Crab in clay matrix
crab
August 19-20, 2006 - Cretaceous Fossils, Lowndes Co, AL
Once again BPS was out in the boonies with the ATV’s! Greg even brought his own ride this trip. Go, Greg! Gorgeous weather, good turn-out. Sandy Ebersole, a new BPS member from the Geological Survey of Alabama, was interested in examining the formation to determine if it is part of the same Ripley Formation she is studying at Coon Creek in Tennessee. Sandy and Jun Ebersole both gave us a short overview of the formations and geology of the area before we started collecting, which left us with an excellent perspective on where we were going.
We explored several small creeks in the area for the first time, where we found a number of crabs and other items, including clams, in nodules. Sandy found an outcrop in the first creek where she gathered numerous samples for her research.
The main creek yielded great samples for all: more crabs and clams, and unknown items in concretions. Sandy located another interesting outcropping and took more samples of microfossils. Michelle found some nice ammonite pieces, including one piece showing beautiful suture marks.
Since the Ebersole's needed to leave that night, our hosts set up an impromptu trip to a gully for the evening. Sandy and Jun wanted to see if this was part of the Ripley Formation (current thought is - probably not). Jun got a quick lesson on ATV driving and we hit the gully where we found teeth and bits of shells.
The next morning before the mist had burned off, we went to a different gully that had not been explored for several years, but did not yield many finds. After returning to camp, and meeting new arrivals, two groups were formed. One group went back to the creek where the crabs had been found, and another group consisting of Vicki, Michelle and Becky took off on a scouting adventure to explore yet another “new” creek. This turned out to be a great spot with some decent finds of brachiopods, clams, gastropods, exogyra, shark vertebrae, and possible pieces of bone.
Later in the day, diehards Becky and Vicki explored the main creek again, using a different access point and went a little ways up the stream until the creek got too difficult to navigate.
After two days of excellent collecting, all went their way home and look forward to the next field trip.
Edited by Vicki Lais
(Photos courtesy Vicki Lais)
On the way again! Riding to the site is almost as much fun as the collecting itself!
Sandy and Jun provide handouts and short lectures on the geology of the area.
General area where several crab nodules were found.
This outcrop has numerous small bits of shell and other material embedded in it. Sandy took lots of samples for her research.
Richard found a very nice crab.
Leisa decides to sift the fine sand in her search for smaller fossils.
Collecting samples for research.
A dried up creek we explored in the area.
We explored the main creek a good long while.
Nice view of the creek, which is almost dry in some areas due to the lingering drought. Notice the Spanish moss hanging from some of the trees.
Aaron found a nice, large crab.
Closer view of Aaron's large crab nodule.
Richard is digging out a very nice crab.
Another outcrop that Sandy found interesting. Many soil samples were taking from this location.
Greg is assisting in collecting the soil samples.
Becky found this nice crab nodule.
Michelle found part of an ammonite.
More ammonite found by Michelle.
Taking a rest after a long, hot day on the creek.
Jun and Sandy probably had more fun than the rest of us getting to the next collecting location - this was Jun's first opportunity to drive an ATV!
After a bit of a rest, we decided to explore a gully late in the afternoon.
This is how the gully looks when you get closer to the ground - a lot of shell bits and pieces. Can you find the shark tooth in this picture? It takes a while to get one's eye attuned to the coloring and patterns.
Early Sunday morning, we headed to a gully that had not been surveyed in several years. No items of interest were found here, mostly bits of shells and broken nodules, and a lot of caliche.
Closer view of the ground and a nodule.
After the gully trip, one group headed back to the main creek for crabs, and the Three Musketeers, Becky, Vicki, and Michelle, headed off for an adventure to find and scout a new creek.
Becky amongst the fishing poles.
Finally, we made it to the creek, which was littered with shells, primarily exogyra.
Exogyra.
More exogyra pieces. The slightly circular pieces with the dimple in the middle are the other half of the exogyra, though we did not find any articulated specimens.
Exogyra and a couple of gastropods found by Vicki.
Nice bivalve found by Becky.
Michelle and Becky looking for fossils.
Small vertebra found by Vicki.
Bone, but unfortunately, it appears to be recent.
Last creek to be explored.
This rock filled with shells was found at this creek, but not much else, so all headed home.
May 6-7, 2006 - Cretaceous Fossils, Lowndes Co, AL
This May found the troops encamped in Lowndes County for a whole weekend of fossils and good company. Tents, camping vans, pop-up trailers all turned out for the great weekend of food, hunting and sleeping out thanks to the generosity of the hunting camp. Our hosts supplied rides out to gullies and a creek on their property via ATV’s and trailers. Even Sylvie made the bumpy ride out to the creek, although some of us did do a quick, quiet poll as to who knew how to deliver a baby or how long it would take to make it to the nearest medical facility, JUST IN CASE she hit one bump too many! We had a great crowd, and some excellent specimens of fossil crabs, shells, ammonites and various teeth were found. After a long day of collecting, we gathered around a roaring fire for a low country shrimp boil and good conversation. Everyone seemed to be demonstrating that everything does taste better outside! Michael and Sylvie had left early, Sylvie declaring that she was now ready to go home and have a baby!
Even the rainstorm that burst on us Sunday morning didn’t dampen spirits. Sleeping with the rain pounding down while you are warm, dry and cozy is one of life’s lovelier experiences! The early risers gathered under one of the many “porch” shelters in the camp and revved up the little propane stoves to make breakfasts of pancakes, cereal, coffee, tea...all the comforts of home, but more fun. Finally, all but the most dedicated decided to call it a day and head home. Nancy left a few of her belongings behind, so Vicki and Martha decided to return them via Selma, wait out the storm and do a little more looking around before heading back.
It was great to see so many of us, old and new members AND guests, turning out for all or most of the weekend. THANK you to our hosts for making us feel so welcome and providing all the facilities. Also thanks to our hosts, and to Shannon and Jim for providing vehicles and trailers, and to Vicki and everybody who helped organize the weekend and the shrimp boil!
This month we were collecting in the Ripley Formation, Cretaceous Period, Maastrichtian Age. According to information published by George Martin, Soil Data Quality Specialist with the USDA, most (if not all) of the crabs found on the trip are Avitelmessus grapsoideus Rathbun, or “Muffin Crabs.” These crabs have been documented from the Ripley Formation in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Along with crabs, members also found numerous teeth, including mosasaur, sawfish, swordfish, and various types of shark teeth. Also found were numerous shells and pieces of ammonite.
--Edited by Vicki Lais
(Photos courtesy Jan Novak and Vicki Lais)
A long drive by ATV, then a short hike to the gully.
The gully where we began the day.
Greg has just given instructions on "how to collect in a gully", so everyone is being very cautious and searching carefully.
This is a rather small gully, with very little chance of getting lost here. Gullies in the Ripley are very unusual.
Sometimes it was easier and more productive to just sit in one spot and let one's eyes get accustomed to the patterns.
The gully is littered with numerous pieces of broken shell, nodules and sometimes fish and shark teeth.
Loni's grand-daughter has found a sawfish tooth.
Lea has found the bottom part of a bivalve, possibly exogyra.
Shannon has found a new use for our logo patch - his son John's backpack.
Melanie has found . . . something . . . .
Tooth from a late Cretaceous swordfish, probably Protosphyraena.
Sylvie has found part of a crab leg.
Small fragment of ammonite showing the tell-tale intricately patterned suture marks, which distinguish it from a nautiloid.
Mosasaur tooth.
A variety of shark teeth, and the long upper left one is a swordfish tooth.
After a really hot morning, we returned to camp for lunch and a group picture. Uhh.... where's Claire, did we leave her??
Members spread out to search the creek bottom and banks. Some go upstream, some go downstream.
Nice crab. Note the dark gray clay. It is quite slippery in the creek and along the shore.
Some nice crabs.
An odd round item found by Vicki.
A closer look at the "round thing".
Rychard has found a nice deer skull, recent, not a fossil.
Back in camp, the food fun starts! Members and guests enjoyed a fine low country shrimp boil, with head chef Greg Mestler. Numerous members contributed to its preparation and its disappearing act!
THIS JUST IN ! ! SYLVIE AND MICHAL ARE THE PROUD PARENTS OF ELI MRUG ! Born May 23, 2006.
May 21, 2005 - Cretaceous Fossils, Montgomery Co, AL
This month, BPS members headed to Montgomery county to collect in the late Cretaceous. Another beautiful day for being in the woods, and playing in a creek. This year, the creek was down, way down, so moving from shore to shore was much easier than our last trip. A number of nice echinoids and ammonites were found, a variety of shells including gastropods, and a few shark teeth. Most of the ammonites at this site are not collectible due to their fragile nature. Later in the day, members headed south to another creek for more collecting.
A few of the diehards ended up at "The Swamp", a really cool "hamburger joint" on the Alabama river in Selma. The owner is an engineer and designed the building to "float" when the river rises. Normal water level is about 80 feet, and in their 1st year of business it rose to about 120 feet - the restaurant floated!
(Pictures courtesy Dr. Jan Novak and Vicki Lais.)
crab
Hanging out at the swamp.
Laid back on the river after a long day! Thanks, Nancy, for leading us to this out of the way spot for supper!
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November 22, 2003 - Dallas Co, AL
This month BPS did several stops in Dallas County. None of the sites were prolific, but each site was easily accessible. At our first stop, a mosasaur bone had been discovered on the scouting trip, so Steve and Greg spent most of their time excavating the bones on top that were weathering. Three bones were collected, though it appears there is more in the bank. The bank was covered, and will be checked on our next trip down. At stop #2, several members found shark teeth, not many, but more than I've sometimes collected in an entire days collecting at other gully locations. Stop 3 produced numerous exogira, and stop 4 was just a short stop at the end of the day, to see if there were crabs in a new creek location. And indeed there were.
Those toe touches will wear you out. . . But those shark teeth sure are worth it!
Steve and Greg excavating the mosasaur bones.
May 24, 2002 - Lowndes Co, AL
BPS members spent the weekend of May 24-26 on a camping trip to a Lowndes County, Alabama, hunting club, to collect in creeks and gullies. We found crabs in nodules, ammonites, turritella, and had a great time! John brought his telescope, and we spent a long time just gazing at the stars at night, and joined the "next door neighbors" at their campfire.
June 09, 2001 - Lowndes Co, AL
On June 9-10, BPS members spent the weekend in Loundes County, Alabama, where they found Cretaceous fossils. Numerous fossilized crabs and shark teeth were collected on this field trip. The crab nodules and exogyra below are from a resident near the site, who helped us gain permission to collect on the property. 
A number of members had already left for home by the time we reached the final stop of the weekend. Most of the remaining members decided to hike down the creek, and took off at a rapid pace. Many miles away the rumble of thunder could be heard, though it didn't rain at the collecting site. Vicki and Martha searched near the entrance to the creek, until they noticed the water was rising too high to clearly see the bottom. They decided to wait nearby for the return of he others. They waited. And waited. As they sat and talked, they speculated on the treasure trove of crabs that the long gone group must have found. Then finally they decided to walk back to the creek to see if anyone had returned. Wow! What a difference a couple of hours had made! The distant storms had created a muddy, rapidly moving flash flood.
These members were just happy to be back to their cars. Instead of a nice leasurely walk back up the creek, they had to bushwhack through the bushes and brambles due to the quickly moving floodwaters. Once back, Kathy asked if we had seen her bucket. No, what bucket? The one she left on the edge of the creek, containing her car keys. Oops - no, they're probably in the Gulf of Mexico by now. But all turned out well, as she rode back to Birmingham to get her husband's help retrieving her car.
Kathy, Claire, Sarah, Jeff, & ______.