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Dino Days 2007 was held at the Maryland Science Center on November 17 and 18. Among the featured events were puppet shows, fossil making etc. The Dinosaur Fund provided the visitors an opportunity to participate in a real dinosaur dig. Dinosaur Fund also loaned a large turtle fossil which was professionally prepared while the public watched.
On November 19 the entire third grade at St. John's Catholic School inFrederick, Maryland helped Dr. Kranz with a dinosaur dig project. Other grades will continue the dig program in December.
After a long delay the Call Box has suffered a setback. We are told that we will receive a letter explaining why they are not planning to go ahead with the project.
Dave Hacker donated 45 fossil specimens from the Arundel to the Smithsonian in November. The donation included teeth, bones and even a rare mammal jaw.
The suggested dates for Dinosaur Camp are out for 2008. 2007 had the most dinosaur camps ever. Perhaps 2008 will provide even more. Dinosaur Camp is family camp; adults attend with their children. The following list of dates are only suggestions. If too few registrations are received a camp will not run. On the other hand, if people wish dates other than the suggested dates, they may send a fully refundable registration fee stating the desired date.
For information call Dinosaur Fund 202-547-3326 Spring Break Camp Dates: week of 3/17, 3/24, 3/31. Summer Camp Dates: week of 6/16, 6/23, 6/30. 7/7, 7/21, 8/4, 8/21, and 8/28.
Excavation for curbstones at Dinosaur Park Prince George's County, Maryland removed and stockpiled a small amount of fossil bearing clay during October.
St. John's School in Frederick, Maryland is still scheduled to have its dinosaur dig this November. There is a very good chance for significant finds.
Maryland's Department of Tourism is working with the Dinosaur Fund in a continuing effort to develop the Dinosaur Trail. By 2008 it is likely that there may be some formal publication.
Dave Hacker has found bone near the intersection of Parkway Drive and Park Circle Drive in Hanover, Maryland. The Livingston Road site is still open.
Maryland Science Center will have its Dinosaur Days 2007 the weekend of November 17/18. The Dinosaur Fund will sponsor an outdoor dinosaur dig on one or both days, weather permitting. Contact the Maryland Science Center 1-410-545-5980 for details.
Dr. Kranz attended the new IMAX movie "Sea Monsters" with students of Hanover's Chesapeak Academy. As usual, the animation was superb and the script appalling.
There are some spaces still left for the Sunday October 7 Dinosaur Hunting along the Dinosaur Trail Trip. Trip leaves at 10AM. Contact The Dinosaur Fund at 202-547-3326 to register. Kinder Haus Toys is Sponsoring a free children's presentation by Dr. Kranz at 2:00PM on Saturday, October 13. Check www.kinderhaus.com for details on registration.
A meeting was held in September between the developers of the surrounding Property and MNCPPC to begin construction of the next steps in the development of the Dinosaur Park. This is progress.
The Livingston Rd. +210 site has yielded a very limited amount of shell and bone material today. It is still open, however.
St John's Catholic School of Frederick, Maryland has begun preparing their materials for a dinosaur dig in October. The Columbia Association of Columbia will join Dr. Kranz for a dinosaur dig on October 19th. A school will visit the Smithsonian with Dr. Kranz on October 25th.
The limits of the fossil beds have been determined by exploratory excavations. This will help determine the placement of infrastructure for the Park.
The Dinosaur Fund has sent a preliminary list of possible sites for the dinosaur trail to the Maryland Department of Tourism and the Department of Natural Resources.
The previously promised Washington Post article on the Dinosaur Trail Road Trip will now appear in the Sunday Source, September 9, 2007.
Walking With Dinosaurs- The Live Experience comes to the Venison Center September 19-22. Tickets are expensive: $30.50 - $82.50.
Finally! The housing site at Indian Head Highway and Livingstone Road in Oxon Hill has exposed fossil bearing Upper and Lower Cretaceous beds.
In conjunction with the appearance of the Washington Post article on the Dinosaur Trail, the Dinosaur Fund will run public field trip programs. Call "Dinosaur Hunting along the Dinosaur Trail". To register call: 202-547-3326 leave phone number and number of persons in your group. Trips will be Saturday and Sunday, September 15-16 and October 6 & 7.
On August 17, 2007, the Baltimore Sun published an article on Page 1 on Ray Stanford's dinosaur track collection. Ray has made the most important dinosaur discovery in the eastern US in the past 100 years. He has found thousands of lower Cretaceous dinosaur tracks at several sites in Maryland. For the scientifically inclined, Ray's article appeared in the 14th issue of Ichnos.
Fios Press Pause will air a feature on the Dinosaur Fund's Dinosaur Camp for the first or second week of September.
Remaining summer dates for Dinosaur Camp are the weeks of August 13th, 20th, and 27th.
Maryland's Dinosaur Trail is likely to appear in the Sunday source some timein August.
Walking with Dinosuars- The Live Experience is coming to the Verizon Center in Washington, DC September 19-22nd. Tickets range from #30.50- $82.50.
The Washington Post will be following up on the Maryland Dinosaur Trail concept in July. The Maryland Office of Tourism has also expressed interest. Perhaps by next month there will be concrete results to report.
Dinosaur Camp is almost full for the week of July 9, 2007, but other weeks are available. See www.dinosaurfund.org for suggested dates.
The Dinosaur Fund will be partnering with Field Trip Earth (www.fieldtripearth.org). Field Trip Earth tries to give children an idea of how field scientists work.
The Washington Sewer and Sanitary Commission workers thought they found dinosaur eggs which they reported to the Dinosaur Fund. Unfortunately, they were only concretions. However, they did also find some real fossil shark teeth.
On the evening of June 11, 2007, Dr. Kranz gave an invitational lecture to the Gem, Lapidary, Mineral Society of Montgomery County. The subject of the lecture was Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia. The lecture was well received.
Dinosaur Park Prince George's County, Maryland - Building construction is likely to start in June. There are also plans that may include a new pipe trench.
Paul Olsen has suggested that the Rocky Ridge site is probably the lowest known Lake Lockatong Strata (New Oxford Fm.)
Rick Fulton is looking into the possible purchase of the foot print quarry at Emmitsburg. Rick Fulton has also posted a website http://emmitsburgspirit.com/triassicpark/conifers.html
Dinosaur Camp will definitely run the weeks of June 25 and July 9. For other possible date check www.dinosaurfund.org.
Dr. Kranz has sent a proposal for a new tourist attraction called the "Maryland Dinosaur Trail" to the Governor and other state officials. The Washington Post is planning to run a preliminary version of the "Trail" in the "Road Trip" section of the "Sunday Source". The "Trail" will lead visitors to important public dinosaur-related sites in Maryland such as museums and parks.
This month the final papers for the land transfer to MNCPPC of the Muirkirk fossil site are expected to be signed. Also, excavation which may deliniate the boundaries of the fossil depost may begin.
Charles Hall Catholic School of Baltimore accompanied by Dr. Kranz went on a fossil finding expedition.
Dinosaur Camp Summer Sessions are still open but filling up. See www.dinosaurfund.org for suggested dates. Two Spring Break Camps ran in April.
The Chesapeak Children's Museum had overflow crowds on April 15 for Dr Kranz's dinosaur talks.
A fence has been erected around the exposed area of fossils at the future parksite. This was a request of Maryland National Park and Planning Commission preparatory to their signing the documents transferring the fossil land to the Park Commission.
Spring Break Dinosaur Camp will meet the weeks of April 2-6 and 9-13. Summer Camp meets June, July, and August (see www.dinosaurfund.org for suggested dates).
It is the same old song for the potential fossil site at Kirby Hill and Indian Head Highway. Clearing is still taking place. No exposure of fossils yet!
In March the Charles Hall Catholic School of Baltimore visited the Maryland Science Center and the Smithsonian with Dr. Kranz. In April they will join Dr. Kranz on a Fossil Hunt.
The Chesapeak Children's Museum on Annapolis will sponsor two public programs by Dr. Kranz on Sunday April 15, 2007 at 3:30PM and 4:15PM. Call 410-990-1993 for reservations.
Spring Break Camp is scheduled for the weeks of April 2nd and 9th. Summer Camp dates are posted on www.dinosaurfund.org.
Hope springs eternal this Spring. The Indian Head Highway site is totally clear of trees. Perhaps this bodes well for the imminent construction of foundations and the revelation of many lovely fossils.
You can sign up for Dinosaur Camp for Spring Break or Summer in person and meet Dr. Kranz at the Thomas Jefferson Recreation Center in Arlington on Friday, February 23rd from 5:30 - 8:00PM. For details call 703-228-7667.
The final wording and design for the long awaited call box have been settled.
Fossil Fest will be held at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum on Saturday, February 10th from 10:00AM - 4PM. Meet paleontologists and see fossils. For details call 202-633-1000.
Rick Smith won 2nd prize in a poetry contest with a poem about Maryland's State Dinosaur, Astrodon.
Excavation around the borders of land to be donated for the Dinosaur Park has been completed. Infrastructure will likely be developed in the year 2007 as bulding begins on the surrounding site.
The destruction and hence excavation of the old Landover Mall site has begun which means that Upper Cretaceous fossil maybe exposed in 2007.
As yet nothing on Indian Head Highway and Kirby Hill Roads, but we remain hopeful.
Capitalsaurus Day 2007 will be January 28, 2007. Appropriate events will be announced perhaps the display of the large recently discovered dinosaur bone mentioned in previous issues.