This hillside of limestone rocks contains a treasure trove of fossils. Crinoids, trilobits, scallops: all manner of ancient organisms have their remnants trapped in the limestone rocks. And somebody has gathered up all these rocks and placed them here as a stabilizing cover for the hillside.
Hundreds of people drive by and walk by here every day on their way to the grocery store, and ignore the millions of millions-years-old fossils on display in the rocks beside the lane.
Your task is simple. Choose a 1 m by 1 m square along this hillside of rock. There are lots to choose from.
Count the number of rocks in your square. Now count the number of fossils on your rocks in your square. You can estimate by counting the fossils on a few sample rocks and extrapolating.
Now estimate the total area covered by this rocky hillside, roughly a rectangle. Multiply the number of square metres by the number of rocks in your square, and by the number of fossils in your square. How many fossils do you estimate occupy this hillside? Email or message the answer to the CO Norshley at norshley@gmail.com, but don't put your total in your log.
Finally, take a photo of your favourite fossil-filled rock. Do include this photo with your log.
Have fun fossil-hunting!