F#47: Unidentified (Keeley wants to call it Flufferus Pufferus, please don’t let that happen.)

Keeley found this in the woods just outside of Revery (whilst she was on a routine trip to tag some migratory nightshade plants) and…well, we have no idea what it is.

If it’s a newly discovered entity, that would unfortunately mean she gets to name it- and she’s planning to go with ‘Flufferous Pufferous’, which is a terrible idea and must be stopped.

So I, Jesper Beattie, beseech you: do you recognise this creature? It seems to be young, and unable to fly much yet- we’re searching for a nest it might have fallen from.

(Whippet pictured for size)

February 25, 2018 0

F#36: Phoot

Bird feeders watch out! The Phoot is about- and it’s stocking up for the winter!

During October and November, the phoot consumes nearly three times its body weight DAILY, in preparation for its hibernation from December to march.

It’s during this time of feasting that you can best hear the distinctive call that gives it its name: ffff-oot! ffff-oot!

So consider putting extra on your bird table this year- to give the birds a chance.

November 12, 2017 0

F#31: The Eyes

We took a walk along the coast not far out of Revery to investgate a report of a beached kraken, only to find an empty beach- and something watching us.

Nobody can agree on what the eyes actually are. No one has ever caught one, or touched one- those who have tried have gone mad.

Several religions have claimed them as angels, spirits, prophets and omens. If you get close enough to one, you will hear it whisper- but no one can agree on what the eyes tell them, either. People have heard prophecies, dark secrets, horrifying truths and beautiful lies, the meaning of existence.

What we do know, is that the eyes like to hang out in liminal spaces: empty car parks, petrol stations, abandoned buildings, waiting rooms…

And they watch, and they whisper, and we don’t know why.

October 8, 2017 0

F#30: Feral Faeries (Hominus Minimus)

When the faerie and human realms were sealed off from one another by the great Nightwarp storm; what happened to those left behind?

Some, like the Filauny we have covered previously, formed remote and reclusive colonies. Others turned feral: for example Hominus Minimus or the Little Fairy.

Preserved specimen of *Hominus Folium* being handled before framing.

These faeries, once playful and mischievous, suddenly found themselves lost without the guidance of their lost courts; turning scavenger and hunter to survive.

These days it’s rare that you’d see faeries like these in the wild- they favour remote places where the skin between worlds is at its thinnest, where they feel closest to their lost people. However, many natural history collections have preserved specimens like the ones you see here, available to study.

(Like what you see here? These framed fairies are now available on our etsy store!)

October 1, 2017 0

F#27: Silkwing

Sometimes called ‘cloud mouse’ or ‘false dragon’, the silkwing is delicate creature that is often romantically described as ‘travelling with the winds’.

As autumn arrives, you’ll see silkwings far more often in the skies along the coast. They’ve flown in from the inland meadows where the spend the summer; riding the strong winds to wheel and gather in flocks of tens to hundreds strong.

Come early October, after a month of socializing and cementing strong flock relationships, the silkwings migrate to winter in the southern hemisphere.

Goodbye ’til next summer, cloud mouse.

September 10, 2017 0

F#19: House Martin Griffon

House Martin Griffon (avum pilosus delichon)

Small, migratory griffon

Spending its winters in Africa and Asia, the house griffin arrives in the UK in may or June to spend the summer months.

They congregate around areas of standing water, where they can be seen swooping low across the surface to catch flies, imcluding midges and mosquitos.

July 9, 2017 0

F#16: Butterfly Dragon (Draconis Papilionem)

Name: Butterfly dragon (Draconis Papilionem)

Classification: Fauna

Designation: Neutral

Notes: A standard feature of greetings cards, the butterfly dragon is a shy creature that prefers a warmer climate and plenty of fruit and nectar. A great place to spot them is an orchard after the first windfalls; descending in large flocks to feast on the fruit and bask in the sunshine.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Wild cherries are another favourite food.

Many attempts have been made to domesticate this member of the dragon family, but aside from a butterfly dragon perching on your hand there is not much chance of this.

They are not a species that thrives in captivity; well known to ‘fade’ both literally, their bright colours becoming dull, and figuratively, a greatly reduced lifespan. It’s far better to watch them in your garden, and wait for them to return the following summer.

Entry Complied by: Keeley Claremont

June 18, 2017 0

Archive15: Open Day Part 2

(Warning: This post contains horror elelments)

Bartholomew was showing a disinterested audience how to feed a mottled bee-eater, and getting progressively more irritable about it.

‘Eat the nice, crunchy bluebottle please!’ he said through a forced smile, waving said snack, dead and impaled on a cocktail stick, under the bee-eater’s nose. The creature was far more interested in escape, or maybe rifling through the visitors’ bags to see if they had any actual bees.

‘I guess she’s not hungry!’ he said, trying to be heard over the chattering group. ‘I’ll put her back in the cage and… ‘

Honestly, why were they even here if they didn’t want to listen? He rubbed his brow, trying to banish the beginnings of a headache.

‘Okay, come on,’ he said, when the noise just increased. ‘Chanting, really? Is now the time—‘

Okay, in hindsight? Perhaps he should have been a bit more alarmed by the chanting.

He caught a brief glimpse of the chanter before everything went to hell: young man, gaunt, sickly looking, eyes bloodshot, black sweater with a red decal on the front.

Their eyes made contact. Bartholomew was going to say something witty about not needing a note to leave his class.

But instead the guy’s chest burst open and a swarm of moths emerged, which changed the mood considerably.

The sheer force and volume of the moths knocked everyone off their feet. He could see nothing but a whirl of bloody wings, soft fluttering bodies knocking against him all over. His mouth and nose burned with a smell he couldn’t begin to identify.

He hardly noticed the bee-eater claw herself from his hand and, with a delighted shriek and a gaping mouth, dive into the fray.

Bartholomew covered his face with his arms, and tried to move to where the door should be. Maybe. He thought? He tripped on something- on someone, nearly losing his balance.

A man stared up at him, a cut on his forehead and unfocused eyes, wheezing for breath against the godawful stink. His hand grasped at his shirt pocket. Probably where he kept his soul, Bartholomew thought, coughing as he hauled the man up onto his feet. Protecting their soul was normally the first instinct in a situation like this.

Bartholomew touched the locket hanging against his chest beneath his shirt. It was little comfort.

Bartholomew shoved the man in front of him, hoping he was steering in the right direction. The moths made it hard to tell what way was up, even, with all their swirling and diving and black spots yawning like mouths coming to eat…

Hmm, no. That part was probably him losing consciousness? And that would explain why the floor was suddenly under his back instead of his feet. It helped with the spinning for a moment, but then he realised the moths were landing on him, on his face and his mouth and the smell, the smell…
Continue reading “Archive15: Open Day Part 2” →

June 8, 2017 2

F#14: Tuft

Name: Tuft

Classification: Fauna (insect)

Designation: Neutral

Description: A fluffy green winged creature with a leafy face and shiny black eyes.

Notes: The tuft is possibly of fae origin, and is found in places where the skin between worlds is at its thinnest. When capture of one is attempted; the tuft appears to be able to manipulate its own corporeality, literally slipping through the fingers of its would-be captor.

Entry Compiled by: Evelyn Morris

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June 4, 2017 0

F#09: Magpie Griffin (Pica Avum Pilousus)

Name: Magpie Griffin (Pica Avum Pilousus)

Class: Neutral

Designation: Fauna

Description: This medium sized member of the Avum Pilosus (Griffin) species has glossy black and white plumage with a distinctive blue/green sheen; and long tail feathers.

Notes: The most common Griffin to see in the wild, found across Europe and Asia. The Magpie Griffin is omnivorous, eating insects, fruit, seeds, carrion, eggs and young birds.

It is also considered to be one of the most intelligent of the species, capable of complex emotion, social rituals and use of tools. They are rarely seen alone, remaining in tightly knit groups consisting of up to five families. In some urban areas, these noisy, raucous flocks are considered vermin.

Entry Compiled by: Jesper Beattie