Prep of an Enchodus Skull

This specimen was found in a rock fall and had split into two pieces.

I glued both halves back together and then began to dig into one side.

The specimen was very thin and fragile

Here is the fossil after using an air eraser (on very low pressure) and applying a coat of preservative.

-KansasFossilHunter

Prep of a Large Fish Tail

This specimen was discovered in the Smoky Hill Chalk of Gove County KS.

It was excavated using the plaster slab method (as opposed to making a block or jacket).

Once the specimen had been partially cleaned, I began to shape the plaster slab:

Here is the finished specimen once the plaster had been smoothed and recolored:

-KansasFossilHunter

Discovery: Enchodus Skull

Enchodus (gladiolus?)
Fish Skull
Discovered: 12 October 2014
Smoky Hill Chalk (L. Cretaceous)
Gove county KS, USA

Enchodus was a medium sized predatory fish that had many large fang-like teeth. The jaws of this fish are common, however articulated skulls such as this are uncommon.

Before prep: 

After prep:

*I apologize for my blatant lack of a scale

-KansasFossilHunter

Photographs From a Day Out West

Taking Flight: Rare Bird Discovery

Ichthyornis (sp?)
Rare bird skeleton
Discovered: August 17 2014
Smoky Hill Chalk (L. Cretaceous)
Gove county KS, USA
Currently under preparation in the Sternberg Museum of Natural History

Radius, ulna, sternum, lower jaws:

***Images redacted, pending publication of research paper***

 Skull material? Coracoid, much still to be identified:

Information on Ichthyornis

- It was the first discovered prehistoric bird preserved with teeth

- Charles Darwin told Marsh in an 1880 letter that Ichthyornis offered "the best support for the theory of evolution" since he had first published On the Origin of Species in 1859
- It is estimated that there are fewer than a dozen specimens with this level of completeness

Open Skies

Discovery: New Mosasaur

Tylosaurus kansasensis 
Mosasaur
Discovered: May 19 2014
Smoky Hill Chalk (L. Cretaceous)
Gove county KS, USA

Here is the overall view of the dig site:

Once home, the lengthy prep work began. The skull is far from complete but has some very cool elements.

Here are parts of the skull once they have been removed and cleaned: