtle, mosasaur, ptychodus, fish, clam, and ammonite were found during the three day weekend trip.

DAY 2 - SATURDAY

Finally, after a night of gentle rain, around 7am Saturday morning the rain quit, and James Lamb set off to find another site that the large group could access without damage to themselves or the fossils. After tracking down landowners for at least an hour, we were granted permission to collect in a creek in Perry county. And what a nice creek! Along with the adventure of exploring a creek we had never visited, climbing over strainers and up and down steep bluffs, everyone found numerous shark teeth, ptychodus teeth, gastropods, and even a small piece of belemnite with the iridescent sheen still visible.

After leaving the creek, we went back to camp, and once we arrived, we noticed the cows were quite interested in camp and the strange large metal boxes sitting all around their pasture. One was carefully examining a particular red car! After resting and filling our bellies, we decided to check out a gully near camp, to see if it was dry enough to collect. Fortunately it was, and a number of nice specimens were found, including whole shells, mosasaur vertebra, turtle shell, fish vertebra, and worm tubes.

That night at camp Claire took numerous pictures of spider webs, and we listened to everyone's tall tales and tales of past field trips.

(photos courtesy Claire Smith and Vicki Lais)

The gang met on Saturday morning for a day of fossil collecting.

The "put-in" at the first creek, where Greg decided to hang out while we searched for a productive site.

As everyone has gone on ahead, Martha is last in line, and carefully climbs across the strainer.

Ta-da! Everyone made it safely through the strainer.

Now we're told to cross over to another part of the creek with better collecting. Your choice - up the steep bluff, or back through the strainer and hike down a different trail.

Once arriving at the new creek location, we had to climb down an even steeper bank.

Don

Screening for shark teeth.

Screening for shark teeth in the creek.

Screening for shark teeth.

Screening the gravel in the creek bottom for shark and other teeth.

shark teeth

Scapanorhynchus shark teeth found by screening gravel from the creek.

shark teeth, belemnite

Shark teeth - Cretolamna in upper left, Scapanorhynchus in lower left, ptychodus tooth in middle, turritella gastropod, and belemnite found in the creek.