It’s been over a month since the formation appeared in
oilseed rape (canola) on top of Beacon Hill at Oliver’s
Castle (hill fort) North of Devizes, so with the yellow
flowers mostly disappeared from other rape fields you might
think that the crop
circle wouldn’t be much to look at now.
But I remembered how the 1999 Eclipse circle was
spectacular after the flowers had disappeared from the
surrounding field, but were still in the flattened part of
that formation -- because downed plants keep blooming longer
in an effort to overcome their disadvantage.
So when I flew yesterday to shoot the Star on Morgan’s
Hill, I figured it was worth a side trip over to Oliver’s
castle to see if that crop circle was in the same magical
stage. And sure enough, the design was boldly standing out
in yellow against the dull green of the rest of the field
whose plants had gone to seed.
This simple but stunning design appeared when I was still
in The States, on May 15th -- the first circle event of the
2007. At 333 feet in diameter, I pretty sure it’s the
largest formation ever in rape.
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