seashells 160ft above sea level, in the woods, Long island NY?

[Marko0916]

Walking the dog, at about 160FT above sea level on long island New York, in the woods, i came across an uprooted tree and i found a bunch of shells. Is there any way of telling how these shells came to this spot. I'm thinking before the tree even existed someone maybe dumped them there, just wanted to make sure.

 

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[Harry Pristis]

If the deposit contains a limited fauna - large shells like oysters and surf clams - it may be a midden heap. If it contains a wide variety of shells, large and small, it may be an old beach or tidal surge deposit.

 

[GMD52]

Here on Lake Champlain, in the Grand Isle region of the lake we have reminants of coral reefs. These date to the Champlain sea, when the level of the oceans had risen and engulfed this whole Lake valley with salt water. This could also be the time that the shells were deposited in your region. It's also interesting to note here that in the Town Of Charlotte, just North of where I live on the lake, there was the remains of a whale found, and this now on display at the University of Vt.

 

[claire]

Thats interesting Marko, did you find that in the Massapequa Preserve, near Croons lake?

 

[Marko0916]

Hi, the tree is located near jaynes hill, Long Island. I didn't unearth all of them but the ones I did we're all small to medium sized shells, some of them in tact, one was an oyster shell so the heap sounds right. Thanks for all your responses.

 

[Harry Pristis]

Hi, the tree is located near jaynes hill, Long Island. I didn't unearth all of them but the ones I did we're all small to medium sized shells, some of them in tact, one was an oyster shell so the heap sounds right. Thanks for all your responses.

If it contains a wide variety of shells, large and small, it may be an old beach or tidal surge deposit.

 

[Marko0916]

If it contains a wide variety of shells, large and small, it may be an old beach or tidal surge deposit.

Thx Harry.

They all look like small to medium clam shells, one oyster shell. Going to take another look sometime this week.