CRYPTOZOOLOGY ONLINE: Still on the Track: 01/20/13

WELCOME TO THE CFZ BLOG NETWORK: COME AND JOIN THE FUN

Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

Sunday, January 20, 2013

FORTEAN BIRD NEWS FROM THE WATCHER OF THE SKIES (CFZ)

In an article for the first edition of Cryptozoology Bernard Heuvelmans wrote that cryptozoology is the study of 'unexpected animals' and following on from that perfectly reasonable assertion, it seems to us that - whereas the study of out of place birds may not have the glamour of the hunt for bigfoot, or lake monsters - it is still a perfectly valid area for the Fortean Zoologist to be interested in. So, after about six months of regular postings on the main bloggo, Corinna has taken the plunge and started a 'Watcher of the Skies' blog of her own as part of the CFZ Bloggo Network.

Scilly sea birds get big funding boost

DALE DRINNON: Surgeon's photo, bigfoot, Benny's Blogs

New at the Frontiers of Zoology:

http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2013/01/another-note-about-sugeons-photo-at.html

http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2013/01/matt-moneymaker-on-cheney-reservoir.html

And at Benny's blog for Thelma Todd:

http://benny-drinnon.blogspot.com/2013/01/beverly-leech.html

And the Ominous Octopus Omnibus:

http://bennypdrinnon.blogspot.com/2013/01/space-angel.html

Best Wishes, Dale D.

NEWSLINK: Migrating eels

CREDIT: amalrik/Stockxchng

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Rare European eels from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia make an epic journey when it's time to mate. They leave rivers and brackish habitats, swimming hundreds of miles across the Atlantic to the Sargasso Sea, an open ocean region that is warmer, saltier, bluer and clearer than the surrounding waters.

This trek had remained a mystery to science since no eggs or adult eels have ever been caught in the Sargasso Sea. But researchers recently attached satellite tags to about 600 eels from different places in Europe and were finally able to map the route of the spawning fish.

Read on...

TODAY'S BIG CAT NEWS

The hunt for British Big Cats attracts far more newspaper-column inches than any other cryptozoological subject. There are so many of them now that we feel that they should be archived by us in some way, so we should have a go at publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in. In September 2012 Emma Osborne decided that the Mystery Cat Study Group really deserved a blog of its own within the CFZ Blog Network.

Connecticut mountain lion

CFZ "PEOPLE": Pringle and Samson

Dear Jon,

As you know our beloved cat Pringles (left) had to be put to sleep yesterday as she had become very ill and could not eat, drink or walk anymore. As you can imagine we were all very sad and feeling a bit down in the dumps but today a little furry angel in the shape of a tom cat from across the street came to cheer us up. We had gone out shopping and when we returned Samson (we found out later that is his name) came across the road meowing and wanting to be made a fuss of.

He had just moved into his new address and had come to pay his condolences. It was just what we needed. We fussed over him and then he went and lay down where Pringles used to lie next to the radiator. We had a word with his owners and explained the situation and they said as long as he wasn't a nuisance he could stay for while. Samson (below) the bereavement-counselling cat! It's as if some one up there knew we needed a bit of help at this sad time and sent him to cheer us up a bit. It's a funny old world!

Regards

Davey C

I'M YER GONZO BLOG DOO-DAH MAN

At half past five to bed I crept

which is probably why I overslept
I stayed up talking with a friend
but after all t'is the weekend

and every sunday lunchtime I
allow my inner muse to fly,
and I write the Gonzo blogs in rhyme
cos it still amuses me every time

One piece of advice, I think you's better
have a look at the latest Gonzo Newsletter
I'm proud of it, it's looking fine
and goodness me its #9
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/gonzo-newsletter-9.html

The other day on the telephone
I had a chat with Don Falcone
who makes some great music I'm learning
with his project Spirits Burning
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/exclusive-don-falcone-of-spirits_20.html

Last night a load of prog fans cried
at the news that Nic Potter has died
on bass guitar there were few greater
(he played with Van Der Graaf Generator)
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/those-we-have-lost-nic-potter-1951-2013.html

And now a very touching story
(which we reproduce in all its glory)
about Jon Anderson, its here
and his early days in Lancashire
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/memories-of-jon-anderson.html

And here is news (for goodness sake man)
of Gordon Giltrap and Oliver Wakeman
a duo who are dear to me
and their forthcoming new CD
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/bart-lancia-sent-me-this-news-about.html

And once again here, can't you guess
an interview with Chris from Yes
about the tour, but no I fear
there won't be new music this year
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/link-well-see-how-this-one-goes-chris.html

And now as I do every day
there is something that I have to say,
I've said it so often that you know it
"Ladies and Gentlemen, its the World Poet"
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/thom-world-poet-daily-poem_20.html

And finally, another thing I say
it's the Gonzo Track of the Day
its very cool so you must grab it
it's Trevor Rabin's old band Rabbitt
http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-gonzo-track-of-day-rabbitt-hard-ride.html

So once again my rhymes are done
and although they were lots of fun
in fact they've made today a fun day
and they will be back next sunday!

* The Gonzo Daily is a two way process. If you have any news or want to write for us, please contact me at jon@eclipse.co.uk. If you are an artist and want to showcase your work, or even just say hello please write to me at gonzo@cfz.org.uk. Please copy, paste and spread the word about this magazine as widely as possible. We need people to read us in order to grow, and as soon as it is viable we shall be invading more traditional magaziney areas. Join in the fun, spread the word, and maybe if we all chant loud enough we CAN stop it raining. See you tomorrow...

* The Gonzo Daily is - as the name implies - a daily online magazine (mostly) about artists connected to the Gonzo Multimedia group of companies. But it also has other stuff as and when the editor feels like it. The same team also do a weekly newsletter called - imaginatively - The Gonzo Weekly. Find out about it at this link: http://gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/all-gonzo-news-wots-fit-to-print.html

* Jon Downes, the Editor of all these ventures is an old hippy of 53 who - together with his orange cat - puts it all together from a converted potato shed in a tumbledown cottage deep in rural Devon which he shares with various fish and batrachians. He is ably assisted by his lovely wife Corinna, his bulldog/boxer Prudence, his mother-in-law, and a motley collection of social malcontents. Plus.. did we mention the orange cat?

DOUG SHOOP'S PREHISTORIC BISON

Jon,

Long story short. My parents are aging and divesting unwanted possessions. So today I took possession of an ancient bison skull my mother acquired many years ago. It turns out this bison skull dates back approx. 10,000 years or so, which brings it into the end of the last North American ice age. For years I never gave this object a thought, until today.

Upon closer examination it became evident that this poor old beast was the victim of a horrible tussle, as best I can surmise based on a wicked wound over the left eye socket. The obvious evidence appears to be a wound from an opposing male in rut. There is a gaping hole to the skull above the left eye, which upon close inspection appears to have become infected. I can only guess that this majestic beast died a slow, horrible death.