Every year we have our share of unexpected  events. The reappearance of last years remarkable formation in the form of a Ghost circle was a  mysterious and wonderful site to behold so early in the season. This appeared in oil seed rape which was quite a different crop from the original formation which occurred in last years wheat crop. It never the less reminded us of the magic of this wonderful annual phenomenon. Last years formation is worth looking at again in Crop Circle Connectors West Stowell, nr Huish, Wiltshire. Reported 20th July, files as it was a very intricate and complex event indeed. Stuart Dike also covers last years  formation with a very interesting report which can be read on the same web page as the photographs. 

HAUNTED FIELDS  

Climbing arduous steep inclines, negotiating Barb Wire fences, and brambles, not forgetting young heifers who want to chase you out of their field. These are all obstacles put in our way, to bring you the reports of these amazing events in the fields of England. This was such a case with the West Stowell Ghost a tantalizing reminder of what could be in store for all of us, as we head towards a new and exciting season. 

Every year we seem to receive reports of what appears to be new events from first glace. But hang on a sec...  It wasn't quite what we were hoping for, as these patterns are nothing more than the Ghost outline of formations from a previous year, coming back to haunt us one more time!  But what actually causes such a strange anomaly?  Well basically, the West Stowell formation was extremely well formed and flattened firmly in the ground in certain parts of the design. When the formation is harvested, the cutting machine on the Combine can't lower its blazes enough to cut the flattened parts of the formation. This causes gaps when the field is sown, sometime in late August, early September. The Oil Seed Rape at West Stowell is certainly Winter Rape, which is normally sown at the end of August.  When the crop germinates, in would have been sown around the parts of the design, which would have been left after the Combine. This is why there are large sections  of earth, that can be seen between the Rape, which will resemble the design of 2003.  In the case at Beckhampton, on Firs Farm of this year, a faint outline of the concentric rings can be seen also, in what appears to be very young Wheat. So we can see that this doesn't always apply with Oil Seed Rape, it can happen in any cereal crop, where a formation has been in the previous crop circle season.  

The West Stowell event is a prime example of how well defined these Ghost formations can be, in such a photogenic crop. We can only hope the next event is the real McCoy, and that dash across the field, to avoid the local Bull in the corner is all worth it!

Stuart Dike

An earlier ghost formation was reported during April 2004 along Avebury Avenue.

Image Busty Taylor Copyright 2004

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Image Gwendolyne Kelly Copyright 2004
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