The tracks again

A couple of shallow large theropod footprints sticking below the rock. (125 mya) The Main Brijun island.

A dinosaur trackway in Pula (100 mya) probably a large theropod.

 "Is that a dinosaur track on the bottom?"

A probable large fish feeding trace in Pula.

 A strange oval impression in Pula. Might be from a jellyfish.

Jellyfish are still abundant.

 Desperately trying to escape the fierce theropod.

 The wing of a "modern theropod". It is interesting to see how the feathers are attached to the wing of an ostrich.

 More ripple marks of a different pattern and an oval impression as a positive (Pula).

 A large theropod trackway (Main Brijun island).

 Several footprints of some messy large theropods left on the beach about 125 mya.

An early Cretaceous outcrop in Pula.

 A poorly preserved dinosaur trackway near Pula ( a large theropod?)

 Some nice 100 million years old ripple marks from Pula.

A Yeti or a Sasquatch footprint? No way. This is from Pula and it is 100 million years old. This looks like a dinosaur track to me. A very interesting track! If it is a dino track I am speculating about an ankylosaur footprint with a skidding trace. The ankylosaur dinoturbation was just around the corner. I am not sure about this one, because this is a lone one. However, the shape and the size of this "footprint" are similar to the ones from the dinoturbation.

Having epiphany, but lacking camera

It was a nice long weekend in Pula. It was a bit too hot and humid but on a bright side the water was warm and pleasant for snorkeling. I had an epiphany on a rocky beach we frequented over the years. While waiting to get dry enough to take our clothes on after swimming I took a good lock at the rock we were standing on. It was full of small theropod tracks! They were poorly preserved, faint and hardly detectable, but they were there! I managed finding a couple of trackways consisting of three consecutive tracks of the same animal in each trackway. Unfortunately, I didn't bring camera with me and we were soon to take our trip back to Ljubljana.

Some nice strong current ripples. The layer has been uncovered recently, so it looks like the tide has receded and left these traces just hours ago. In fact, it was about 100 million years ago.

Why do I hate ripple marks? Because they can trick you into thinking that you have found a dinosaur track! It is tough to be certain in a case like this.

Nice old ripple marks (100 million years old!)

A poorly preserved theropod trackway (Pula). Something is strange about this footprint. It seems like it lacks toe #2 or that it is very short (?) Could it be a dromaeosaurid? The theropod tracks in Pula that could be attributed to this group of dinosaurs are extremely rare. At the time (Early Cretaceous) Istria (ADCP) was probably attached to the Afro-Arabian continent.
 

A giant saurood trackway (Pula)

A small salt pond In Pula

Above: A nice natural cast footprint of a medium-sized ankylosaur (Pula)

Living on the hedge!

This looks like a sauropod pes track... or on the second look it may be an iguanodontoid track.. I'll have to check on this one.

I can see some tracks here ... hmmm..or do I?

Walking down the Cretaceous lane

A probable ankylosaur track (pes) from Pula. Outline of Sauropelta's pes (Carpenter) is on top of the footprint for matching.

In fact I am quite certain in my attribution, since it is not the only track of this shape and size there. With a bit of field work and mapping, the trackways could be identified. This was an animal of enormous size.

Strange traces in Pula. Possible theropod swimming traces?

A probable giant theropod track (natural cast) in Pula.

Another large theropod footprint from the Main Brijun island, that I couldn't figure out. A double impression, probably? Notice the giant "human" footprint on the left. I bet some enthusiastic creationist has put it there (hahaha)!

The so called (mini) "Pula fjord".

Trying the simple zoom on my pocket camera: A view at the Stoja and the steep Muzil cliffs near Pula. I haven't checked that place for tracks yet.

One of many Pula beaches. This track bearing one is my favourite spot for snorkeling.

The dusk pink clouds over Pula.

A poorly preserved giant theropod trackway in Pula.

Recent tracks and traces on a busy path through the meadow. Can you identify them?

Fake dinosaur tracks. Can you guess why am I so sure about it? 

Answer: This is Eocene flysch!

 A nice very large iguanodontoid footprint (Pula beach). I have found more tracks nearby that are almost perfect match to my red outline interpretation. These might have been subadults, because the largest ones I have found there are much bigger.

 A dusk over the Pula rocky beach. Dinosaur tracks became invisible and the swarms of mosquitoes irritating.

 What are the chances for these recent ripple marks to get preserved in this shape for 100 million years as a solid rock?

Wondering around and taking photographs

Some poorly preserved probable dinosaur tracks on a beach in Pula. Somebody has carved his (her?) initials in the rock (upper left corner), recently. I am almost certain a medium-sized iguanodontoid footprint is in front of my feet.

A 100 milion years old "flip-flop" impression. It seems like a No.46 or 47 compared to my own shoe.
It's a kind of track the creationists would probably die for.  However, it is probably a large fish bottom-feeding trace (possibly Acipenseridae). I have found many similar traces in Pula rocks.

The view at the Cape Stoja (Pula)

 Pula rocks.

 A nice amphitheatre carved in stone by the nature (Pula)

 The cliffs in Pula eroded by the strong waves.

 An interesting Pula outcrop that looks like a fresh mud, but it's a solid 100 million years old rock. It has traces of a strong current. Probably because of the fast receding tide. An unidentified dinosaur left its footprints in this ancient mud.

 I am always puzzled and frustrated when finding a track that I can't figure out. Here is a manus pes set from Pula. At first, I thought it might have belonged to a small ankylosaur. However, it has a certain resemblance to a crocodilian manus pes set. I am biased towards the ankylosaur provenance. On the other hand, the more I look at it, the more it looks like a crock's track to me. 

 A large, slender (?) theropod footprint with relatively long toe #3. It is a part of a rather poorly preserved trackway (Pula, late Albian).

The early Cretaceous track bearing rocks in Pula.

 

 

 Of course, most of the old buildings in Istria were built from the Istrian limestone (kirmenjak). Some Italian cities like Venice, too. The sun clock on the Bembo-Soardo Palace in Bale.

 

 

 

Fossil track bearing rocks on Pula beach. A large theropod (?) footprint can be seen at the bottom centre of the picture.

 

 

 Fossil stromatolites on Pula beach.