Birchington fossils and fossil collecting
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Birchington is generally a poorly fossiliferous location but with patience some specimens can be collected. Finds include Echinocorys, Micraster and Conulus urchins as well as bivalves, sponges and belemnites. |
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Low
It can take quite a while to find anything in the wave cut platform at Birchington. Look out for the distinctive rings in the chalk which are evidence of echinoids that have been eroded by the sea. If you are lucky you may be able to find one only recently exposed and in good condition.
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Supervised Children
The foreshore is bisected by many small and larger gullies, so children should be supervised. The chalk can also be slippery where covered in weed.
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Foreshore
The coast at Birchington consists of low cliffs which abut onto a promenade, below which is a chalk foreshore. Although the cliffs do contain fossils they should be avoided. There is plenty of chalk to look over on the foreshore.
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No Restrictions
There are no restrictions at this location, but please follow our own code of conduct for all locations.
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Birchington
Tide Times
UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table |
The weed and the gullies of the foreshore can make the going a little tough. Wellies are essential here. Make sure you collect on a retreating tide and make sure someone knows where you have gone and what time you expect to be back. |
Last updated:
last visited:
Written by: |
19/08/08
2008
Joe Shimmin |
 
Other Locations similar to Birchington
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In Sussex, there are many excellent locations for collecting chalk fossils. Newhaven, Seaford, Eastbourne, Seven Sisters, Peacehaven and Beachy Head.
Kent also has some excellent locations, including Dumpton, Kingsgate, Birchington, Samphire Hoe, Pegwell Bay, Dover and St Margarets Bay.
You can also find middle chalk at Hookend Cliff, and Pinhay Bay in Devon, and at Hunstanton in Norfolk.
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The most common fossil finds here are echinoid's, of which Echinocorys seems to be most abundant. Look over any areas of exposed chalk for fossils. Although not immediately apparent, with time you should find something. What makes collecting difficult is the seaweed and algae, this tends to disappear during the winter months and returns during the summer, therefore collecting would be better out of season.
Wave cut platform of Santonian Chalk
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Cretaceous, 85mya |
At Birchington, the chalk is of Santonian age. It is the Margate Chalk Member. This member is Marl-free smooth white chalk with little flint and is weakly developed with iron-stained sponge beds....[more]
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Related Books |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
 Fossils of the Chalk
A fantastic book covering the chalk of the UK. This book covers most of the fossils that can be found in the chalk. It is a fully illustrated guide. This is the second edition of this popular book and is available from our own UK Fosils/UKGE Store.
All of our books have FREE UK Delivery, We have hundreds of geological books for sale.
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At Birchington, you can find Microfossils from the chalk. They are much easier to collect because they are so small that you only need a small amount of chalk sample. You then need to break it down in water and view using a microscope to view these.
Chalk is actually composed of fossil shells, so you only need a small amount of sample on your microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereo microscope for viewing microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. We recommend that you use a test sieve with water at different levels. Test sieves for chalk fossils should be 300 microns, and 500 microns.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are fully certificated to EU Standards. |
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