Guest jeepbrew Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Well after seeing Hawkeye's post a few weeks back about the fossils at Catoma Creek, I had to go check it out. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?showtopic=7347 I grew up in that area, so I had a good idea of where to go. Then I took the picture he posted of the hunting site, looked on Google Earth and maps.live.com, and in just a matter of 20 minutes I knew the location (Then I messaged N.AL.Hunter and he confirmed I had indeed found the spot. So, anyway, the other day I made the short trip down there and picked up about 50 echinoids, several oysters, 6 shark teeth, and a few other things including some petrified wood that has been replaced by pyrite? (I am just guessing on that one) I didn't take any tools with me this time around, so I was limited to what I could either pick up off the ground or pry out with my fingers. Next time I will be more prepared! I have attached a small sample of what I found. Thanks for your help N.AL.Hunter and Hawkeye, whether you intended to help me out or not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefootgirl Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Hey, see I knew you could do it!! Great finds, picts and posting. Good luck on your next hunt out. In formal logic, a contradiction is the signal of defeat: but in the evolution of real knowledge, it marks the first step in progress toward victory. Alfred North Whithead 'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Cool finds and good research to find a locality. Now, don't go spreading that locality around until Hawkeye and N. AL. hunter give the green light or they may stone you with echinoids. -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Looks like you found some cool stuff! Sorry I couldn't outright help you but it wasn't my spot to give up. In a post by the Birmingham Paleontological Society, one of their members found lots of shark coprolites at that site. I wasn't sure it was the same place until I saw a picture they posted of the waterfall. If you believe everything you read, perhaps it's time for you to stop reading... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jeepbrew Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Sorry I couldn't outright help you but it wasn't my spot to give up. No worries. Apparently all I needed was a picture of the waterfall anyway! I forgot to mention that there are also quite a few casts of Nautilus at that site as well. Has anyone else noticed that?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Nice finds! Love the echinoids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Glad you got there. There have been large ammonites found at this site, but all I seem to find are their impressions. Hope you had a good time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtdauber Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 No worries. Apparently all I needed was a picture of the waterfall anyway!I forgot to mention that there are also quite a few casts of Nautilus at that site as well. Has anyone else noticed that?? I took my 8 yr. old grandson to the Catoma Cr. site a week or so ago after viewing Hawkeye's posts. I had visited the site on a work related visit several years ago, but never returned to collect until inspired by the recent posts. Thanks, Hawkeye. We collected for a couple of hours and did pretty well. We did see many highly weathered ammonite casts and managed to collect a couple (a Mortoniceras (?) and an Eopachydiscus (?)). Also picked up a large nautiloid (7"x4"x4") that someone had broken and discarded. I patched it up, but still doesn't look like much. Don't know the genus -- Paracymatoceras, maybe (?). Also picked up a number of the common Hardouinia bassleri echinoids, a few small shark teeth, a fish pavement tooth (Uranoplosus pycnodont (?)), a couple of small fish verts, and a small sawfish rostral (?). Haven't taken time to identify the shark teeth yet, but I'm pretty sure that at least 3 or 4 species are pictured (Scapanorhynchus rhapiodan, Squalicorax sp., and Cretoxyrhina sp.). Anyway, we had a good time until the young'un got hot and lost interest.[atta chment=32218:nautiloid_4.jpg] George 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Catoma Creek is indeed a special site, due to the diversity of fossils and relatively easy access. It's an especially great site for kids, since it's so easy to find interesting fossils. Since it seems more and more people are learning of the site, I'm going to respectfully suggest a couple of things that future collectors may wish to keep in mind. First, although it isn't obvious at the site (it isn't posted for example) (well, not yet), bear in mind that it is private property. The club I collect with has gone to this site for years, always with permission, and this year the landowner is balking because he is tiring of trespassers leaving messes. If you dig out an ammonite, please don't leave a big obvious pile of rock chips, spread it out or push it into the water. Don't leave trash behind, pack it out when you leave. If you happen to encounter the landowner, be respectful and keep your cool. Lastly (and this may be controversial for fossil collectors), think of others who come to this site to have fun. There are indeed a lot of echinoids (but only one species at this outcrop), but if everyone takes 50 of them per visit they won't last long. With a little care and respect this could remain a special site for a long time. Let's all take care not to ruin a good thing. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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