REDFERN WRITES: Chase Caprimulgiformes

Jonny,

It was great to see u again at the WW!

Back in Dallas now.

Thought this from the Cannock Chase might interest you:

http://www.chasepost.net/news-in-cannock/cannock-burntwood-news/2009/08/13/rare-bird-flourishes-on-the-chase-93633-24435989/

Best,

Nick

MUIRHEAD'S MYSTERIES: Two broods for Duke

Richard Muirhead is an old friend of the CFZ. I have been friends with him for 40 years now, since we were kids together in Hong Kong. He is undoubtedly one of the two best researchers I have ever met; he and Nigel Wright both have what Charlie Fort would have no doubt called a wild talent; a talent for going into a library, unearthing a stack of old newspapers, and coming back with some hitherto overlooked gem of arcane knowledge.
Dear folks,

There has been good news in today`s media about the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.

In today`s (August 19th) Guardian, headlined `Butterfly lovers hail Duke of Burgundy`s second coming` the following story appeared:

"One of the most endangered butterflies in Britain has reappeared for a second generation this summer for only the third time in more than a century. The short-lived Duke of Burgundy usually appears only in spring but a second brood is now flying at Rodborough Common, Gloucestershire, the furthest north a second generation has ever been recorded...." This is a really significant moment for one of the Duke of Burgundy strongholds. Second broods for this splendid butterfly are fairly common in southern Europe but extremely rare in the U.K.." Oates said [Matthew Oates, conservation adviser for the National Trust]...

Originally called Mr Vernon`s Small Fritillary, the Duke of Burgundy was driven to extinction in most of Britain`s native woodlands; the loss of traditional grazing accelerated its decline...Its suprise appearance demonstrated its adaptability, which is encouraging, he [Oates] added.

CFZ PEOPLE: Max Blake

Once again, another young person in the CFZ has been a grave disappointment to me. There was I thinking that Max, upon leaving school, would sign on the dole, and spend a profitable career hanging around on street corners and wearing a hoodie. But no. His A Level results came through this morning:

GEOLOGY: A
BIOLOGY: B
ECONOMICS: B

And he is going to Bristol University to study zoology.

What a loss to the world of dole scum.

Well done, dear boy, I am ridiculously proud of you.

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday’s News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

Cryptozoology news and bad pun coming right up:

Giant panda fans retrace steps of first Westerner to encounter the animals

Unique species of Galápagos Islands threatened by mosquitoes

Smaller birds tied to global warming

Study says global warming shrinks Australian birds

Butterfly swarms trigger quake scare

White tiger dies at Rajiv Gandhi zoological park

Snow leopards, meerkats part of new Binghamton Zoo exhibit

Algae 'carpet' swamps harbour

Brittany's battle against algae

This ‘algal-mesh’ is killing me… No sorry, that’s as far as I’m willing to go with that song, who do you think I am, Darius?