The Odor of the Owl

Regan Lee delves into the surreal realm of the Odor of the Owl. And what on Earth, you may ask, is that??? Read on!

True Giants

The CFZ's Micah Hanks reviews Mark A. Hall's and Loren Coleman's latest book, True Giants, and says, in part: "...Coleman and Hall set forth with academic eloquence, and void of flamboyance and sensationalism so characterized within this field, have managed to present a highly unique study, providing a window through which we might observe life on this planet that, despite their tremendous size, we somehow have managed to overlook." Here's the link to Micah's complete review.

Yowie Terror

And one more from Micah Hanks, who reported the following yesterday at his Gralien Report site:

"Last night, I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in a year-end review podcast with my friends Ben and Aaron of the Mysterious Universe website, a site for which I also frequently blog. During the conversation, we each were sharing our own unique 'top ten' favorite stories of the year, pertaining to strange and unusual happenings from around the world (since Ben and Aaron live in Australia, this certainly turned out to be a pleasantly global endeavor). Right off the bat, one of the benefits of having friends with mutual interests on the other side of the globe (and blogging for their site, to boot) is that you sometimes hear news from other locales sooner than mainstream news sources here in the U.S. can catch hold of it. Although nothing we discussed last night was 'breaking news' (since we were merely recounting some of our favorites stories of the last year), I still managed to hear some wild tales which, prior to our conversation, I had been unaware of."

And one of those wild tales is of a definitively cryptozoological nature. Here's the link!

Bigfoot Nests

The CFZ's North Carolina rep, Micah Hanks, places under the microscope the controversy surrounding so-called Bigfoot Nests...

Christmas Greetings!

From everyone at the Center for Fortean Zoology, here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a great 2011!!

Animal Omens

Regan Lee with a new story of the animal-omen kind...

Eerie Oregon

At her Trickster's Realm Page, which can be found at Binnall of America, Regan Lee has an excellent round-up of high-strangeness in her home-state of Oregon, including a couple of disturbing animal-based accounts...

Animal Attacks

For anyone and everyone interested in the stranger, esoteric, weird, quasi-paranormal (okay, you get the picture!) aspects of Cryptozoology, I'd definitely suggest you take a regular look at Regan Lee's Animal Forteana blog, which contains a wealth of excellent, thought-provoking posts and data that - unfortunately - mainstream crypto often steers clear of. Fortunately, Regan does not steer clear of such matters, and here's the link where you can find out more...

And, at the blog, Regan has a new post on the curious increase in animal-attacks that is currently occurring...

Winged Wonders!

In a brand new post which you can find at his Gralien Report site, Micah Hanks, the CFZ's Michigan rep, digs deep into the strange world of Mothman-type beasts that have been encountered at numerous places across the globe.

Micah says:

"It is often said in Fortean circles that the mysterious appearance of the Mothman, a winged cryptid monstrosity that appeared in the vicinity of Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the late 1960s, was prophetic in nature. Traditionally, researchers have felt that the creature’s presence represented some sort of omen, warning of terrible things to come; specifically, the collapse of the Silver Bridge on December 15, 1967. Though the Mothman certainly isn’t the only winged creature alleged to exist in the realm of the unexplained, it is by far the most famous. Nonetheless, its cousins, reportedly seen at various times and places elsewhere around the globe, are also sometimes seen to be harbingers of ill fortune."

And if that brief extract has got you interested, then click here for the remainder of this intriguing tale...

Monster Penguins!

The CFZ's Micah Hanks goes on the trail of Penguins of the VERY large kind and says:

"Among all feathery species of fowl that inhabit the Earth, the waddling penguins of the arctic are perhaps the least likely to strike fear into the hearts of men, let alone rank high on a list of potential cryptozoological wonders. There is good reason for this too, since there are few reports of large or otherwise anomalous circumstances that involve penguins; the biggest known species, the Emperor Penguin, stands at a mere four feet tall (actually, that’s fairly large, all things considered). However, new evidence of a fossilized penguin cousin discovered near the coast of Peru has painted a unique picture for archaeologists and ornithologists alike, depicting a massive bird that, unlike its cold-weather cousins of today, lived in a tropical climate. And yes, it was very large."

And Micah continues right here...

Chupa and Chupa

Micah Hanks - also known as the CFZ's North Carolina rep, and a good mate too! - delves into the world of the Chupacabras and how we define the beast - or how we don't!

Bigfoot: Kill Or No Kill?

The always-controversial issue of whether or not we should resort to killing a Bigfoot to prove its existence is addressed by Regan Lee in a new post which can be found right here...

Human-Ape Hybrids

Micah Hanks - the CFZ's North Carolina rep - has posted a new article to his Gralien Report site on the controversial issue of human-ape hybrids. Read on!

Of Raccoons and Owls...

The CFZ's Oregon rep Regan Lee has two new posts at Animal Forteana: one on overly aggressive racoons, and the other one on high-strangeness of the owl kind...

Winged Things: The Sexual Angle

The CFZ's North Carolina rep, and good friend, Micah Hanks has a good new post at his Gralien Report site that delves into the strange realm of winged monsters and the sexual component of many encounters with such beasts.

Micah begins thus: "Reports of winged beings have long been included in the more obscure reports of cryptozoological and ufological weirdness from around the world. Arguably, the most famous of all such incidents was detailed throughout John Keel’s investigations of the “Mothman,” which occurred in West Virginia in the late 1960s. Since that time, Mothman has become the predominant image in most people’s minds when it comes to envisioning a winged monstrosity of the cryptozoological variety. There are, however, other instances involving claims where such creatures have been witnessed, and though details about their existence are far more obscure, they bear a variety of similarities to folkloric traditions from various cultures around the world. Strangely, among these similarities are parallels having to do with the alleged creature’s interaction with their habitat and surroundings, as well as a prevalence of sexual aspects to their dealings with humans."

And here's the rest of Micah's post. Be sure to keep checking Micah's The Gralien Report as it's a first-class outlet on all-things-Fortean!

Crypto Illinois

Well, directly in the wake of my announcement that Caroline Farrow will be serving as a rep for the CFZ in the state of Illinois, Caroline has set up her very own blog devoted to chronicling all the latest news, views and data in the cryptid world from her very own state.

Titled Lusus Naturae, the blog can be find right here - and, as you'll see, there's already one post available, on the subject of an out-of-place alligator.

Be sure to keep checking in at Caroline's blog, and I'll keep linking her latest revelations right here!

The Stranger Side Of Bigfoot

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, writes:

"Hi Nick. Hope all is well with you and your family. I contribute to a blog called The C-Influence Blog. Bruce Duensing, Lesley, Lon Strickler, etc. are on it as well as many others. The blog is 'esoteric discussion' among us bloggers. Lon wrote a great piece about 'paranormal' Bigfoot, and many of us, including myself, responded with articles of our own."

Lon's original article can be found here, and here's the follow-up postings from Regan, from Bruce Duensing, and from Eric Ouellet.

Collectively, this is an excellent addition to an aspect of the Bigfoot phenomenon that a lot of researchers of the phenomenon prefer not to deal with. In my opinion, however, it is, an aspect that deserves far more attention than it currently gets, and I'm very pleased to see it getting good, thought-provoking coverage at The C-Influence.

Caroline Farrow: CFZ Illinois

I'm very pleased to announce that we have a new Center for Fortean Zoology representative: Caroline Farrow, of Chicago, who will be covering the state of Illinois. Caroline is also the Co-Founder and Media Director of the Chicago Paranormal Research Society.

In Caroline's own words: "I have been interested in the mysterious and the paranormal since my mother let me stay up way too late one night watching a documentary about Amityville when I was six. When I moved to Chicago I co-founded the Chicago Paranormal Research Society and have been investigating hauntings in the Chicagoland area since 2006. I am hoping to expand my investigations to include my other interests such as the fairy/UFO phenomena, earth mysteries, cryptids, and zooform phenomena. When I’m not poking around the Fortean realms, I enjoy art, physics, nature, travel, gardening, making jewelry and writing."

You can reach Caroline at: caroline@chicagoparanormal.org

We look forward to working with Caroline and will, of course, keep you fully updated of her crypto-work in Illinois!

Mutes in the UK

Regan Lee, the CFZ's Oregon rep, reports on a story that is making big waves right now in the UK. It's a weird and disturbing one, and can be found right here!

Micah On Exploring All Realms

Tonight's guest on the Exploring All Realms radio-show that I co-host with Raven Meindel will be the CFZ's North Carolina representative, my good mate, Micah Hanks.

Here's the link to the show.

We will, of course, be covering all of Micah's research, but cryptozoology is bound to rear its monstrous head!

Micah Hanks: A New Website

As many of you will know, Micah Hanks is the North Carolina rep for the CFZ. However, Micah has many interests beyond cryptozoology, and here he is to tell you about his brand-new venture:


Greetings all,

Hope everyone's doing okay, and that you're all surviving the sweltering summer heat!

I wanted to take a moment to invite you (if you haven't visited already) to have a look at my new website, Politomatic:

http://www.politomatic.com

If you know me, you're already aware that I advocate common sense, not the partisan mentality that has stifled and separated so much of the American public today. I think that by being open-minded and advocating principles and integrity, rather than party-cheerleading and the ruse of "good guys vs bad guys" played by politicians and pundits alike, we can really move forward as a society. With the problems we face in government today (and have faced for the last several years), more and more people are devoting time and energy to understanding what's REALLY going on out there... being the political junkie that I am, I embrace diving into it all head-first.

That said, I welcome folks from all walks of life, just as I'd hope you might do for me, to have a look, or if you feel compelled, to share your perspectives on the site and its content. Also, as things develop more and I can get this (slowly but steadily-moving) endeavor off the ground, I'd love to call on a few of you for assistance with certain aspects of it. On that front, there'll be more to come as it develops...

Thanks for all your support, and for the insights I hope I've encouraged you to provide.

Warm regards,

Micah A. Hanks

Micah Hanks: A New Post

Over at Mysterious Universe, the CFZ's North Carolina representative, Micah Hanks, has a new post titled Attack of the Amorphous Monster: When Things Aren’t What They Seem.

And if that has raised your curiosity level (and it should!), here's the link to the complete article.

Forteana & Animals

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee has established a new blog that offers great things relative to the Fortean side of zoology and cryptozoology. As you'll see, there are several intriguing articles posted already, including the weird story of an equally weird deer...

And there's also this new post from Regan on the Pink Handfish...

A Bigfoot Gig

CFZ Oregon rep, Regan Lee, provides information on what looks to be a very good upcoming Bigfoot conference...

Of White Wolves...

The CFZ's Oregon rep Regan Lee has a mysterious and insightful new post...on a strange white wolf she encountered in the dream-state. Check it out...

Micah and Monsters

Good friend and N.C. rep for CFZ-USA, Micah Hanks, relates the dark tale of his investigation of the legendary Lizard-Man...

Holy Giant Grasshoppers!!!

Regan Lee has a fascinating and weird story to relate that is definitively Fortean in nature and very personal. And with that tantalizing bit of background information revealed, here's the story!

Raven and MonsterQuest

The CFZ's Michigan representative, Raven, provides us with her take on Wednesday night's (final) episode of MonsterQuest: on werewolves and the notorious Gable Film.

Raven begins:

"Good morning everyone.

"Firstly, Id like to thank you for all the compliments I have been receiving about my part in the expedition for MonsterQuest. I had a great time out there with the crew and team, and learned a lot about being on film as well. (As some of you already know, this was my very first exposure on national television. )

"The first thing I learned was that the camera really DOES add ten pounds, and wearing 30 pounds of cold weather and rain gear is NOT flattering to my hips and shoulders. It made me look like an offensive linebacker for the New York Jets! The Raven was not happy!

"That being said......

"Though I haven't read through all of my emails yet, I have seen several this morning that concerned me and I really would like to put my two cents in about the whole MonsterQuest/Gable controversy especially regarding my friend and one of my mentors in this field,Linda Godfrey."

And here's the entire post...

Cougars on the Loose!

No, not hot women of a certain age! These are real cougars. You know: the four-legged kind that will do a hell of a lot of damage if you get too close to them (or vice-versa).

And, as Regan Lee demonstrates, they're seemingly getting bolder by the day...

A Wolfman at Monster Quest

The CFZ's Michigan rep, and good friend, Raven (of Raven's Mysterious Haven) has an announcement. In Raven's own words...


"If you would like to check out the episode of MonsterQuest that I participated in, it is entitled America's Wolfman and it will air on March 24th on the History channel. You may want to check your local listings for air times.

"I have to tell you guys, this was one of the most memorable times in my life thus far. Those of you who know me personally, know that I and my family have suffered a tremendous amount of loss accompanied by overwhelming stress in the past two years, and this project came as both a healing intermission and a wonderful experience which I will never forget.

"The film/production crew and everyone on the expedition were fantastic! I dont think I have ever laughed so much in my entire life. What a great bunch! We had so much fun in between filming! They have become a dear part of my heart and hopefully lifelong chums as well. I truly hope our paths come together again in the future.

"I hope this post finds you all enjoying this beautiful spring-like weather. Many blessings to you. Your Mistress of the Mysterious, Raven M."

The Newport Crtitter

Regan Lee demonstrates that a certain well-known beast is making an increasing foothold in developed areas...

J.D. and the Texas Chupacabras

As many followers of this blog will be aware, Jon and Corinna Downes have been in the US for the last week, and will be around until next Sunday, when they fly back to England. And, as many of you will also know, the purpose of their trip is to undertake an extensive investigation of the so-called "Texas Chupacabras" reports - an investigation arranged by Richie and Naomi West, a great couple who me and Dana got to meet and hang out with over the course of the last two days.

Jon, Corinna, Naomi and Richie drove up to stay with us on Sunday morning, and the 5 of us then headed out to Valley Ranch, where Jon was due to lecture on the subject of the aforementioned "Texas Chupacabras" for the Dallas-Fort Worth MUFON group - a lecture that was very well attended, that attracted a lot of interest, and which saw Jon talk extensively about both the Texas beast and its Puerto Rican counterpart.

Then, yesterday, it was a trip to White Rock Lake, Dallas (the reported home of several giant-catfish and possibly a large alligator), followed by a visit to Dealey Plaza and the infamous Grassy Knoll, where JFK was assassinated by...well, take your pick: there's plenty of candidates to choose from!

But, before we knew it, the day was over, and it was time for Jon, Corinna, Naomi and Richie to depart, to head south, and to prepare for the next step of their quest. But, it was very good to see Mr and Mrs D again, even if just for a couple of days, and Naomi and Richie have great plans for future CFZ-based activities here in the US. Keep watching this space...

And, finally, here's Corinna's report on the weekend...

Jon & Corinna in the USA

Some time tomorrow, Jon and Corinna Downes will be flying from Heathrow Airport, England into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport; which is just a 20-minute drive from our home.

The reason? To embark on an ambitious 2-week-plus expedition/project (which could never be undertaken without the very kind and generous support, help and coordination of Richie and Naomi West, who Jon and Corinna will be staying with) to dig deep into the mystery of the Texas "Blue Dogs;" or "Texas Chupacabras," as the beasts have become known.

Jon and Corinna have set up a blog to chronicle there adventures right here in the heart of the Lone Star State, which can be found at this link. And me and Dana will be seeing them for a few days when Jon rides his stallion into town to speak for the Dallas-Fort Worth MUFON group about his research into the Blue-Dogs and the Puerto Rican Chupacabras.

The dynamic duo of Jon and Corinna will be regularly updating the new blog; so you'll be able to keep a regular eye on what's afoot in the world of Mr. and Mrs. D and the Blue Dogs.

Is America ready for Jon Downes to be unleashed upon the nation? Can Texas survive? Only time will tell!

A Chupacabras Study

Regan Lee alerts us to a new article she has just posted on-line that details the results of an extensive study into that most-mysterious of all unknown critters: The Chupacabras.

Gathering Vultures

The CFZ's Texas representative Naomi West has sent us some cool footage that her husband, Richie, took showing an amazing number of vultures congregating in the skies near their home recently. Check it out!

Regan & Chupas

Our Oregon representative, Regan Lee, has written a good, new post on the controversy surrounding the Chupacabras, and which can be found at her Frame 352 blog by clicking on this link.

News from Oregon

The CFZ's Oregon rep, Regan Lee, highlights a forthcoming Bigfoot symposium; and, in addition to that, she has created yet another blog - this one dedicated to artwork of the alien kind.