It was still very warm and late-summery last Thursday when my daughter and I took a walk at Bay Bridge Park. We saw several large white birds taking off from the water and flying away, along with Canada Geese. The water was coated with dust or something like pollen, which made it easy to see its slow and steady flow toward the bridge ruins. We tried to imagine someone paying the toll for a circus elephant, and wondered if that was an example of dry Maine humor, or if there ever really was an elephant crossing the bridge. The circuses did get around to a lot of rural places, so maybe?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-big-circus-spectacular-has-long-and-cherished-history-180962621/

There were many of the tiny, hyper birds I'd seen at Butler Cove. Two experienced birders said they were Ruby Crowned Kinglets in migration. The birders thought the white birds were egrets of some type. I spotted a Northern Harrier for them. They also said that night migration calls are only audible with listening devices, and those are used to help predict where flocks will land for rest.

Nearby, the bridge over the New Meadows on Bridge Road is one of my favorite spots in Brunswick. It's very low to the water, so it almost feels like a boat ride, with the mounds of grasses right beside you. They glitter when covered with frost or ice after the sun comes out. And especially on a winter night, the stars are close, low, and bright there. 

Another beautiful place just a few minutes from home. How lucky am I to live here?

A side note on circus elephants in Maine, 1800s.

Yes, they were here. “Circuses and Caravans of wild animals appeared in Belfast as early as 1816.”   https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=59384

In fact, a famous circus elephant, Old Bet, was shot to death in Alfred on July 24, 1816. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bet#:~:text=On%20July%2024%2C%201816%2C%20Old,another%20suspected%20reason%20is%20jealousy .

However, “Old Bet's death didn't stop her from going on exhibition. Nine months later, advertisements began appearing in New York newspapers saying that Bailey had had the remains of Old Bet stuffed and preserved. For the next four years, Old Bet's remains toured New England.” https://www.history-magazine.com/circuses.html