Yesterday Morning at Spring Pond in Blue Heron Park, Staten Island, NY

From where I live in Port Richmond, Staten Island, there's a bus that stops only a block from Blue Heron Park in Staten Island, but I have to get the bus before 9:00 a.m. when the direct bus stops running there.  I can go later, but after 9:00 a.m. I have to transfer.  Also I wanted to see Spring Lake and how the lighting was on it as the sun was rising in the East.  The following are some of the photos I took.  I don't know what kind of bird that was, but I'm going to find out on my next visit to the park.  I'm suddenly interested in learning names of birds, trees and flowers, which I've never really been into before, which only shows how much I'm changing.

After spending an hour taking photos, I then get back on the bus and go out to Target in Charleston, Staten Island, shop until I can't carry anymore, then head back home.  This whole adventure takes about 5 to 6 hours.

Photo taken at about 7:30 a.m. on June 8, 2012

 Spring Pond is covered with lily pads.  Blue Heron Park has 7 ponds, but Spring Pond is my favorite.

Close up of blooming Lily on Pad.
The green leathery leaf is a sundeck for spotted newts and a heliport for dragonflies. 

Lily Pads

Although the lily pads look like they are floating on the water, they are attached to stems, and anchored to the soft bottom of the pond by roots and rhizomes.   The pond has many frogs and turtles.

Bird on Lily Pads.  (I don't know what kind of bird this is, but I think it may be a baby blue heron?)

Same Guy as Above.  My telescopic lens makes him look larger than he really was.