Back in November 2021 I got the chance to go on a field trip with the Alabama Paleontological Society in conjunction with the Alabama Museum of Natural History to a Cretaceous Period site in South Alabama. I've heard about this place and seen many pictures and stories of discoveries but never been there? My hunting buddies and I decided to make this trip and signed up. That day in November turned out to be a pretty day but a tad bit chilly with blustery winds... at least the meeting site was. Once everyone who signed up for the field trip arrived, and a head count was made and then it was off to the site several miles down the road. We parked in a cow pasture and had to walk down what appeared a logging road. The site was just off that road and as you walked up to it, it looked like a moonscape with trees! The gray chalk glistening on a sunny day with blue skies in the background... it was an absolutely gorgeous day to hunt!
We had to descend down into the gullies by rope. While in the gully the wind was at a minimal and was a tad bit warmer down in there. There was nothing but gray material all around us for hundreds of yards.
After the introduction and group talk about the site and boundaries by the lead paleontologist we were off to find the treasures that await us! I didn't find much the first hour or two but covered a lot of ground. I went to the next chalk gully where I got on my hands and knees scanning the ground for shark teeth. I came across a broken one or two and then two of the nicest, colored teeth from a Scapanorynchus (Goblin) shark and Enchodus fish tooth I've seen and was happy to find them. The ground was damp and you could see footprints of the local animals as well has humans we call Holocene Trace prints.
I was exploring a section of the gully when I came upon what appeared to be fossilized teeth of a fish I was familiar with. Turns out that it wasn't what I thought it was but was a fish indeed. I was so focused on the objects that I thought familiar that I didn't pay too much attention to what was around it and then saw it after I picked up a piece. I yelled for the lead Paleontologist, he got word I was calling him and came over to see what I found. It was a fish alright an 85 million year old fish tail to mid section. We got to looking closer at the material and some fish rib cage were scattered about! After the lead paleontologist identified the fossil he and I started excavation. He carefully lifts those pieces and puts them in a bag to identify and piece together at the museum later... wow what a rush to see the process!
What an experience! It just so happened that day AI.com photographer was there, and he too came over to take pictures with me stooping over the finds. He and the publication he works for are currently running a series on ancient Alabama and this find will be figured into the series of stories... way cool! The link to this particular story is: https://www.al.com/news/2021/12/alabama-black-belt-among-worlds-top-sites-to-find-ancient-sea-monsters.html?fbclid=IwAR3T1ru0zUrn7Sc3qFo8T8PQTgtltZKU7MCgE8PWQFvfbfnV0raROTGumzs
The lead paleontologist recognized my find giving me a certificate stating that fact, and with a Facebook post several weeks later identifying the specimen.
Photos: Fish find photos above, courtesy of Adiël Klompmaker, Paleontologist of the Alabama Museum of Natural History
As most of my friends know I really love getting out and finding fossils every chance I get. I hope I'm making some difference in the fossil community and the state with my finds and some of them wind up in places for others to see and enjoy... I do find cool stuff! This is one of those instances where I got my fifteen minutes of fame... probably not so much fame, but I did get some acknowledgement for my discovery and that is what really matters as an Avocational Paleontologist.
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