Signs of life
There are signs of life everywhere on Westray. In this case it’s signs of life from 380 million years ago from species which no longer exist.
The huge lake bed which made up Orkney and much of the surrounding area, Lake Orcadie was warm and seasonally wet, with streams, floods, mudbanks and more. Left in the rocks are traces of worm casts from unknown invertebrates. Those paler curves are from small burrows.
That timespan is humbling, isn’t it?
More Fossils
Lobe-finned fish fossil The distinctive, smooth, grey rocks on Westray's exposed sea cliffs and shelving shore host fossils of fish which died 390… read more
Fossil on the beach at Lyme Regis There's what I suspect is a huge fossil Ammonite on the beach at Lyme Regis. It's the size of a… read more
Rettile ittiosauro There's an Ichthyosaur fossil displayed at the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia. They evolved around 250 million years ago and… read more
Gusci di molluschi I was immediately drawn to this arrangement of fossil shells in the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia. Glorious, isn't… read more
Fossil ferns and horsetails I'm astonished every time I see detail in fossils. Their age, the heat and the pressure they have been subjected… read more
Fish scales at Snaky Noust 'Scattered fish scales of Osteolepis are common at Snaky Noust.' From the wonderful Westray Heritage Centre. read more