GMS Field Trip

GMS Field Trip
Trace Fossils in Alabama
Saturday, February 9, 2013

So many members showed up we lost count, but along with another group there were about 30 people on the trip. Before most people had split a few rocks, Martha Brown had found insect tracks and a beautiful fern. Gail Leddingham, GMS Fossil Section Chair, showed us some trilobite trace fossils which helped others find similar traces later. Dr. Bob Madden managed to find the biggest tracks with pretty much the first boulder he decided to break down. Our hosts from the Alabama Paleontological Society, Milo and Carl, both identified the tracks as Attenosaurus subulensis and said they were probably made by a large reptile. Mickey McClain found a slab with several tracks meandering all over the specimen. Plant fossils were abundant and well-defined in solid matrix and were relatively easy to find. Though it started a little chilly, it was a beautiful day and everyone had a lot of fun. Hopefully we will be able to visit this site again next year.

Charles Carter, GMS Field Trip Chair
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We owe a special thanks to the Alabama Paleontological Society
by George Libby

On Saturday February 9th they hosted the Georgia Mineral Society, Cobb County Mineral Society, and others on one of their field trips to [a trace fossil site they helped save]. Extraordinary vertebrate and invertebrate tracks as well as beautiful preserved plant fossils are found there.

As a former coal mine this property was about to be reclaimed but the Alabama Paleontological Society stepped up and brought the presence of the fossils to the attention of the Governor and then the significance of the site was brought before Congress to gain a special exemption from reclamation and the site was preserved.

It is a very rare thing when rock hounds can actually influence our bureaucrats but this proves it can be done. As far as the trip goes it was a beautiful day as we gathered to enter the field. Many of you have read some of my stories titled “Thomas The Train” which I had discovered really should have been titled “The little Engine That Thought He could”. This time I found he could not or at least not carry the same load and left while others were still collecting. Actually I just got tuckered out but then this is not about me.

Many of you know Dr. Bob. Everyone there does. He came up with a beautiful slab of a large terapod tract, probably Attenosaurus subulensis. Then Mickey came up with a large piece covered with Cincosaurus cobbi tracks. Many others also found tracks, For myself I did get one piece. When the sun strikes it, at the right angle, and if you have a great imagination you might be able to see a cobbi tract. It was such a great piece that I even named it “wishful thinking”. I don’t know anyone that came up with insect traces but I have a couple of pieces of invertebrate tracks and plant fossils were all over.

No one went home empty. This was a coal mine so I was able to collect samples of coal and even took pictures of a “tree” that had seams of coal embedded in the bark.

All in all this was a great trip and if you could not make it, you will have to try for it the next time there is an open house here.