Fossils: the what where and why

Sunday 27th March 2011, near Buckingham

A morning indoor workshop and an afternoon field trip to the adjacent quarry

Location: full details sent on enquiry (near Buckingham)

10 am to 4 pm; £25

A fascinating course which will allow you to discover everything you ever wanted to know about fossils.  

The afternoon session will be to a local quarry to collect our own fossils and discover what ancient environments they represent.

The morning (indoor) session will use the tutor’s extensive collection to discover:

1.  What is a fossil?

Introduction: what are fossils, what they can be used for, and how to go about identifying them.

2.  Fossil preservation

How to become a fossil! A look at fossil preservation - how animals and plants become preserved and examples from those first life forms with no hard parts to the biggest dinosaurs.

3. What fossils tell us about the way they lived

A look at body shape and some different lifestyles. We become detectives to discover how they may have died as well.

4. What fossils tell us about ancient environments

Fossils hold key information about the places and conditions they lived in – they tell us about past changes in climate too.

5. Where you can find fossils

Fossils are not just found anywhere – learn the ‘tricks of the trade’ to be successful in finding fossils.

Then we will make a visit to a nearby quarry to look at the environment of 170 million years ago (the Jurassic period) and find fossils that are part of the clues.

An exciting and informative day suitable for all, no experience necessary, but lots of interesting specimens and the field visit mean those with experience will not be bored!

To enrol send a cheque for £25 made payable to ‘Dr Jill Eyers’ at 13 Pusey Way, Lane End, Bucks, HP14 3LG, marked clearly 'Fossils workshop' and the date you want to join in, plus your name and address.

If you have any enquiries or want to be put on the mailing list for other courses:

e-mail: rocksafoot@btopenworld.com

Jurassic oyster encrusted with many smaller oysters.

A fossil found on a previous course.

The quarry for the afternoon field visit (near Buckingham).

The walkways make access to the rock face easy.

Mammoth leg bone.

This is the top of the thigh bone of a small mammoth - a specimen found on a previous course.

                                            Ammonite

                            A beautiful specimen from the Jurassic clays of Buckinghamshire (found on a previous field trip).

A sea urchin with an encrusting bivalve.

Specimens like this can be found in the quarry of the afternoon field trip.