shark tooth
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James Lamb has found a very nice sized Cretoxyrhina mantelli shark tooth (Ginsu shark).
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Very well preserved Squalicorax kaupi shark tooth (Crow shark).
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Shark teeth, enchodus tooth and tiny mosasaur vertebra.
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Shark tooth, various shells, marcasite nodules
July 21, 2007 - Cretaceous Fossils, Greene Co, AL
A very large group of 31 people showed up for the July BPS trip to Greene county. Thanks to James Lamb, our trip leader this time, we visited some Cretaceous sites that we have not visited for at least 10 years, so we were all pretty excited. The first site was a chalk gully which has produced nice mosasaur bones in years past. James Lamb gave a short training session on how to collect in chalk gullies, how to walk around in them (slowly and gently), how to collect (when you find something, look up-hill to see if there are more), and other collecting tips. There are numerous pieces of what looks like rubble scattered throughout a gully - each piece of "rubble" is actually part of a fossil, though most of them are unrecognizable without close examination, sometimes under a microscope. James Lamb checked some areas where fossils had been found in the past, and discovered another bone, which was flagged so that it could be retrieved on the way out. Bob found a bone which turned out to be part of a turtle. Also, we found a wide variety of other fossils, including another mosasaur vertebra, a couple of mosasaur teeth, Tylosaurus flipper bone, several shark teeth, including a large one found by Sylvie. Ammonite pieces, worm tubes, burrows, a tiny fish tooth, a fish vertebra, and oyster shells were also found. One member asked James to go check some bones she had flagged; he discovered they were bones of a recent rabbit, and as he was approaching her to return the flag, he asked "Are you keeping that mosasaur vertebra there by your foot?" Well . . . She would've had she seen it first! Many fossils are light colored and blend in well with the environment. It takes time to adjust ones eyes to be able to spot them. We also discovered some fresher fish bones, leading to the conclusion that the birds who regularly raid the catfish farms have been using the gulley as their dining hall. Though we were hot and dripping wet, we were willing to stay longer, wondering what was in the next gully, and the next, and . . .
After rounding up the gang (which is a minor miracle in itself!), we hiked back to our vehicles for lunches, then headed for the creek. Finally, time to get wet and cool off! Out with the sieves, from collander baskets to "real" geology sorters, to home made wood-sided screens. At least a dozen ptychodus teeth turned up - Claire may be the "winner" on these, she had found 6 at last count. Every screen we searched had several shark teeth, and other fossils were also found, including a large fish vertebra, gastropod steinkerns (internal molds), worm tubes, and one very nice arrowhead. We left relatively early (hey, some of us would have stayed til dark if we could have!), and many of us stopped by a famous BBQ joint to continue the fun and fossil discussion.
--Edited by Vicki Lais
(photos courtesy Bob Stewart, Steve Corvin and Vicki Lais)
James Lamb gives a refresher talk on rules about collecting at museum sites, BPS ethics, and landowner restrictions.
Typical Greene County, Alabama chalk gully.
James Lamb explaining gully collection techniques.
Even the younger members had fun.
Flipper bone of a Tylosaurus found by James Lamb.
Many "pieces" are scattered throughtout the gully, and according to James Lamb, they are all fossils.
Small piece of turtle shell found by Bob.
Some typical fossils found in chalk gullies - one finds hundreds of worm tubes, and only a few shark teeth.
Shark teeth are "normal" to find in gullies, but Sylvie found one whose size is truly spectacular for these gullies!
Large ammonite section found by Vicki.
Mosasaur vertebra found by James Lamb (right beside Vicki's foot, darn it!)
Fish vertebra.
Nice mosasaur tooth.
Another piece of ammonite.
Small mosasaur vertebra found by Leisa as we were leaving the gullies "Everybody just stepped right over it or passed it by without noticing".
After lunch we headed to the creek to screen for teeth and whatever else we might find.
One of the many ptychodus teeth found in the creek.
Typical finds after washing the sand/mud from the gravel - notice the shark teeth and the piece of bone.
Another load of "pay dirt" - fish vertebra, shark teeth, ptychodus tooth.
Closer shot of the fish vertebra.
Nice internal mold of a gastropod.
A laid back group, keeping cool, having fun. There were various groupings of people all along the creek - some went upstream, some went downstream. James Lamb is collecting material to be used in an upcoming exhibit at McWane Science Center.
How many shark teeth can you see in this picture?
Sample of teeth found by Bob.
Wesley found a very nice point.
Headed home after a wonderfully pleasant day of collecting!
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.
August 20, 2005 - Eocene Fossils, Covington and Cretaceous Fossils, Montgomery Co, AL
What a hot, humid day this was! According to weather reports, the temperature hit 97 where we were collecting, and there was virtually no shade. The first site we visited in Covington county was a real dud, for multiple reasons. We knew there would be a "constant steady discharge" due to some future plans at the dam. However, we didn't anticipate this discharge would raise the water level 3-4 feet above normal! This meant our normal collecting areas were underwater, way underwater, and we weren't prepared to scuba dive. We spent a short period of time collecting the few shells, teeth, and horned coral found in the banks, and getting hot and sweaty, then left early for our second site in Montgomery county. Much better collecting at this site! Members found a good number of shark teeth, ptychoda teeth, ammonites, and two unique finds, part of a turtle, and another item that we haven't seen from this site before, which is still being identified. According to Vice President Greg Mestler, in the late 1980's on another BPS field trip to this site, he found mosasaur skull bones in the same area where we found the turtle. Hmmmm.......
Once again, the group ended the day with a fine opportunity to hang out together at The Swamp, a kinda - sorta local eatery (only 20 minutes away, huh, Greg?) where we stayed way too long, but enjoyed the time spent with fellow fossil hounds.
(Pictures courtesy Jan Novak and Vicki Lais.)
Searching for shells, teeth and horned coral in the clay banks. Note how high the water is behind us.
The water was very high, severely impacting our collecting. Sylvie is walking in a spot that is normally dry. Even the island is flooded.
In spite of the high water, some nice shark and ray teeth were found.
Shells in matrix. They are very fragile and crumble easily, so are difficult to collect whole.
Ok, this isn't very productive, on to the next site!
At our second site, the water was high so a safety rope was necessary.
The site is cretaceous. Each layer has a unique set of fossils.
Searching for echinoids and shark teeth.
Greg explaining proper excavation techniques.
Ron found an unusual heart-shaped item which turned out to be a disk from a dear vertebra. It is very light-weight and recent, not a fossil.
Fragments found here are still being identified. Look just above the yellow handle to see the first "rocks", then straight to the left. There are some more fragments in the upper right quadrant. Some are probably turtle.
Closer view.
Greg has exposed more fragments, probably turtle.
James had an opportunity to practice making a protective plaster jacket.
Nice ammonite found by James.
Rychard carefully excavates an ammonite.
A close-up view of a ammonite found by Rychard.
Tracks of a recent visitor, a large alligator . . .
Paige, get out of the water, you look just like gator bait!
Ron's other interest is gold panning, and he gave some of us a demo, using gold bearing material he found in Georgia.
Greg, turn around! They told me to quit taking pictures of people's rear ends!
What a group of tired, sweaty people. So where do we go to cool off and relax a while?
The Swamp, of course! Our favorite restaurant on the Alabama River.
March 19, 2005 - Cretaceous Fossils, Greene Co, AL
BPS members and guests met in the parking lot of the rest area for a show and tell session prior to the fossil outing. Weather was fine, but as we got closer to our site, the rain started. After a drizzly start, the weather cleared, and it ended up being a great day. Surface collecting, or digging in one spot in the pea gravel, everyone found numerous shark teeth, several ptychodus teeth, fish vertebra, turtle shell, and a mosasaur vertebra. Another piece of bone found is likely part of a plesiosaur. The trip out on a slick muddy road was almost as exciting as the collecting!
(Photos courtesy Steve Corvin and Vicki Lais.) 
Getting to know you . . .
Checking out the show and tell.
No, it didn't come from last months Cherokee County trip, dang it!
Even the Easter Bunny came!
Arrival at the collecting spot (+ Steve, behind the camera!)
Some of Steve's finds.
Bobby and grandson Noah.
Lea and Paige, dilligently searching for more shark teeth. What's in your bucket, Paige?
Some of Paige's finds.
Carl and grandson Daniel, enjoying the day.
Claire, Leisa, and Bill. Notice the variety of "tools" being used.
Ramsey and Sarah came prepared!
Marjorie examining a recent find. What's in your bucket?
Some of Marjorie's finds. Nice fish vertebra.
Len and Daniel, way down the creek.
An untouched stretch of sand and gravel bars, no footprints in sight. All Right!!
Mosasaur vertebra found by Vicki, this makes 3, one per trip! Nice find!
Bone is about 5 inches long along the longest side, possibly plesiosaur. (Vicki plans to call it a plesiosaur until someone convinces her otherwise!)
Steve and Steve, with some of their finds.
Closer view of Steve and Steve's finds.