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...

Search This Blog

WATCH OUR WEEKLY WEBtv SHOW

SUPPORT OTT ON PATREON

SUPPORT OTT ON PATREON
Click on this logo to find out more about helping CFZtv and getting some smashing rewards...

SIGN UP FOR OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER



Unlike some of our competitors we are not going to try and blackmail you into donating by saying that we won't continue if you don't. That would just be vulgar, but our lives, and those of the animals which we look after, would be a damn sight easier if we receive more donations to our fighting fund. Donate via Paypal today...




Saturday, March 31, 2012

RICHARD MUIRHEAD: Over the Hills to Hungary



In the early summer of 2009 Richard Muirhead went to Hungary to help with various conservation projects. While he was there he found out about the mysterious reed wolf. This is his first film.

HAUNTED SKIES: Sunday Mirror 9.10.66


OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/


On this day in 1958 Mimsy Baraclough was born. As well as being an actor of some renown Baraclough invented the ‘Charsaiger’ and the ‘Crobiagn Orgematter’.

And now the news:


S.Africa mulls new trophy hunt rules to fight rhin...
Maquech Brooches: Living Beetle Jewelry
Millions of fat cats and dogs are being 'killed wi...
Anglers' fears over killer shrimp on Norfolk Broad...
Six-legged calf wins Swiss hearts
Scientists Clone 'Survivor' Elm Trees
Man claims attack by lion, saved by a bear
Tyson the vicious swan forces boat users to abando...
Most Exe-cellent cash boost for wildlife
Elephant makes escape bid from circus in Ireland
Australian developers see red as rare bird foils p...
Rare animal-shaped mounds discovered in Peru by MU...

Another invention nearly as epic as Baraclough’s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsQ6MpC1dzU

CFZ PEOPLE: Lars Thomas URGENT

1As regular readers of the CFZ Bloggo network will be aware. Jeanett Thomas (48) has been missing for over a month. Her husband, our old friend Lars Thomas, has been on Danish TV, and the story has been on the front page of the biggest Danish newspapers.

Appeals for information have proliferated across the Internet and the cryptozoological community has rallied around. All we can do is repeat that:

Lars asks: "Please, if you know, or have heard anything, let me know."

Contact Lars: lars_thomas@msn.com
Or me: jon@eclipse.co.uk

Our thoughts and prayers are with Lars and his two sons at this terrible time.

SMASHING NATURE REPORT INCLUDING BLACK ADDERS (No they are not just figments of Rowan Atkinson's imagination)


http://colinknight.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/mill-hill-adders-and-grizzlies.html

DALE DRINNON: Adaptive radiations, Tyler Stone, The Drake Manuscript.....and Fay Wray


New on Frontiers of Zoology:
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/commentary-on-adaptive-radiations-bushy.html


Tyler Stone Responds his critics, Round 2:
http://titanoceratops.blogspot.com/2012/03/sea-serpents-responses-to-critics-part.html

Selections from 'The Drake Manuscript'
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/selections-from-drake-manuscript.html


And Benny has posted a blog about Fay Wray as a victim of an Extortion plot:
http://benny-drinnon.blogspot.com/2012/03/fay-wray-victim-of-extortion-plot.html

THAT INDIAN CAT


Recently, all sorts of wild claims have been made,following an annoucement by the Indian autorities regarding a mystry cat which was allegedly photographed in the sunderbans national park. The original news releases where accompied by a brace of photographs which initially looked quit intriguing. However, on closer exemantion proved to be of two animals of known species; A leopard cat and a fishing cat. I noted at the time that who ever was reponsebal had kept the pictures of this new animal under wraps, so that internet pirate dudes like me couldn’t nick them and proliferate them across the aether.

However, some days had passed and still the pictures have not appered. It has been claimed that the animal a melanistic leopard albit in a place were leopards have never been seen. It has also been claimed that it could be a melanistic cat. This is likely to be the case,although with out a picture, we still have no way of telling. This is what the Wildlife Institute of India claims, I rekon that they are correct. But why not realese the photographs? all this is going to do is promote vulgar specalation in the cheap seats until they do.

Watch this space.

BIG CAT NEWS: Shropshire

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 in some way by us, so we should have a go at publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in.
It takes a long time to do, and is a fairly tedious task, so I am not promising that they will be done each day, but I will do them as regularly as I can. JD


Couple's 'big cat' sighting near Orleton
Ludlow Advertiser
Opinions will vary as to the identity of the black feline captured on camera but eyewitnesses Lin Forward and Dr Nick Ovenden believe they saw a big cat walking near Orleton. “We were driving back from Ludlow and went to the Goggin to see some deer," ...


Sorry I missed this one. I am still picking up the pieces after a disastrous week Internetwise...

BIG CAT NEWS: Scottish sightings

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 in some way by us, so we should have a go at publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in.
It takes a long time to do, and is a fairly tedious task, so I am not promising that they will be done each day, but I will do them as regularly as I can. JD

Big cat prowling around St Andrews?
Fife Today

Concern is mounting that a big cat is on the loose in and around St Andrews. It follows several confirmed sightings - including one as recently as only a few days ago - coupled with the discovery of the grisly remains of rabbits in one location on the ...

Two stories from Scotland, both referring to the same case, and with witness pics and a picture of a mangled dead rabbit...

On the prowl: Big cats spotted in Scots town
Deadline News
A BIG cat could be prowling the greens of some of Scotland's most famous golf courses. Residents in and around St Andrews in Fife have reported a number of sightings of a giant feline and one shocked resident found the dismembered corpses of rabbits on ...

Friday, March 30, 2012

CARL MARSHALL: The sad tale of the black fox

PART ONE.
When amateur photographer John Moore 58, took some shots of an elusive dark coloured predator near his home in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, he automatically thought it was an escaped dog, but was surprised to discover that it was actually a very rare, wild black fox.

Many believe that this fox was nothing more than a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) that had kept its dark cub's coat due to a genetic abnormality (Sun newspaper), however my perspective on this is that it could also quite easily be of a dark phase Arctic fox.

The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small fox native to the Arctic regions of the northern Hemisphere and common in the Arctic tundra and is quite adapt at surviving in various locations. However this species is at threat of being out competed by the red fox (V.vulpes).

The Arctic fox has a low surface area to volume ratio; evident by its rounded body shape, short muzzle and thick ears which assist it when dealing with the cold and are therefore more proficient than other fox species at doing this. (see John Moore photo's). Even though the Arctic fox coat is darker in summer, and thinner than the all white winter coat, it is still thicker than the normal winter coat of V. vulpes.

In my opinion the black fox in the photo's is possibly to small to be a healthy adult, melanistic dog fox of the species V. vulpes; of which it would have to be going by the thickness of the tail, also it has very rounded ears not dissimilar to those of the Arctic fox. (see taxidermic photo) However the mounted specimens ears are facing further forward than on the live fox.

The muzzle also seems to be too short for the red fox and the tail is far too thick to be of a vixen of this species anyway.

In the photo of the fox running through fields away from the camera, it appears that it has a silvery-blue sheen on its flanks just like that of the Arctic fox in summer, although this could just be how the reflective qualities of the light were catching the animal at the time.

There have been many reports of Arctic foxes surviving in the wilds of Britain as they were introduced here for the fur trade: some 150 Arctic fox fur breeders were listed in the British Fur Trade Year Book 1933 and considering the likely poor quality of some enclosures, escapees were inevitable.

I personally used to have a wild specimen that was previously killed by a dog in Nuneaton, Warwickshire in about 1979-1980, and mounted by my father. (see taxidermic photo).

This black variety would be a very unusual mutation of the red fox, but this colour phaze would be quite typical for the Artctic fox in certain regions in warmer months. This species often lives in pairs, so I think it not impossible that another black specimen may also turn up in the near future, possibly with cubs of which about 5-8 are born in a litter.

I have no doubts whatsoever that V. lagopus is viably living wild in the UK and I believe the animal photographed by Mr Moore could well be of this species, not V. vulpes.

So, whether a hypermelanistic red fox or the (very dark) summer phase of the Arctic fox, its certainly of huge interest for zoologist and the cryptozoologist alike.


PART TWO

More on the Mystery Fox.
Sadly the melanistic mystery fox photographed by Mr John Moore has apparently been hit and killed on a busy road in Bassingbourn Cambridgeshire.
The animal was seen running up the road where it was unfortunately hit by a motorist. Help was called to the stricken creature but it sadly passed away soon after; probably from internal injuries.

Mr Moore has claimed that he has seen another black specimen in the area, this time a cub, and intends to get photographs of it. (However it is a little early to see cubs, which are usually seen later on in the year. I suggest he may have observed another smaller adult).

The dead fox in the photo's does appear to have a blueish silver iridescent sheen to its coat, like that of the blue phase of the Arctic fox, however I believe black phase red foxes can sometimes be of this appearance.

This posses some thought provoking questions that may be answered at a latter date; was this an Arctic fox and are there any more out there, naturalised or otherwise? is it possible it/they escaped from captivity recently rather than being a true wild animal? Could this explain why the fox was seen running up the middle of a main road in day light?

Was it lost and hungry? was it trying to find its mate or even its enclosure?
Was this even the same animal that was photographed running through fields recently?


It certainly seems smaller.

One to ponder over anyway!

CRIPTOZOOLOGIA EN ESPAÑA: Bigfoot in Basque Country, 2011?

Right from the Spanish cryptozoology blog, Criptozoologia En España:

News in Criptozoología en España: Bigfoot in Basque Country, 2011 ?

All information in :

http://criptozoologos.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/un-yeti-cerca-de-irun.html

ANDREW MAY: Words from the Wild Frontier

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

From CFZ Australia:
From CFZ New Zealand:
From CFZ Canada:

HAUNTED SKIES: Sunday Mirror 6.7.66.


http://hauntedskies.blogspot.com/2012/03/sunday-mirror-6766.html

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

DALE DRINNON: Momo, Atlantis, Sea serpents, Unsolved Mysteries


New at the Frontiers of Zoology,
Photographic evidence for the FW monkey in Arkansas (a sort of a Mini-Momo?):
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/another-possible-fw-monkey-in-arkansas.html

New at Frontiers of Anthropology, Kakha Margiani sent in links regarding his theories, previously mentioned on my blog:
http://frontiers-of-anthropology.blogspot.com/2012/03/re-surveys-of-atlantis-3.html

New on Tyler Stone's Blog, Tyler deals with his critics:
http://titanoceratops.blogspot.com/2012/03/plesiosaurs-and-sea-serpents-response.html

And on Benny's blog, a reprint from a 1930s magazine about Hollywood's Unsolved Mysteries:
http://benny-drinnon.blogspot.com/2012/03/hollywoods-unsolved-mysteries.html

Thursday, March 29, 2012

OHIO BIGFOOT CONFERENCE

CAMBRIDGE -- The Ohio Bigfoot Conference 2012 will be April 29 at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center in Cambridge.

The conference draws hundreds of people interested in the mystery of Bigfoot to hear from nationally known experts, share stories and ideas, see old friends and have a chance to buy books, casts and other related merchandise.

This year's featured guest will be Peter Byrne, an adventurer who has led multiple long-term expeditions in search of the Yeti and Bigfoot.

Read on...

ANOTHER TRAILCAM `BIGFOOT` IMAGE...

This image was flashed across the Internet yesterday. Saskia, our intern, suggested that it looks like a wooden 'chainsaw' carving. Once she had pointed that out we agreed with her...


http://www.tricitytimes-online.com/Articles-News-i-2012-03-28-211415.112113-Experts-Be-cautious.html#123

I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST CFZ DOGS THAT DID THINGS LIKE THIS...

CFZ CANADA: Sasquatch –from the bottom up part 1; Big Feet

I’m still pretty green at this crypto stuff—I’ve only been part-time studying for about 6 years. My “real job” is researching hauntings phenomena, and cryptozoology is sort of aside. I’ve decided to share my learning journey here on this blog, beginning with Sasquatch.

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

On this day in 1930 Rolf Harris was born.

And now the news:


New habitat created for Endangered Southern damsel...
Florida Keys suffers invasion of giant Gambian rat...
Heath Fritillary bouncing back in Cornwall
10 percent of Europe’s butterflies threatened with...
Macaques in agony as they're struck down with hay ...
Pond skaters' feet inspire buoyant new material
Slime Mold Mimics Canadian Highway Network
Megafauna Collapse Led to Mega Vegetation Changes ...
USA Snake Import Prohibtions
Fears again for Dorset wildlife over dry spell
First butterfly of 2012
$1,000,000 to save 3 elephants? Ridiculous waste w...
The smell of freshly-cut grass is actually a plant...

I had vague recollections of Harris singing this to open the Sydney Olympics but I can’t find a clip of that anywhere so maybe it’s just a false memory - talk about missed opportunity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJleJbn9G6Y

HAUNTED SKIES: Sunday Mirror 2.10.66.


LINK: Urban Monsters

If you want to catch a cryptid doing its thing in America, common sense would deem you drive far out into the woods where humankind rarely ventures. After all, it's typically hunters and hikers who wind up having awkward run-ins with Bigfoot or the Flatwoods monster.

But city dwellers who want a taste of the supernatural ought not to despair. A deep riffling through the musty archives of American folklore reveal several beasties who have given up their woodsy pad for the fast-paced life of the big city. See what monsters could be dealing with condo fees and long lines at Starbucks in the gallery....

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2012/03/imaginary-monsters-us-cities/1621/

DALE DRINNON: Neodinosaur, Relic Hominids, Longnecked seals, Little Rascals


New at Frontiers of Zoology, reviewing some more info on US "Neodinosaur" reports:
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/more-on-us-neodinosaurs.html

Jeff Meldrum's editorial on Relic Hominids (complete Text, reprinted with permission) and I shall be following this up with commentary in a separate posting tomorrow (Friday)
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/adaptive-radiations-bushy-evolutionary.html

New on Tyler Stone's Blog, a summary of our conversations about Plesiosaurs Vs. Longnecked seals, and I am already working on the companion article of my own:
http://titanoceratops.blogspot.com/2012/03/applying-occams-razor-long-necked-sea.html

And new on Benny's Blog, a filmography of Jean Darling (of the Little Rascals) to go along with his earlier posting on her:
http://benny-drinnon.blogspot.com/2012/03/jean-darling-filmography.html

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Tristate Bigfoot Study Group to meet at lodge; everyone is invited

http://www.daily-jeff.com/local%20news/2012/03/28/bigfoot-study-group-to-meet-at-lodge-everyone-is-invited
Published: March 28, 2012 1:00PM

The Tri-State Bigfoot Study Group is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. March 31 in the "Stone House" meeting room at Salt Fork Lodge. The meeting is open to the public and there is no charge to attend.

Group founder Don Keating will discuss at least three separate incidents of alleged track discoveries in eastern Ohio since Jan. 1. Photos will be shown of at least two of those three discoveries.

There will also be discussion of the "2012 Ohio Bigfoot Conference" which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. April 29 at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center on U.S. Route 40 just west of Cambridge. For complete details on the event go online to www.ohiobigfootconference.com and click the links.

For additional details on the March 31 meeting contact Don Keating via email at eobic@yahoo.com or by telephone at 740-680-4542.

I TRIED HARD TO THINK OF A BASIL BRUSH JOKE TO GO HERE

Everything I am doing at the moment seems to involve canids. I am still struggling through the blue dog book, we are in the process of starting a project about the reed wolf in Hungary, and even my favourite webcomic is mostoly about mystickal doggies. Now, thanks to Bob Skinner, and Serena Cairns, I have heard about another rare canid...



RICHARD ON THE RADIO

Tune in to The ALL NEW KTPF Community show with Susanne and Steve Taggart starts tonight at 8pm http://www.spookyradio.spruz.com/

Join Susanne and Steve for their KTPF show with interviews with different teams and people within all aspects of the Paranormal.

On the show this week, we have Cryptozoologist Richard Freeman on the show talking about his latest books and adventures. Plus Paul Reid telling us about Battlefield Paranormal - the UK's largest Paranormal Event of 2012

With LIVE interactive chat plus news of the events around the UK as advertised free on Paranormal Events 4U.So why not pop in and say hello, as we encourage you to share information, advice and most importantly - Friendship.Meet new people, chat with friends and participate in a group discussion as we talk about all things Paranormal.

All we need now is you - Remember, this is your show - So Get Involved.Every Wednesday night at 8pm GMT on the NEW KTPF (Keeping the Paranormal Friendly) Show only on Spooky Radio...

KTPF ~ Where Membership is Just a Smiling Face

We look forward to meeting you

MYSTERY CAT NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD



While neck of one big cat was broken, paw of another one had fracture, Singh said. "The post mortem report has revealed that the two big cats died about for days back, due to which the reason of their death could not be ascertained," the officer said.



A four-year Ontario study confirms what many rural residents felt sure about: cougars are again living.



These big cats are elusive, reclusive, mostly nocturnal, do not like light and when spotted move like the wind. Getting a photo of one of these cats is not only very ...




By KENNEDY GORDON Examiner Staff Writer

It was a big cat of some kind, says James Anderson, owner of Phoenix Organs on Drummond Line just southeast of the city. Anderson was working in his shop, where he builds custom organs, when he and several other ...




But the officials remained suspicious whether there's truth to the big cat sighting because of a lack of evidence. The Waunakee Tribune this week reported the state Department of Natural Resources had confirmed a local cougar sighting, after someone ...


BIG CAT NEWS: Whitby and a quiz

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 in some way by us, so we should have a go at publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in.
It takes a long time to do, and is a fairly tedious task, so I am not promising that they will be done each day, but I will do them as regularly as I can. JD


Readers report sightings of big black cat and UFO
Whitby Today
On 29 February Caroline Russell, wife of Whitby lifeboat coxswain Mike Russell, said she spotted a large black “creature” at the rear of her Sandsend home. She said that she was in her back garden with her two Labradors named Dipper and Tig, ...


Only one story today, but our intern, the irrepressable Saska, is apparently a 'Black Panther', according to this internet quiz...


http://www.blogthings.com/whatbigcatareyouquiz/



SASKIA THE CFZ INTERN WRITES:

Jon posted this picture earlier which was a picture of a strange creature which had been found washed up on the banks of St. Johns River in Jacksonville Florida.

After doing research I discovered that the dental formula for the corpse was the same as a otter dental formula, but this didn’t bring me to a full conclusion of what species of otter it was. So I did more research and noticed the only species of otter to be found around Florida was the North American river otter. Also the ears are short and the neck has the same diameter of its head.

The corpse had three incisors, one canine, four pre-molars and one molar for the top half of the mouth, making the formula 3:1:4:1. For the bottom half of the mouth was three incisors, one canine, three pre-molars and two molars which makes the formula 3:1:3:2.

It was hard to come to a full conclusion as the corpse was so dismantled, the people who had tried to arrange the corpse obviously didn’t know what they were doing as the scapular seems to appear as webbed feet.

HAUNTED SKIES: Sunday Mirror 00.9.66.


OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/


On this day in 1974 NASA’s Mariner 10 probe becomes the first spacecraft to fly past Mercury.

And now the news:


Extinct frog rediscovered in Burundi
Another species declared extinct from the Hawaiian...
Call for ban on sky lanterns and balloon release i...
Environmentalists and oil companies form rare rela...
Hammerhead Shark Double Whammy
Saving Habitat Key to Songbird's Survival
Disappointment after rare feathers stolen
James Cameron Begins Descent to Ocean's Deepest Po...
Deep-sea diversity surprises researchers
Some Gulf Dolphins Severely Ill After Gulf Oil Spi...
Rare Charles Darwin books at Keys’ Aylsham auction...
Titanoboa: New York's Grand Central Terminal Displ...
Leadbeater's possum faces 'managed extinction' wit...
John Gould's The Birds of Europe expected to bring...
New scorpion species found in California

A video of Mercury:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3V2ecJpscI&ob=av2e

A FROGGE ON A PLESIOSAUR

A dude called Robert Frogge writes:

What if conclusive evidence surfaced that proved the monster of Loch Ness did exist... but it turned out to be a giant eel or fish instead of a plesiosaur? The simple truth is we would feel disappointed and cheated.

Well no, personally, I wouldn't. I have thought it was a giant eel for about 35 years. But don't listen to me, read what else Robert has to say:

EMMA HAS JUST ACQUIRED FOUR BUDGIES

...and for some reason Matthew wants to call three of them Peter, Paul and Mary. There is nothing else to say to that.

I'M SURE THERE IS A PERFECTLY GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THESE WEIRD FEET...BUT WHAT IS IT

RICHARD MUIRHEAD: Possible identity of Pennlyne flying snakes

This is not really a blog , more like a request for opinions really – A couple of months ago I thought of a possible identity for the flying snakes said to haunt the Pennlyn Castle area of S.Wales – peacocks. This is because these flying snakes were said to be bejewelled rather like the brilliance of the peacocks feathers and also because of the snake-like appearance of the peacocks neck. I know it’s a long shot, but...

What do you thinks? Also, in Britain at least, the peacock has been kept as a pet, perhaps at one point they were kept as pets at the Castle? The peacock was definitely known about in the West long before the 19th century.

Rich

WATCHER OF THE SKIES: black grouse, woodcock, tawny owl


As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time
Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men
and a regular segmenton On The Track... about
out-of-place birds, rare vagrants, and basically all
things feathery and Fortean.

Because we live in strange times, there are more and
more bird stories that come her way, so she has now moved
onto the main CFZ bloggo with a new column with
the same name as her aforementioned ones...


Leks have a look at black grouse numbers rise inWales
Welsh black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) numbers are on therise. However, this increase is only tobe found on those areas managed by the RSBP. The black grouse is one of the UK’s most endangered birds, once a commonsight on grass and moorland all over the country. Their numbers fell dramatically, there being25,000 breeding pairs in 1970 and just 5,000 by 2005, presumably due to theencroachment of housing into the countryside and more intensive farmingmethods. But in Wales the bird’spopulation may have trebled over the last 15 years.
Picture: RSPB


RSPB Cymru's head of biodiversity Stephen Bladwell said: "Thebreeding season is between mid-March and mid-May.
"During those times the male birds put on elaborate courting ritualscalled leks, where they puff out their throats and tails, make distinctivecalls and dance to attract females."
"That obviously makes them much easier to count. Whilst the hensusually remain camouflaged, we can count the cocks, and estimate the overallpopulation from that."
"We've been successful in working with farmers and other agenciesto help create the sort of environments where they thrive - moorland wildernessareas with supplies of their favourite foods, fresh heather shoots and varioussmall berries."
"We've also had a couple of dry Junes, which is essential inhelping to reduce chick mortality and introduce new blood into the followingyear's breeding pool."
But he warned that the black grouse is still far from safe.
In Scotland the black grouse population has also rallied, with someexperts now calling for Welsh and Scottish birds to be cross-bred in order tobroaden the gene pool and prevent localised diseases and conditions

‘Satnav’ system to track the dwindling woodcockpopulations
The woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) isScotland’s most secretive bird and its numbers fell by around 86% between 1970and 2007. The wader migrates to northern Europe and Russia to breed each yearand this year The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is going to usesatellite technology to follow 12 woodcocks on their migration.
However, it doeshave to be noted that the woodcock can be hunted in Scotland, apart from Sundaysand Christmas Day that is. The samerules apply for England and Wales too apparently.
“Perhaps the most immediate result of thisproject would be a dialogue in Europe about bag limits and sustainability inshooting,” said Dr Andrew Hoodless of the Game & Wildlife ConservationTrust. “We’re not advocating voluntary bans or some sort of restriction onhunting at this stage but it’s something we may look at in the future.”
There is currentlyno limit on the number of woodcocks that can be hunted in the UK, although somelimits exist in other European countries including France, Italy and Portugal.Between three and four million woodcocks are hunted each year across Europe.
Photo: Wikipedia


Woodcocks aresecretive birds that are rarely spotted in the wild. Hoodless said: “I amconvinced that by following our 12 satellite tagged birds we will soon havesome revealing insights into the migration strategies of woodcocks acrossEurope.
“This informationis essential for sound conservation management of the species as well as beingof fascination to us all.”
He added that theproject is hoping to expand the number of birds it monitors over the next year.
“We are looking totag a further 20 woodcocks over the next two winters to ensure a scientificallyvalid analysis,” Hoodless said. “Woodcocks generally live for three to fouryears so we’re hoping that with some of the birds we will be able to followthem for several seasons and watch their repeated migratory patterns.”
To follow the birdson their journeys log on to www.woodcockwatch.com

Tawnyowls
According to the South Nottinghamshire Ringing Groupblogspot, a tawny owl was found sitting on four eggs on 10th January this year in thecounty! And it is very unusual to find these birds breeding that early in theyear. You can read more about thisdiscovery at: http://southnottsringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/very-early-tawny-owl.html



HAUNTED SKIES: Sun (The) 21.9.66

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today



On this day in 1960 the actor Chris Barrie was born. Barrie is best known for the roles of Arnold Rimmer in the Sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, Gordan Brittas in the Brittas Empire and as Hilary in the Tomb Raider films.
And now the news:

Sea Monster Washes Ashore in SC
Sport hunting lion and leopard? Baited hunts and h...
Bigfoot trip leader forgets one thing, a park perm...
Largest Hailstone Confirmed in Hawaii
Possible new lead in Peking Man fossils mystery
In Wild Winter, Citizen Scientists See Where and W...

A collection of humorous clips from the Brittas Empire:

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

RICHARD ON THE KEVIN MOORE SHOW

NEIL ARNOLD: The Satanic Ape

The Satanic Ape

In the case of some zooform phenomena, it seems that we are dealing with negative energy as a conjurer of monsters. For instance, the county of Essex has several cases of weird manifestations presenting themselves, but they are forms which clearly are not of some biological or zoological order. At Wallasea Island there was once a place called the Devil’s House which sat on the bleak marshlands flanking the River Crouch. The house, was more for a farm-like abode and took its sinister name from its owner, a chap named Daville, although author Eric Maple notes that’, according to the old records it was known as Demon’s Tenement as far back as the time of Charles II.’

At first the building seemed like many a haunted house in that local folk would refuse to stay in it because of the strange atmospheres and sudden drops in temperature. On other occasions weird sounds were heard, such as the flapping of wings and an overwhelming sense of dread would follow. Such a fear seemed justified when a sergeant, serving in the First World War decided to put the legends to bed and stayed the night in the building. The following morning the sergeant was found in such a terrible state, his pale complexion and refusal to speak had locals worried. Another man claimed that he had heard to sound of wings flapping suggesting some giant yet unseen bird was soaring above but the ghostly reputation of the place took a knock when one evening it was reported that a hideous spectre with horns and a long tail was explained by a stray bullock which had sought shelter in the hayloft after being pursued by a dog. However, during one particular harvest a local labourer experienced a terrible creature whilst working in one of the barns. He had heard his name being called on several occasions and the sudden drop in temperature told him that something wasn’t right. Although spooked, the man continued his work when suddenly he felt as though he was possessed and had a sudden urge to commit suicide. The labourer found a piece of old rope, fastened it around his neck as a noose and climbed a ladder to tie the rope around a beam. A voice rasped, “Do it, do it” in his ear but then something even more bizarre happened. Looking upward the man saw a terrible ape-like creature swinging from the timbers. The phantom ape had bright yellow eyes that glowed in the gloom. It appeared rather slim in form and was completely black in colour. This hideous apparition seemed to jolt him out of his suicidal trance and scrambled down the ladder and fled the barn.

Locals believed the ghastly experiences that had taken place in the building were the product of Devil worship which had taken place years before. Such negative energy, depending on the individual who experiences it, seems to have the ability to prey on the human psyche and cast out weird, absurd holographic-type entities which feed on fear. Such devils can take on many forms, either as unseen poltergeists which hurl items around the place or attack their victims, to nefarious familiars ranging from disfigured demonic cats, headless black dogs, and goodness knows what else.

CFZ PEOPLE: Emma Osborne

SHUKERNATURE: Karl on Mongabay

Karl on Mongabay, Wayhay, Go and read it there today... Its not quite a haiku but it will do... http://www.karlshuker.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/my-interview-with-mongabaycom-on-new.html

DALE DRINNON: Mokele mbembe, Dogman, Little Rascals

New at the Frontiers of Zoology:
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/was-mokele-mbembe-killed-at-lake-tele.html 

Tyler Stone's Followup article on Dogman can be found at: http://titanoceratops.blogspot.com/2012/03/dogman-product-of-popular-culture.html 

And Benny's blog has a Feature on Jean Darling of The Little Rascals (Somebody he had actually corresponded with over the internet)
http://benny-drinnon.blogspot.com/2012/03/jean-darling.html

IN WHICH WE NEARLY GET A MACAW

It started a few weeks ago when this entry appeared on Bideford Freecycle:

OFFER: Blue and Gold Macaw i cannot continue with her.
Blue and Gold Macaw i cannot continue with her. females she is prettytame and seven years old now. comes with papers, sprays, cage, perch,food and toys. We don't want any re homing fee because we want her to goto a loving home.


It may be unrealistic but I have always wanted a macaw so I repliued. Two days later we received this:


Hello dear,

I am sorry for the late reply. The Parrot is still available .She is home train, hand fed and well tame.. She loves to be pampered with her and above all keeps to instructions especially in English. She is DNA tested and will be coming with all vet documents and with cage food toys and food. She is very friendly and loving. She loves the company of kids and other pets at home. She has been hand raised since She was 14 days old and is played with every day, So she is very well socialized for human interaction! She will make an excellent companion to the responsible bird lover.She has been fed only with high quality foods. This lovely parrot has been weaned onto Zupreem Avian Maintenance Pellets, Nutriberries, Avicakes, fruits, veggies, Hempseed, homemade parrot foods, and more! She is called Tina and her nick name is Buddy and she is 7 years old.she vocabulary consists of hello, I love you, look at me, Thank you, goodbye, ok, ouch and loves dancing when you sing to her. She loves giving kisses and getting kisses back. She is constantly surrounded by my children 3/5/6 and a dog, cat and a pup. She comes with all her toys. She is not a plucker ,We want her to go to a good home. I love Tina and I'm trying to place her in the best home possible. If you don't mind i will like to know a little about you:

1) have you had a bird before ?

2) will you send us monthly pictures?

3) where is your location ?

God bless and waiting to read from you soon. Extend my greeting to your family. Regards Brenda

And then after I had replied to it, another letter claiming that she lived in Glasgow and needed my bank information....

Oh well.

It looks like the Nigerian Bank Scam has sprouted a new variant.

Monday, March 26, 2012

HAUNTED SKIES: Sun (The) 20.12.66.

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/


On this day in 2004 HMS Scylla was sunk off the Cornish coast to become an artificial reef.


And now the news:


'King of Wasps' found in Indonesia: Two-and-a-half...
Dairy Cows Have Individual Temperaments
One Year Later, Rehabilitated Golden Eagle's Path ...
Zoo Diet Linked to Dip in Baby Rhino Births
Game show host Bob Barker pays elephants' airfare
North Campus cougar: Searching the woods for the r...
Mysterious ‘Zombie’ Disease Is Afflicting Thousand...
Four-legged chicken bought from supermarket scares...
Titanoboa - The Largest Snake Ever Lived
Tracking Lake Erie Water Snake in Fight Against In...
Killer whales in Co. Cork
An Extinct Species of Scops Owl Has Been Discovere...
Swiss circus forces chubby elephants to diet
Amazon road spells disaster for Indians & wildlife...


A short film of diving aboard the Scylla:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xea-lTyD68

DALE DRINNON: Giant bats, bigfoot, neanderthals, dogman


Continuing the Giant Bat Photo Story: http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/re-giant-bat-photo.html

And on comparing the Eastern Bigfoot to the known fossil type of Heidelberg Man:
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2012/03/homo-sapiens-heidelbergensis-big-daddy.html
(With a little clarification about Neanderthaloids in general, and why if the Heidelbergers and Neanderthalers are to be classified together, their subspecies is neanderthalensis by priority and both types may be called Neanderthals sensuo lato.

On Frontiers of Anthropology another connection between Precolumbian Mayans and Georgia in that Georgia produces a blue pigment very popular in Mayan paintings:
http://frontiers-of-anthropology.blogspot.com/2012/03/did-mayas-famous-blue-pigment-come-from.html

My guest blog on Dogman at Tyler Stone's blog just came through also:
http://titanoceratops.blogspot.com/2012/03/dissecting-dogman-guest-blog-by-dale.html

ANDREW MAY: Words from the Wild Frontier

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

From Nick Redfern's "There's Something in the Woods...":
From CFZ Australia:

BLOGGO: Everything is on a go-slow today



OUR BROADBAND VEERS BETWEEN NON-EXISTENT AND THE SPEED OF A THREE TOED SLOTH WITH A DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS AND A SEVERE LACK OF MOTIVATION. THE BLOGS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE TODAY IS HELD UP AS A RESULT OF THIS. SORRY...

RICHARD FREEMAN RECOMMENDS THIS SITE

JON AND CORINNA IN THE BIDEFORD POST








Sunday, March 25, 2012

BIG CAT NEWS: Mystery cat stories from around the world


Although the main focus of the Big Cat Study Group is the search for British Big Cats, it would be unwise to forget that this seems to be a truly global phenomenon, so once in a while we give you a round up of mystery cat news from around the world...



By Rick Meril

Officially, cougars were considered to have been wiped out by the early 1900s across all of Eastern Canada, but a recently published four-year study confirmed that though the big cats remain elusive, they are once again living wild in Ontario.




The big cat was seen at about 9 am in the first block of Bel Roche Court. Residents who see a mountain lion are advised never to approach the animal. Anyone who encounters a mountain lion should face the animal, make noise and try to appear larger by ...



But the officials remained suspicious whether there's truth to the big cat sighting because of a lack of evidence. The Waunakee Tribune this week reported the state Department of Natural Resources had confirmed a local cougar sighting, after someone ...

BIG CAT NEWS: The Farmers Weekly

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 in some way by us, so we should have a go at publishing a regular round-up of the stories as they come in.
It takes a long time to do, and is a fairly tedious task, so I am not promising that they will be done each day, but I will do them as regularly as I can. JD

Readers reveal their big cat stories
FarmersWeekly

A recent Farmers Weekly poll revealed 58% of readers think big cats are

roaming wild in the UK countryside. Sarah Trickett collates some real-life reader encounters We live within Thetford Forest, the Suffolk side of the Little Ouse river where we farm ...

And that is all there is for today. I don't know why, but there has been a tremendous lessening off of reports over the last ten days or so. Just check out the frequency and length of the 'Big Cat News' reports here on the bloggo.

RICHARD F APPEARS AT THE MANCHESTER MONSTER CONVENTION

Manchester Monster Convention Happening in the UK April 14th and 15th
Dread Central
Talk by Richard Freeman, Zoological Director of the Centre for Fortean Zoology. 6pm - Monster Movie Triple-Bill. Island of Lost Souls, Lovecraft's Whisperer ...

CFZ PEOPLE: Ross Braund-Phillips

Happy Birthday to my nephew Ross who is 17 today. All these strapping young lads growing up are making me feel old and decrepit. What do you mean, I am old and decrepit?



Happy Birthday dude...

HAUNTED SKIES: Sun (The) 19.11.66


OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/


On this day in 1997 the 39 bodies of the Heaven’s Gate cult members that had participated in a mass suicide were found.

And now the news:


Orphaned gorilla trafficking in Congo
Linus the Long-Haired Wonder Horse
High price of chickens is no yolk at market
25,000 bees take over man's car
Prehistoric Creatures Come to Life at Auction
2.8m birds slaughtered last year
False Killer Whales Focus Sound Waves to 'See' Pre...
Illegal settlers seek permission to shoot every el...
Rhino wars - 21st March
Snout of order
Australian rescued after three-day croc ordeal
Amazing recycled dragons
Two Shark Attacks Within Minutes In Florida
Foresters spot 'mystery cat' in Sunderbans

This is one of the initiation tapes from the Heaven’s Gate doomsday cult. It’s hard to believe that people fall for these lunatic ravings but just in case you do I should probably remind you that mass suicides and giving a nutjob cult all your money isn’t cool and you shouldn’t do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqSZhwu1Rwo