BUFFALO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC.
Paul Krohn's Virtual Tour
July 2, 2020
Buffalo Geological Society Member Paul Krohn has invited us to host his “Virtual Tour” articles, originally written for his personal Facebook page. Paul is from North Tonawanda, New York and uses Facebook to share his photos and insight from local places of geologic interest.
First adventure of the day- Lake Erie shore at Sturgeon Point- 7:30 this morning. Water calm and nice. 1st set of pictures…
I found this little fella stranded on a small ledge on the side of the cliff- don’t know how he got there but he was pretty high up with nowhere to go. I cupped him into my hands and carried him over to the sandy beach and released him. I always rescue small animals of all types when they are in perilous situations.
The holes in the sand bluffs contain nests of swallows. It’s a virtual mini village or community of these beautiful little birds. I didn’t tarry long to get these shots because I was upsetting the birds. The shots of the lake were taken from atop the bluff where I had climbed up. Swallows flying about may be visible in some of the shots.
Next part of adventure. My secret place for rare glass sponge fossils in Allegany County. The fossils are known as Dictyospongia and finding them at this site is needle in a haystack/ finding hen’s teeth kinda stuff. They just don’t come rolling out that often. I didn’t find any today. I found two partial specimens there a couple weekends back. Anyway, I consider the site a mystical, beautiful, transcendental place and I find peace and solace when I go there- even if I don’t find any fossils. I love it there and am enraptured when I go back in. It is a timeless place that has seen very little human activity.
These are shots of ” fossilized ” ripple marks at the site indicating that during the Upper Devonian Period when these deposits were laid down it was a near shore environment where waves created marks in the sand just as you would see in sand at a beach in the present day. These ripple marks are gorgeous and there are four distinct layers or horizons of them at this site indicating fluctuating water levels. There are also much larger undulating sections in the outcrop at this site indicating a much larger wave base contemporaneous with the smaller ripple marks. This site has very complex geology and fascinates me endlessly.
Gorgeous scenery in that area on a gorgeous day.
Last part of today’s adventure/journey. The Hanging Bog near Cuba, NY. Read the plaque on the large rock for a history of the site. Also note the beaver lodge which is quite close to the shoreline. A phenomenally beautiful place on a phenomenally beautiful day. That’s it for my adventures for the day. I highly recommend visiting the bog if you ever get a chance.
Archived Virtual Tour articles will be posted every Sunday and Wednesday until we catch up to the most recent date.