CANADIAN CROP CIRCLES OF 2004

20  Formations

  

Updated Wednesday 1st December  2004

Discus Canadian Crop Circles  on the Forum
Waterloo, Ontario 

Dumbbell in cattle corn (8-9 feet tall), approximately 65 metres (215 feet) long. Found October 17 by a couple looking for a lost greyhound dog. Near location of the two previous Breslau formations. Most stalks bent at the ground, often with roots exposed, others bent and broken as high as between first and second nodes. Both circles in formation have clockwise lay, with additional multi-directional lay in parts of larger circle. A fewisolated single standing stalks. In close proximity to a hydroelectric station and transformers. Initial ground photos are posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Ontario. This is the twentieth reported formation for 2004.

A Field Report by Joanna Emery
 
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan 

Partial ring in wheat, approximately 7.6 metres (25 feet) diameter. Found October 7 by farmer while harvesting. In deteriorated condition, may be several weeks old. Stalks bent about 8 inches above the ground. Photos

and diagrams coming soon. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Saskatchewan. This is the nineteenth reported formation for 2004.
 
Assiniboia, Saskatchewan 

Eight circles in wheat, ranging from approximately 3 metres (10 feet) to 16 metres (53 feet) diameter. Found October 6 by farmer while harvesting. Four circles with clockwise lay and four counter clockwise. Photos and

diagrams coming soon. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Saskatchewan. This is the eighteenth reported formation for 2004.



© Laurel Leaman-Konrad, CCCRN British Columbia
Chilliwack, British Columbia 

Long "T" and other separate small rectangular shapes in cattle corn, estimated to be approximately 76 metres (250 feet) to 90 metres (300 feet) long, based on aerial photos. Found October 1 by Laurel Leaman-Konrad and Jo Slingerland (CCCRN British Columbia) while flying over area searching for previously rumoured "ankh" formation (not found). Not able to be investigated on ground before field harvested. Two other odd "pathways" cutting across two opposite corners of field. Initial aerial

photos are posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN British Columbia. This is the seventeenth reported formation for 2004.
Breslau, Ontario #2 

Circle in cattle corn (8-9 feet tall). Found late September by farmer (exact date not known). Haphazard lay, with bent and broken stalks, similar to first Breslau formation but about twice as large (to be surveyed). Other stalks again "severed" through nodes and blackened. Most cobs again eaten by raccoons and deer and blackened. Approximately 0.4 kilometres (0.25 miles) from first formation, on opposite side of woodlot in an adjacent field, and apparently in alignment with the woodlot and first formation. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Ontario. This is the sixteenth reported formation for

2004.
 
Addendum: according to a preliminary examination by CCCRN scientific consultant Mervyn Erb (agricultural consultant), who also visited the formation, while there is a lot of latter damage from raccoons and deer
opportunistically feeding on cobs on the flattened plants (and dragging some stalks around in the process), the initial flattening of plants in the formation itself and node anomalies were not caused by animals, wind
storms / brittle snap, root worm, core borers, drought stress or people, in his opinion. The blackening of broken stalks, severed nodes and cobs is definitely from opportunistic fungus (a common occurrence).



© Rachel Hull, CCCRN Ontario
Breslau, Ontario 

Oval in cattle corn (8-9 feet tall), approximately 23 metres (76 feet) long. Found late September by farmer (exact date not known). On side of sandy knoll, generally oval in shape but more roughly circular on lower side and "kidney-shaped" on higher side. Haphazard lay, with bent and broken stalks lying on top of each other in various directions, laying primarily uphill on the lower side and downhill on the higher side. Some stalks bent or broken at the base, others about 2-3 feet above the ground and blackened. A few lines of unaffected single standing stalks. Cavities / splits in some stalk nodes (similar to previous corn formations in BC). Other stalks "severed" through nodes and also blackened (similar to previous corn formations in BC). Most cobs eaten by raccoons and deer and again also blackened. In close proximity to power poles and a woodlot. Initial ground photos are posted on the web site. Investigation in

progress by CCCRN Ontario. This is the fifteenth reported formation for 2004.
 
Addendum: according to a preliminary examination by CCCRN scientific consultant Mervyn Erb (agricultural

consultant), who also visited the formation, while there is a lot of latter damage from raccoons and deer opportunistically feeding on cobs on the flattened plants (and dragging some stalks around in the process), the initial flattening of plants in the formation itself and node anomalies were not caused by animals, wind storms / brittle snap, root worm, core borers, drought stress or people, in his opinion. The blackening of broken stalks, severed nodes and cobs is definitely from opportunistic fungus (a common occurrence).
FORMATION REPORT #14 - NOYAN, QUEBEC 

Circle in corn, approximately 20 metres (63 feet) diameter. First reported September 11 in Le Canada Francais newspaper (not reported to CCCRN until October 3). Radial lay of plants, from centre outward to edge of circle. Initial aerial photo is posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Quebec. This is the fourteenth reported formation for 2004.
 

A larger version of photo with lay detail can be viewed here:
 
 
(© Denyse Aita)

Update - Noyan, Quebec Corn Formation 

The corn circle near Noyan, Quebec has been further examined by Denyse Aita (CCCRN Quebec) and Nancy Talbott (BLT Research Team). First found August 24 by farmer. In cattle corn (9-10 feet tall), approximately 27 metres (89 feet) diameter. Offset centre. Plants flattened radially outward from centre to outside edge, never seen before in a corn formation. Cavities / splits in some stalk nodes. Additional photos and diagrams coming soon.
 

I and Mark Archambault investigated a corn field near Noyan, Quebec in 2004:
 


In the Noyan circle the lay was also radial...laid from the centre out to the edges, again looking like a "bomb had gone off":
 


Examination of the corn plants revealed multiple expulsion cavities in many of the stalks, usually 2-4 exp. cavities/stalk...but these were only found in about 1/4 to 1/3 of the stalks overall.  We also observed "cut" or "broken" stems with these breaks being down at the base of the plants, either at the 1st node above the ground or the 2nd.  When we checked with agricultural reps for this area we learned that a condition known as "brittle snap," in which corn stalks can break at the nodes in the same fashion as we observed at Noyan, did NOT seem to be the answer for the breaks in the stalks at this event.  Brittle Snap is a condition which can occur in certain hybrids when the amount of moisture available to the plants at a particular growth stage is greater than normal....but it only occurs in the UPPER nodes of the plants (not down at the base) and would occur throughout the field (not just in the circle area) which, in this case, it did not.  Further, the variety of corn in the Noyan case was NOT one of the hybrids known to be susceptible to this condition and--according to the farmer--unusual wetness had NOT occurred during the growth stages.

We have now seen these "cut" stems down near the base of the plants in quite a number of maize circles, particularly in Canada....and it is the opinion of the agricultural people that these "cuts" (always right through the nodes, always down near the base) are NOT due to Brittle Snap, but to an unknown cause.

The new maize circle at the Sanctuary is only the 4th really circular maize circle with an outwardly-directed radial lay that I've ever seen.  In addition to the Noyan circle there were two maize circles in Illinois in 2005, both of which had radial lays with the plants laid from the centres out to the edges.  The smaller of the 2 circles in Illinois had this simple radial lay...but the larger circle there also had a perimeter ring of plants flattened around the outer edge of the circle, underneath the overall radial lay....the only time I've seen this complex lay in a maize circle.  Again, the "cut" maize plants down at or near the base, occurred in these Illinois circles.

Photo showing the laid stalks running around the perimeter of the larger circle in Illinois, underneath the radically-laid crop:
 


One of the "cut" stalks at the Coles County, Illinois formation--this one right at the base:
 

Another, more typical, "cut" -- at the 2nd node above the ground (this one from a maize circle at Kickapoo, Illinois):
 


In most of the maize circles BLT has investigated the lay is a spiral lay....usually from the centre out toward the edges, but in one spectacular case in Holland the spiral lay began at the edges and went into the centre, creating a mound of piled-up plants right in the centre.  Radically-laid circles in maize are pretty rare and, to me, terribly interesting.  Usually these occur in field corn which grows to 13' +/- tall, with quite thick robust stalks....and the physical changes to the plant stems are easy to see and photograph, and quite dramatic.  The force required to flatten any sizeable area of maize plants is considerable.

The two most unusual maize formations I know of were one in Michigan years ago--an oval-shaped event in which the stalks were laid from the edge into the centre--and one in Minnesota in 2004 in which, although the outer edges were circular, all of the 10' tall corn plants were laid in one direction across the circle.  That was amazing.

If any more photos exist of the Sanctuary maize circle--particularly close-ups of the plant stems and/or the edges of the circle--I would love to see them.

Nancy Talbott

BLT Research Team Inc.

P.O. Box 400127

Cambridge, MA  02140  (USA)
 

ph:  617/492-0415   

web-site:  www.bltresearch.com
FORMATION REPORT #13 - HUMBOLDT, SASKATCHEWAN 

Large circle in barley, approximately 35 metres (114 feet) diameter. Found September 22 by farmer while harvesting. Slightly elliptical with offset centre, counter clockwise lay. Many plants recovering due to phototropism. Initial field report, survey diagram and ground photos are posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Saskatchewan. This is the thirteenth reported formation for

2004.
  FORMATION REPORT #12 -

NO INFO AVAILABLE
FORMATION REPORT #11 - WADENA, SASKATCHEWAN

With a later harvest this year, finally the first formation report from Saskatchewan, the traditional crop circle "hot spot" in Canada. Three ovals in wheat / pasture grass, first found September 2. Approximately 22 metres (73 feet) long. Initial field report, survey diagram and ground photos are posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Saskatchewan. This is the eleventh reported formation for 2004.

FORMATION REPORT #10 - CALGARY, ALBERTA 

Unusual oval ring in pasture grass, found August 26. Approximately 14.5 metres (48 feet) by 12 metres (36 feet). In Nose Hill Park, a large nature park of natural grasses and terrain, the formation is on one of the highest points of Nose Hill itself. Grass is flattened in various directions in the narrow approximately 0.3 metre (1 foot) wide ring, including straight across the width, with the ring itself well-defined. Ring surrounds a large white rock roughly in the centre which appears to be part of the natural landscape, not just placed there. Initial ground photos and survey diagram are posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Alberta. This is the tenth reported formation for 2004.

http://www.cccrn.ca

 
FORMATION REPORTS #8, 9 - MATSQUI, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Two more formations, one a circle with two attached crescents and the other resembling an Egyptian ankh symbol, in corn. Seen by local resident while sky diving (during takeoff of plane) in early August. Not far from location of the two corn formations last year at Abbotsford (plus the third farther east at Agassiz). Initial aerial photos of the first formation are posted on the web site (not yet available for second formation). Investigation in progress by CCCRN British Columbia. Further details pending. These are the eighth and ninth reported formations for 2004.
   
FORMATION REPORT #6 - GRAND FORKS, BRITISH
COLUMBIA 

Circle with two small rectangular appendages in barley, reported July 30 but first seen about three weeks previous, in early July. Approximately 27 metres / 88 feet across. Rough lay with broken stalks. "Gold-coloured stains" found in two areas in formation. Possibly a hoax coinciding with the Star Dreams crop circle film tour through the area and across the country. Further details pending. This is the sixth report so far for 2004.
 
FORMATION REPORT #5 - ASHGROVE, ONTARIO
 
Double circle in wheat, with "half-rings" of standing crop crop in the larger circle, found July 28 by the landowner (who had been away), but first seen by another witness on July 27. Approximately 38 metres (124 feet) long. Initial ground photos, diagram and preliminary field report are posted on the web site. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Ontario. The landowner has requested that the specific location not be publicized (no visitors except for researchers). This is the fifth report so far for 2004.

http://www.cccrn.ca
FORMATION REPORT #4 - PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH
COLUMBIA
 
The fourth reported formation for this year, a long "pictogram" of circles, rings and pathways in pasture grass, found July 12 in Moore's Meadow nature park. Approximately 76 metres (250 feet) long (initial estimate). Three circles range from approximately 0.9 metres (3 feet) to 15 metres (50 feet) diameter, and two rings are approximately 18 metres (60 feet)
diameter each. Generally rough in appearance, with standing centres in the circles. Also reported in the Prince George Citizen newspaper on July 13. Initial ground photos have been posted on the web site. Aerial photos and further details pending.
 
Also: 

CCCRN director Paul Anderson will provide an update on this year's formations so far in a radio interview with Linda Moulton Howe of Earthfiles on Coast to Coast AM on Friday, July 23. Other interviews will also cover recent formations in the USA and Europe.
 

A survey diagram has been added to the web site for the Prince George, British Columbia formation from July 12.

http://www.cccrn.ca
FORMATION REPORT #3 - ESSEX COUNTY, ONTARIO 

The third reported formation for this year, a circle in soybeans, found June 24. Approximately 6.6 metres (22 feet) diameter. Two small truncated triangular "lobes" are attached to the circle, one on either side (180 degrees apart). The leaves were initially missing on all plants within the circle, as if they had been "burned away", and the remaining leafless stalks were dark brown in colour, still standing and not flattened (the field crop itself was about 3 inches tall). Over the next week or so, the remaining stalks disintegrated, leaving only bare dirt within the circle. There were only about half a dozen plants within the circle which remained unscathed. The farmers also mentioned that a similar formation was found in another of their fields two years ago, in wheat, but not reported at the time, and that "flashing coloured lights" were seen descending into that field the night before. Another neighbouring farmer had reported a single "classic" type circle in wheat last year as well, but also not reported at the time. Investigation in progress by CCCRN Ontario, MUFON Ontario and researcher Nicholas Reiter from the USA. Initial ground photos and preliminary field report are on the CCCRN web site. The farmer has requested that the specific location not be publicized. 

(Note: perhaps the "missing" barley plants in the Taber, Alberta formation could be explained by a similar process? The farmers in that case have not been willing for a ground investigation to be done yet, not even ground photographs, but efforts are being made. They will allow aerial photographs if someone can be found to fly over and do this. Our current pilots in the prairies are not close to this location unfortunately). 

There are also two other as-yet unconfirmed formations, at Thunder Bay, Ontario (July 15) consisting of "ovals and lines" in barley, covering about a block in size (possibly a randomly downed area), as well as a possible pictogram-style formation of circles, rings and lines in pasture grass near Prince George, British Columbia (early July).

http://www.cccrn.ca

UPDATE

Researcher Nicholas Reiter has posted an update regarding his examination of the "burned circle" in soybeans in Essex County, Ontario from June 24. It seems this formation was most likely lightning damage

from thunderstorms in the area. His report includes links to similar known cases:
 
FORMATION REPORT #2 - TABER, ALBERTA 

The second reported formation for this year, an unusual oval-shaped ring with other pathways in mature barley near Taber, Alberta, found July 7. Approximately 19.5 metres (65 feet) wide. Ring and other pathways approximately 0.3 metres (1 foot) wide. Plants are missing, not flattened, but show no sign of having been pulled out from the soil. Adjacent standing plants along edges of pathways have deformed (twisted) heads. Other plants within and outside formation are normal. In remote Hutterite farming area about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) from nearest other farms. Both the agronomic farming assistant who reported it and the farmer said they have never seen anything like it before. Farmer does not want publicity. Further details pending.

http://www.cccrn.ca

Erbs Cove, New Brunswick - June 24, 2004
 
FIRST CANADIAN CROP FORMATION OF 2004 

The first reported formation for this year is at Erbs Cove, New Brunswick, a small simple ring in wild pasture grass. 

Discovered the morning of June 24 by a couple walking their dog in a rural farming area, the ring is approximately 4.5 metres (15 feet) diameter by 1.2 metres (4 feet) wide. Although rough in appearance, the grass is flattened in a generally clockwise direction, and starting to stand back up

again. On top of a small hill, in grass about two feet tall. No tracks initially seen. The field is vacant pasture land that is hayed each year. Initial ground photos are posted on the CCCRN web site. 

A modest but interesting formation, in a province where reports have been very rare over the years. 

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Photo Gallery Added to Web Site

An image gallery of some of the best shots of the Canadian crop circles, including aerial and ground views, aesthetic details, photographic anomalies and the people who discover and investigate them. These are a sampling of some of the best available images from over the years so far, many others are in the Crop Circles in Canada Archives on the web site.  

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