Calvert Cliffs. Acrylic on masonite, by Mary Parrish, © 2002

The D.C. Chapter hosted another fun field trip to Calvert Cliffs in Maryland on April 26. Despite early morning down pours and an officially cancelled event, 14 people and 1 dog showed up to explore the ever fascinating Chesapeake Bay shoreline with it’s Miocene fossil filled cliffs (laid down as sediments in a shallow sea). In addition to intermittent rain, the tide was high which made wading necessary in several places along the shore due to fresh spring cliff falls with their accompanying trees, boulders of clay and other debris – including many fossils! But all were in good spirits and enjoyed the walk and visiting the Chestnut Cabin with it’s small rustic museum located in the basement of the old log cabin. A hot lunch of Mary Parrish’s homemade lentil soup and Mary Ellen Didion’s banana bread, cinnamon bread and giant chocolat chip cookies, along with German bread and various other delicacies brought by GNSI members and great conversation made the noon meal comfortable and fortifying after the adventerous morning of fossil hunting. A few hiked again in the afternoon and several joined Sherman Suter and his telescope at the cliff top to search for Northern Gannet, loons, Bald Eagles, Osprey and other birds that live in the area. Dave and Paula Bohaska, local fossil experts, described the geology of the area to participants. Many fossils were found and a great time was had by all!

Partial group photo (front to back, left to right). Amy Perlman, Catherine Griswold, Bill Discher, Margaret Saul, Elizabeth Glowatzki, Britt Griswold, Sandy Roberts (Chestnut Cabin Museum Director), Mary Parrish, Alan Saul, Heike Blum, and Dave Bohaska on a cliff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Not pictured: Mary Ellen Didion-Carsley, Perry Carsley, Ben Carsely, Sargent (Mary Ellen’s dog), Paula Bohaska, Sherman Suter.	Catherine Griswold (Britt’s daughter) and Mary Parrish show off Miocene fossils from the Chestnut Cabin Museum.	Catherine Griswold (Age 6) displays fossil scallopand shark tooth, and a modern fossil- the horseshoe crab.