Birdshill Quarry facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Carmarthenshire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°53′19″N 4°01′58″W / 51.88865°N 4.03285°W |
| Area | 0.4 hectares (0.004000 km2; 0.001544 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1984 |
Birdshill Quarry is a special place in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it is protected because it has important natural features. In this case, it's famous for its amazing ancient fossils!
Contents
What is Birdshill Quarry?
Birdshill Quarry is a small area of land that was once a quarry. A quarry is a place where rocks are dug out of the ground. This particular quarry is very important to scientists. It helps us learn about life on Earth millions of years ago.
Where is Birdshill Quarry Located?
Birdshill Quarry SSSI is found in the beautiful country of Wales. It is about 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers) west of a town called Llandeilo. The site itself is quite small, covering an area of about 0.4 hectares. That's roughly the size of half a football field.
Why is Birdshill Quarry Special?
The main reason Birdshill Quarry is so important is because of the many fossils found there. Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of ancient plants and animals. These fossils tell us a lot about what the world was like a very, very long time ago.
Ancient Sea Creatures: Trilobites, Brachiopods, and Bivalves
At Birdshill Quarry, you can find fossils of creatures that lived in the sea. These include:
- Trilobites: These were ancient sea creatures with hard, segmented bodies. They looked a bit like modern-day woodlice or horseshoe crabs. They are now extinct, meaning they no longer live on Earth.
- Brachiopods: These are sea animals that live inside two shells. They look a bit like clams, but they are different. Brachiopods attach themselves to the seafloor.
- Bivalves: These are also sea creatures with two shells, like clams, oysters, and mussels. Many bivalves can move around in the sand.
These fossils are found in a type of rock called Limestone. This limestone was formed about 425 million years ago. Imagine, these creatures were swimming in ancient seas when this rock was forming!
Reading Rocks: How Scientists Date Fossils
Scientists can tell how old the rocks and fossils are at Birdshill Quarry. They do this by studying the different layers of rock, called strata. Each layer tells a story about a different time period.
They also use tiny fossils called microfossils. These are fossils that are too small to see without a microscope. One type of microfossil found here is called a conodont. By studying these tiny conodonts, scientists can figure out the exact age of the rocks. This helps them understand Earth's history even better.
