Day One: Wednesday, January 24th

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Arrival at the Montbrook dig site in the morning before the volunteers arrive. Sandbags are used to weigh down the tarps protecting exposed fossils and to limit the amount of soil washed into the dig site from rain.
Arrival at the Montbrook dig site in the morning before the volunteers arrive. Sandbags are used to weigh down the tarps protecting exposed fossils and to limit the amount of soil washed into the dig site from rain.
The squares around my dig area. Several gomphothere limb bones are exposed and will be put into plaster casts.
The squares around my dig area. Several gomphothere limb bones are exposed and will be put into plaster casts.
After digging into the soft sandy soil with a short screwdriver, I soon uncovered two gomphothere ribs and what appeared to be a few crushed vertebral elements. The fossils were moist when first exposed, but soon dried out.
After digging into the soft sandy soil with a short screwdriver, I soon uncovered two gomphothere ribs and what appeared to be a few crushed vertebral elements. The fossils were moist when first exposed, but soon dried out.
After digging into the soft sandy soil with a short screwdriver, I soon uncovered two gomphothere ribs and what appeared to be a few crushed vertebral elements. The fossils were moist when first exposed, but soon dried out.
Towards the end of the afternoon, I exposed the carapace of a Trachemys sp. with the peripherals still mostly articulated. This was my favorite part of the day.
Towards the end of the afternoon, I exposed the carapace of a Trachemys sp. with the peripherals still mostly articulated. This was my favorite part of the day.
My square after the day was over. Bags were placed over the exposed turtle shell to protect it until the next volunteer comes to finish removing the earth around it.
A gomphothere jaw uncovered by another volunteer that day. The teeth are more orange in color than the dentary.
A line drawing of what I think the gomphotheres from this site would have looked like 5 million years ago.

Day Two: Sunday, February 25th

Rachel’s square at the start of the day.
“I dug a trench around the exposed Trachemys carapace”

 

 

Drawing of Trachemys inflata by RK
Drawing of Trachemys inflata by RK

I also found many gar scales, alligator osteoderms (and a femur), a shark tooth, and miscellaneous turtle plastron/carapace elements as I was digging. I’m looking forward to my next trip out to Montbrook!

 

Day Three: Wednesday, March 21st

The dig site after a heavy rain. Florida Museum photo by Rachel Keefe.
The dig site after a heavy rain. Florida Museum photo by Rachel Keefe.
Millipede discovered after tarp removal.
Macrochelys predating a juvenile gar. Drawing by Rachel Keefe.

Last Day: Wednesday, April 25th

Mud cracks
Digging square
Trachemys inflata
Alligator mississippiensis by Rachel Keefe