Back to Deep Springs Road Quarry with TFF members

[Jeffrey P]

It was the day before I was supposed to leave for Kentucky, but the only time we could all get together. The weather prediction kept changing every day, finally settling on cloudy with showers later in the afternoon. Tim (Fossildude19) and I met at 6AM at our usual meeting place, a park n' ride off Interstate 84, and drove up to DSR, stopping once in Roscoe, N.Y. off Route 17 at the diner for coffee and Tim's breakfast sandwich. It was my second time going to DSR this year, but I've been there dozens of times since I first visited the site in the spring of 2013. In late 2014, I introduced Tim, my new fossil hunting buddy to the site and suggested it might be a good place for TFF meetups because of the blanket permission to collect there, the easy accessibility and collecting, and the wide biodiversity and abundance of late Hamilton Group specimens there. The following year we did have our first TFF meetup there and the rest is history:

 

Deep Springs Road Quarry is the easternmost exposure of the Middle Devonian Moscow Formation Windom Shale, the same formation and member that is exposed at Penn Dixie and a number of other sites near Buffalo. However, the marine fauna exposed here is far different from those other sites to the west. Trilobites, especially Eldredgeops  and rugose corals are more abundant at those other sites. This site, which was much closer to the Catskill Delta, was likely cloudier and this less hospitable to corals  which are uncommon to rare at DSR, but more favorable for bivalves and gastropods. Trilobites are not as abundant as they are near Buffalo, but they are still common. While Eldredgeops trilobites can be found, Greenops trilobites are the most common species seen at DSR, and the second most common are Dipleura dekayi which are pretty rare in western New York. 

 

We arrived between 9 and 10. The temp was in the 60s, so good. Dave, (Shamalama), Mike (Biotalker), and Veenasaur and her husband were already there digging. I was Tim made me jealous right off the bat, finding the tiny comma-shaped bivalve, Phestia brevirostra, the only bivalve species I have yet to find at DSR in ten years of active searching. Tim did gift me a specimen a few years back, so I do have one in my collection. It was my first time meeting Veenasaur who came up from Massacusetts. I hadn't seen Dave in at least two years. I always appreciate Dave's focus on things most of us overlook and in the process finding real treasures of the prehistoric world. It was also great seeing Mike again. Last time was at Penn Dixie at the Dig with the Experts, roughly a year ago. Mike found wonderful examples of the rare tear-shaped scallop ancesetor, Mytilarca oviformis and Pseudoaviculopecten princeps. 

 

Despite being a bit hobbled having had a bicycle mishap the week before resulting in a broken rib, though I was making an excellent recovery by that point, I made a few decent finds:

My favorite was this smallish phyllocarid, Echinocaris punctata, both valves. It was in a pile of rocks. I first found the imprint and a few minutes later, the other side, unfortunately broken, but recoverable. 

 

Edited June 11 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

Another good find was this rock with two partial Greenops trilobites. The one on the top is missing its pygidium. Greenops specimens are rarely found in close proximity to one another at DSR. 

Edited June 11 by Jeffrey P

[Jeffrey P]

Towards the end of the day, I found this complete prone Greenops, about an inch and a quarter long. Unfortunately, there was some damage to the cephalon during excavation. 

[Jeffrey P]

Another favorite find was this inarticulate brachiopod, either Craniops or Petrocrania, I'm still trying to figure out:

[Jeffrey P]

Some decent bivalves, Cypricardella bellistriata, Pholadella radiata, and Pterinopecten unodosus (partly buried in the matrix to be exposed later, or not:

[Jeffrey P]

Another interesting specimen- this rock with imprints of the branching tabulate coral, Aulocystis. I don't recall finding this and somebody may have placed it in my box by mistake. 

[Jeffrey P]

Finally, there was this imprint of what I believe is Stigmaria, a lycopod root. While this is a marine site, plant material is often found here, having likely drifted here from nearby land to the east. Despite being hobbled, I am pretty happy with my finds of the day. Other times I've been to DSR I've done a lot more digging and breaking rock and found a lot less. The highlight though, was being with other TFF members, sharing our finds and stories. For this I am supremely grateful. Till the next time, have a good one. 

[Jeffrey P]

Oh, and if any other participants wish to join this thread with photos and comments, please by all means do so. Thanks. 

[Jeffrey P]

It just occurred to me- like a slap in the face from a heavy wet glove, that I forgot to mention Tim's wonderful find, a nearly complete Rhinocaris columbina (both valves) which won last month's Fossil of the Month award. Again, congratulations Tim and thanks for setting the bar so high and for your welcome company of course. 

[bockryan]

Great finds, the branching coral is a spectacular find

[Andúril Flame of the West]

Thanks for taking us along with you! The phyllocarid and the Greenops piece are very nice specimens that have me quite envious. I suppose that I will have to place DSR on the bucket list if I am ever up that way. 

[Bjohn170]

Looks like another fun trip! Congrats on the finds and thanks for sharing 

[Fossildude19]

I'll try to get some photos posted in the next few days, - things have been busy up my way.

[Collector9658]

Nice finds. Pretty cool that you found both sides to the phyllocarid. The small inarticulate brachiopod is also pretty neat.

Thanks for sharing.