an old run....

I finally had some time to post this old trip....

I was once again fortunate to have a project in Pitt County (some months back).  Once completed, I had some time to sling some gravel in the Green Mill Run in Greenville, NC.  I was hoping to hunt with a fellow fossil hunter; however, service to our country called him away from the creek. 

So, once again, as a creature of habit, I made my way to the 10^th Street tunnel area unaccompanied.  I decided to first check further upstream to see what Cretaceous finds eroded from the area Pee Dee formation.  I ended up finding my largest Exogyra costata that had some snail predation holes and a wicked green patina to it (which it still had today).

I later spied a whopper that was comparable in size on the bottom of the creek.  The shell was still “in situ” with the formation.  After a few minutes I finally released it and was shocked to find it was complete with the “lid” intact.  This was my second complete specimen and it weighed a good three pounds.

I then dug around the bridge area with a usual broken and worn teeth found.  Included in the mix was a nice little Carcharodon carcharias and my first echondus fang.  I then found a good omen lying in my screen.  Sure enough, a few gravel scoops later I saw serrations in the mix.

I ended up pulling out my third largest Carcharodon carcharias, just at 2.25 inches.  I just love the coloration of it.  Even though the serration base was dinged, it is still a grade “A” tooth in my collection.

I continued finding the usual variety including Cretaceous coffee beans (pycnodonts), small crows, cretolamnas, belemnites and a nice little reptilian vertebrate which I believe is a mosasaur.

Enjoy….