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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...

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Friday, July 11, 2014

FORTEAN BIRD NEWS FROM THE WATCHER OF THE SKIES


What has Corinna's column of fortean bird news got to do with Cryptozoology?

Well, everything actually!

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. 



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 are publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in. 

The worldwide mystery cat phenomenon (or group of phenomena, if we are to be more accurate) is not JUST about cryptozoology. At its most basic level it is about the relationship between our species and various species of larger cat. That is why sometimes you will read stories here that appear to have nothing to do with cryptozoology but have everything to do with human/big cat interaction. As committed Forteans, we believe that until we understand the nature of these interactions, we have no hope of understanding the truth that we are seeking.

  • BIG CAT RESCUE/OUT OF PLACE ANIMALS: Mountain lion...
  • UK SIGHTINGS: Rumours of big cats prowling in Glo...
  • CANADA SIGHTINGS: No confirmation, but wildlife of...
  • Australian Sightings

  • Judge sets 2018 deadline for effort to save lynx
  • BIGFOOT NEWS IN BRIEF




    Texas Bigfoot In My Backyard: Based On Actual Events
    Join me as I take you on a year long journey of actual events that occurred as we encountered bigfoot in our backyard. Not just once, but several times.

    Researcher Claims Bigfoot Buries Dead
    Mitch Waite is the head of mongollonmonster.com which is an Arizona based organization investigating Bigfoot. A few days ago he posted a Q & A ...
    Bigfoot Encampment Found Into The Giants Lair
    Recently our team made a discovery high above Kings Canyon Nevada in a remote region while searching and doing bigfoot research. We made one ...
    BIG FOOT/BIG FEETS/SQUATCH/ETC.
    People that believe Bigfoot exists in the Sam Houston Forest should be ridiculed, yes. Why? Some of them have obviously seen something.

    CLOSEUP of Bigfoot on Camera?
    According to Strange Mysteries Channel “Have we finally gotten a close up of Bigfoot on caught on tape? Out of all bigfoot footage, this is probably the ...
    Today in Bigfoot History | JUL 09, 2000
    Around July 9th, 2000 — My wife and I were chased out of the woods by what I am sure was a Bigfoot in the Lake George/Buck Mountain region of the ...
    Kelly Shaw Reports: Bigfoot Screams At Driver
    Bigfoot Evidence Shawn
    Here's a fascinating report about a witness describing what the Bigfoot sounded like when it was screaming into his car. This took place in Redwoods, ...

    Bigfoot Spotted In Virginia
    A man has uploaded a picture of which he believes is undeniable proof of the legendary Bigfoot. Check out his video also after the jump.
    Bigfoot Sighting Footage near Hoyt Lake in Buffalo, NY
    BB: Keep your eyes in the background, you can see a figure. Filmed at Hoyt Lake in Buffalo, NY. Related Posts. Bigfoot Sighting In Banff National Park ...

    CRYPTOLINK: Pensnett’s beautiful Grove Pool and its own ‘Loch Ness’ monster legend

    A word about cryptolinks: we are not responsible for the content of cryptolinks, which are merely links to outside articles that we think are interesting (sometimes for the wrong reasons), usually posted up without any comment whatsoever from me. 
    Grove Pool
    View from my back garden by Linda Beech
    The picture is of Grove Pool, part of the Fens Pool nature reserve.
    Brierley Hill and area gets talked down too much. Often by ourselves. Yet pictures such as Linda’s shows what a fantastic place it is to live in.
    Comments on the Facebook post would seem to suggest that others agree.
    Folk can say what they want about Pensnett, but it’s not so bad
    said Kevin Walker.
    Sue Bradley agreed
    I was born in Pensnett nad never left. It’s not a bad place.
    I was particularly interested by the legend of Big Ben. Pensnett’s equivalent of a benevolent Loch Ness monster perhaps?
    Apparently Big Ben was a huge old pike which lived in Fens Pool but was too clever to get caught. Mick Cooper commented:


    Read on...

    ANDREW MAY: Words from the Wild Frontier

    News and stories from the remoter fringes of the CFZ blogosphere...

    From CFZ-USA:

    THE GONZO BLOG DOO-DAH MAN STARES INTO THE SUN

    The Gonzo Daily - Friday
    www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/about.html

    I had a letter from the Village Hall Committee this morning putting their side of the position that led to us moving the Weird Weekend to Hartland. The way they describe things isn't as I remember them, and they didn't "give the impression" that the surcharge of £150 for the kitchen was because we were using a charity from outside the village, they said so in writing. However, I really cannot be bothered arguing the toss, and want to let the whole matter lie. I have posted their letter on the CFZ blog, and now want to forget about the whole sorry affair. Life is too short.
     
    In other news, because he is getting married in four weeks time, Oll has decided that his life is too stressful to carry on doing 'Yesterday's News Today' for the CFZ blog. Are there any volunteers out there who fancy taking it over?
     
     
    The latest issue of Gonzo Weekly (#85) is here to read or download at www.gonzoweekly.com. It has Raoni Metuktire aka Chief Raoni and Clearlight on the front cover and features an interview with Cyrille Verdeaux in which he discusses his work with this legendary eco-warrior and Amerindian chief. Merrell Fankhauser recounts an odd story about John Lennon and UFOs. There is an interview with Paul May about the forthcoming Atkins/May Project album, Doug Harr visits Queen in San Jose, and Rosie Curtis goes to a cosplay convention, whilst Jon muses about The Happy Mondays. There are also new shows from Friday Night Progressive, and from the multi-talented Neil Nixon at Strange Fruit and a collection of more news, reviews, views, interviews and newts in shoes (OK, no unlikey shod caudata, but I got carried away with things that rhymed with OOOOS) than you can shake a stick at. And the best part is IT's ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!
     
    The full list of artists featured is: Jack White, Yes, Jon Anderson, Jon Davison, Robert Plant, Dave Grohl, Greg Allman, Bob Dylan, Ian Gillan, Daevid Allen, Clepsydra, Michael des Barres, Merrell Fankhauser, Arthur Brown, Spirit Thom, Galahad, The Who, Marillion, Strange Fruit, Friday Night Progressive, Annik Honore, Dermot Healy, Josephine Pullein-Thompson, Wayne Henderson, Andre Popp, Erik Norlander, Lana Lane, Hugh Hopper, Mick Abrahams, Martin Guitars, Cyrille Verdeaux, Clearlight, Paul May, Rosie Curtis, Queen, Happy Mondays, Hawkwind, Scott Walker, Beatles, 1D, Cher, Iggy Pop, Weird Weekend, Joanne Hogg & Frank Van Essex, Lava Engine, Ancillotti, Blaze, Subway to Sally
     
    Read the previous few issues of Gonzo Weekly:
     
     
    All issues from #70 can be downloaded at www.gonzoweekly.com if you prefer. If you have problems downloading, just email me and I will add you to the Gonzo Weekly dropbox. The first 69 issues are archived there as well. Information is power chaps, we have to share it!
     
    To make sure that you don't miss your copy of future issues make an old hippy a happy chappy and subscribe
    http://eepurl.com/r-VTD
     

    *  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: www.gonzo-multimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/all-gonzo-news-wots-fit-to-print.html
     
    * We should probably mention here, that some of our posts are links to things we have found on the internet that we think are of interest. We are not responsible for spelling or factual errors in other people's websites. Honest guv!

    *  Jon Downes, the Editor of all these ventures (and several others) is an old hippy of 54 who - together with an orange kitten named after a song by Frank Zappa puts it all together from a converted potato shed in a tumbledown cottage deep in rural Devon which he shares with various fish, and sometimes a small Indian frog. He is ably assisted by his lovely wife Corinna, his bulldog/boxer Prudence, his elderly mother-in-law, and a motley collection of social malcontents. Plus.. did we mention the orange kitten?

    NESSIENEWS (Caveat Lector)



    Loch Ness Monster: The Photographic “Evidence”
    Stranger Dimensions Rob Schwarz
    Is the Loch Ness Monster real? If we are to believe the majority of investigations and searches for this cryptid, then the answer is no. But I wouldn't own 

    Loch Ness & Other Inland Lake Monsters
    One of the best explanations to date for the observed, non-hoaxed, related sea monster or lake monster accounts for Loch ness and other far north ...


    OPEN LETTER FROM WOOLSERY HALL

    Woolsach Hall Committee
    Woolsery Sports & Community Hall
    Woolsery
    BIDEFORD
    Devon

    Tuesday July 8th 2014

    Mr Jonathan Downes
    Mytle Cottage
    Woolsery
    BIDEFORD  Devon

    Dear Jonathan

    Thank you for your e-mail dated 17/06/14 to notify your intention to cancel this year’s event booking.  In reply the Hall Committee would like to put matters into perspective as regards the unfortunate misunderstanding re your Weird Weekend yearly booking fees and the catering.
    It seems that some very unpleasant and unflattering/untrue facts have been circulated in the public domain regards the community hall and running fees.
    We would like to take this opportunity to put facts right.

    As already made clear, the group who usually accommodates you in this regard had actually put in place plans for this year without the assistance of Mrs Bennett who had resigned as a trustee of the hall.  In retrospect we should have contacted you personally but were given to understand that David Braund-Phillips was acting as event co-ordinator.

    Hall Charges: According to our September 2013 hall minutes you were made aware that the charges for your next event in 2014 would not be discounted and would be charged at the going rate, as we cannot be seen to give preferential rates and need to adhere to the charges as set out.
    ·         The charging rate for this year was to be £270, (£216 in 2013) – a £54 increase.
    ·         The rate given for camping  £10 per unit per weekend.  (This includes full use of shower/WC facilities within the hall and kitchen use for refreshments).
    ·         The kitchen rate to any user is £15 per meal, and a extra charge for the usage of the crockery cupboard if required or, £50 all day/night usage, ie £150 per your weekend break.  This kitchen rate is universal, whether charity event, conference, wedding or party.

    This kitchen charge covers use of oil, gas and electricity as well as all kitchen equipment, ie, ovens, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, electric water urn and at that rate gives the user opportunity to use these items all day.  Plus of course kettles/toaster, microwave, crockery, cutlery and utensils etc.
    I am sure you will appreciate the costing involved in our kitchen set up, and the running costs involved.  We do try to keep our charges fair and they are well below the charges in other similar local facilities.
                                                                                       
    We may have given the impression that the kitchen charge was because the Small School was not a local charity but in fact this is not so, and even if,  Woolsery School, for example, were to have booked this type of event the charge would stand.

    The hall has over the years been absorbing the cost for the gas usage due to the fact that WE, also support the hard working ladies and their groups that use the hall on a weekly basis over your weekend.  We feel that it would be inappropriate to do the same for a group that has no connection with the hall nor does any fund raising to help with the upkeep. I’m sure you can see where we are coming from. We do feel that any responsible caterer one hires in would realise that fees would be payable for service items used and, profits made would be after this cost; we are sure from past experience that they would still make a substantial profit for good causes.

    We have also in the past, as you know, been more than obliging with regard to providing specialist lighting and sound systems which are expensive to purchase.   Our voluntary staff has also been very lenient as regard the opening and closing hours of the social club and hall which has opened very early in the day and has remained open until the early hours of the morning to accommodate your guests. 

    Apart from all this, it has been a pleasure to accommodate your community weekend in the past and we have been much troubled by the unfair comments by the followers on your blog & facebook without having the opportunity to answer said comments. 

    We would like to, despite this unfortunate misunderstanding, wish you and your followers a pleasant weekend and trust that the 2014 Weird Weekend in Hartland will be a profitable and successful affair.   Please note that despite this unfortunate occurrence as a gesture of goodwill the hall would be willing to consider host venue accommodation in the future if you have any problems in this regard.

    Lastly we would be obliged for this letter to be posted onto your website so that all can read the reasoning behind why all this has been raised/aired and for us not to be posted as a village Hall committee that is without a heart.

    Kind regards,


    Trustees of Committee Woolfardisworthy Community Hall 

    OLL LEWIS: The last ever Yesterday's News Today


    On this day in 1980 I was born and in one months time I shall be getting married. Today seems a good day for me to bid farewell to doing Yesterday's News Today on the blog. I hope you've all enjoyed reading these little paragraphs over the years.
    And now the news:

  • Enhancing green sea urchin egg production
  • Snapping shrimps: Females more aggressive than mal...
  • Whale rescue at Byron Bay complete success as hump...
  • Pocket Pets? Mini Hedgehog and Tiny Tapir Fossils ...
  • Cat in central Florida goes wild; owner calls 911
  • Meet Ida the Angora rabbit – she might be the cute...
  • Fish skin lesions, oil residue decline in years af...
  • Why whale poo could be the secret to reversing the...
  • They say to go out on a high, but if I'd followed that advice I wouldn't have had to find six or more different ways to phrase “On this day the Tunguska event happened” over the years, so instead I'll end on a song: