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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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Wednesday, October 25, 2017

THUNDERBIRDS AREN'T GO

The Thunderbird is a widespread figure in Native American mythology, particularly among Midwestern, Plains, and Northwest Coast tribes. Thunderbird is described as an enormous bird (according to many Northwestern tribes, large enough to carry a killer whale in its talons as an eagle carries a fish) who is responsible for the sound of thunder (and in some cases lightning as well.) Known as the Wakinyan by the Sioux, there are people within the cryptozoological community who believe that the legends are based on a real animal, and furthermore, one which still exists today.
Yesterday several people drew my attention to a news story which was spreading across the Internet like wildfire. It appears that TV coverage of The American Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, last Sunday a huge, bird-shaped shadow was cast over the race track.

Various people have claimed that it was a condor, but there are no condors in Texas.

Graham Inglis writes:

"It seems the phenomenon was observed on the original live coverage. Could it have been a 'green screen' overlay added by the tv coverage team, for reasons of a publicity stunt?

At a spectator event where an unexpected shadow passes, one would expect a few people to involuntarily look upwards. The argument that "they were all watching the racing" doesn't really hold water, as many people at a sporting event are just as likely to be using their phones, consuming a snack, talking to friends, or just looking around the sports arena for other participants.

Furthermore, in car racing, the track typically is under observation from a variety of angles and often by several cameras too. It seems odd that a condor or an aircraft of any description could glide low enough to cast a prominent shadow, yet not be directly observed by anyone. Until we're told what the source of illumination was, one can't infer object size by measuring the shadow. A Texas afternoon would normally receive a fair amount of sunlight even in October, but floodlighting is often used on racetracks even in daylight".

So, sadly for all the people who are claiming that this is conclusive proof of the existence of the Wakinyan.... Sadlyu, it is nothing of the kind. Not yet, at least.

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