A Fossil Forum Hunt July 10 And 11 2008 At The Calvert Cliffs

[Guest michael]

a fossil froum hunt july 10 and 11 2008 at the Calvert cliffs

[Gatorman]

umm where?

[Guest bmorefossil]

im in but we still need a meeting spot.

[NJ Mary Ann]

I'm in...can I help organize somehow? What size group is right for the site?

Mary Ann

[Guest bmorefossil]

well for a normal site along the cliffs you could have 5-15 people hunting with no problem but if you get anymore than that it can get a little crowded.

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

My wife and I will plan for this trip as first mentioned in the chat room and then again on another posting. Just let us know where to meet. Will be driving from Northern Alabama.

[Auspex]

I'd love to meet up! Friday & Saturday are tough days for me to not be at the shop, but I'm close enough that doing one day out of two is possible. I'll try to work it out.

[obsessed1]

One place to consider staying is Matoaka Cabins. It is right on the bay and they have cabins as well as an area for tents. www.matoakabeachcabins.com

[NJ Mary Ann]

I'd love to meet up! Friday & Saturday are tough days for me to not be at the shop, but I'm close enough that doing one day out of two is possible. I'll try to work it out.

I think July 10 is a Thursday but I could be wrong...

Mary Ann

[NJ Mary Ann]

I called the owners of the cabins that Obsessed1 mentioned, and they sound nice - not luxurious, but clean and comfortable. We booked one for ourselves, and I believe they still have one or two left for that week. VERY reasonable prices. I didn't ask about the campsites. We have decided to go down there for the week...we've been looking for an inexpensive yet fun vacation, and this seems to fit the bill. So, we will have at least two kids with us, age 8 and 10, in case anyone else wants to know what kids will be there...:-)

Mary Ann

[Guest bmorefossil]

yea the cabins are a nice place to stay.

[Auspex]

I think July 10 is a Thursday but I could be wrong...

Mary Ann

Thu./Fri.; WooHoo, I can swing it!!!

[Gatorman]

Cris and I would like to go, but we don't know for sure if we will be able to make it. We will have to see how things are going closer to the time of the event. There seems to be enough members going that it would be ashamed to miss it, so we will do our best.

[Maryland Mike]

I could probably do one of the two days, sounds like fun. I would love to meet all of you folks.

Bring your waders if you have them.

There can be a lot of jellyfish in the water that time of year.

Is the site going to be the Calvert Cliffs State Park?

As I recall the hike to the beach is about 1-1/2 miles.

[Guest bmorefossil]

i figure we can go down to the beach at the cabins and walk north, heck you could walk forever. the problem with state park is its a long walk getting there and the finds arnt to great.

[NJ Mary Ann]

We'll bring our waders...what other equipment is good - do we need sieves? We have booked one of the Matoaka cabins, so we could all meet up there if it is possible to walk from there...I could have coffee ready (or other beverages depending on the time of day...)

[Guest bmorefossil]

you could take sieves, i usually just walk the beach and sometimes rake.

[Guest michael]

me and obsessed1

are leading hunt and NJ Mary Ann you can 2

[NJ Mary Ann]

me and obsessed1

are leading hunt and NJ Mary Ann you can 2

I'm best as "group mom" - I can keep track of everyone coming and such...you guys should be the leaders, as I know nothing about the area. Since we are going to be in one of the cabins I could also organize some kind of group picnic or something if we wanted to do that...

[Auspex]

Is there any access to the south side of the mouth of Parker Creek? Here's why I ask:

"The occurrence of feather impressions in the Miocene deposits of Maryland."

"On April 20, 1941, Roland W. Brown and William E. Salter of the U.S. Geological Survey while examining the cliffs along the western shore of Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of Parker's Creek, at the northern end of Scientist's Cliffs, Maryland, secured a fragment of coprolite approximately 60 mm. in diameter and the same in length. The specimen is irregular in shape, being roughly rounded, with one side flattened and the ends broken. The broken ends show small, striated areas that gave rise to careful examination by Dr. Brown and Mr. Lloyd G. Henbest who determined that these were parts of feathers, so that the specimen came to my hands for further study. The entire mass is well fossilized though somewhat brittle. Numerous parts of feathers are exposed on the broken ends and others show in a fracture where a thin piece has been split off one side. The shafts and the vane structure in some are exceptionally well preserved so that there is no doubt as to their identity. Feather impressions are found clear to the center of the coprolite, indicating that they are scattered through it in considerable number. The individual feathers examined seem to be contour feathers, mainly of medium size, with the close web characteristic of aquatic birds; several show strongly ridged barbs and in several the finer lines of the barbules are evident under slight magnification.

The impressions of feathers have been recorded from various localities and ages but so far as I am aware have not been reported previously from a coprolite. The assumption must be that this particular fragment comes from a large fish or a crocodile, both being found in the deposits in question. It appears that the birds of the Miocene had savage enemies in the water as do their descendants today.

The actual location of the find, from data supplied by Mr. Salter, is approximately 540 feet south of the mouth of Parker Creek, or on the first cliff to the south of that point, about 40 feet from the northern end. The fossil was exposed on a little bench in a gray-green sandy clay that overlies a broad exposure of compact, bluish sandy clay. Dr. Remington Kellogg, who has studied these exposures in detail, informs me that this would place the location of the fossil in zone 12 of the Calvert Miocene, the blue day below being in zone 11.

The specimen has been presented to the U.S. National Museum, and bears the catalog number 16,738.-ALEXANDER WETMORE, U.S. National Museum, Washington, D.C."

I need to find me one of them! (Or any other of the bird material that turns up there occasionally).

[Gatorman]

There seems to be enough interest in this trip to make it an official forum trip, even though Cris or I may not be going. So we would like someone to volunteer to take the lead for this trip, someone who knows the area. Their only responsibilities would be to coordinate hunting times with the tides and to act sort of as a guide to those who do not know the area or the fossils they are looking for.

Cris and I will be trying our best to make the trip, but for now we have no way of knowing if it is possible.

[NJ Mary Ann]

Michael and Obsessed1 (sorry I don't know your real names guys!) are trip leaders, and I am trip Mom. I will try to keep a checklist with contact info, etc for all who say they are coming, and organize some kind of group meal/fossil id session/hang out and socialize for Thursday evening. I will serve as point of contact for questions relating to meeting times, places, etc. I'll make sure everyone who is coming has my cell phone number. Michael and Obsessed1 will set the itinerary and be the guides, since they know the area well. Hope the division of labor makes sense!!! If there is anyone else out there who is coming, and knows the area well, and would like to contribute, please let me know. Many hands make light work!!

[Guest solius symbiosus]

Wish I could be there, and I look forward to the pics.

[Guest michael]

any who can come

[worthy 55]

Man, if I am in the area I sure will try to get with you guys ! So some one send a map so I can find the place or a phone # of someone I can call. I will try my best to get there.