The Wandering Disciple

A tiny bird tries to blend in among a sea of lettuce plants at Myakka River State Park.  Tiny birds use areas like this to camouflage themselves to avoid becoming prey.  (Photo: December 27, 2015)

A great egret wades through the lettuce plants at Myakka River State Park looking for its next snack.  The egrets are among the numerous wading birds that can be found fishing on the river's edge.  (Photo: December 27, 2015)

Designated a wild and scenic river by Florida legislature, the Myakka River slowly flows from northern Manatee county to Charlotte Harbor with much of the river being undeveloped leaving visitors to take a glimpse of what life in Florida was once like.  The easiest way to explore the wild and scenic Myakka is at Myakka River State Park where 12 miles of the river flow through the park boundaries.  (Photo: December 27, 2015)

A rabbit nibbles on the greens along the walking path at Manatee Park in Fort Myers.  Usually the manatees steal the show at the park but the warm gulf waters are making land animals, like this rabbit, the center of attention.  (Photo: December 19, 2015)

Once only a bird could have a view like this of Myakka River State Park.  That is until the Canopy Walk and Tower came along.  Now guests can walk through the treetops on a suspension bridge before climbing 75 feet above the park on the observation tower, giving those who can make it to the top, a bird's eye view of the surrounding park.  (Photo: December 27, 2015)

Nokomis, Florida: Every holiday season, the quiet Mission Valley community springs to life with colorful Christmas lights at Enander's Winter Wonderland. The annual event bring hundreds of people a night to gaze at the wonderful creations. The display was started in 1975 with just 200 lights and since grown to over 250,000 lights stretched over 2 acres of land. In the displays are the classics combined with new additions from Disney’s Frozen, the Minions and much more. The event runs nightly from 6pm to 10pm until January 7th and admission is free. Enander's Winter Wonderland is located at 2281 Mission Valley Blvd in Nokomis, Florida. Click on the photo above to view a few more photos from my Enander's Winter Wonderland photo gallery .

Merry Christmas from Donten Photography.  Today's Christmas edition of Photo of the Day comes from Stone Mountain Park.  Each year, the park transforms into Snow Mountain Park filled with millions of Christmas lights, shows and snow.  (Photo: December 21, 2014)

An osprey takes flight from its nest at Manasota Beach.  Ospreys can be found throughout the coastal areas of Florida making nests along the shore and diving for fish in the water.  (Photo: December

An alligator lies along the Myakka River as seen on today's tour of the river aboard the Nan-Sea.  Alligators are cold-blooded and can be seen on the riverbanks lying in the sun on cooler days, helping to regulate their body temperature.  (Photo: December 23, 2015)

Venice, Florida: Departing from historic Snook Haven, Logan River Tours embarks on a scenic tour of the Myakka River. While only traveling a couple miles, the 1-hour tour lets guests see the wild Myakka River in all her glory. The tour begins at Snook Haven, a popular Old Florida restaurant on the Myakka River. Here you board the Nan-Sea, a 40-foot pontoon boat which will be your ticked to exploring the river for the next hour. The Myakka River is a 68-mile river which begins in northern Manatee County and flows south into Charlotte Harbor. The 34-miles which passes through Sarasota County was designated as a Wild and Scenic River by Florida Legislature in 1985. Much of the section seen during the tour is undeveloped and looks as it appeared when settlers first discovered the region. It was a rather quiet ride on our trip today thanks in part by higher than normal water levels. But we did manage to see a few alligators and turtles sunning themselves as well as a little...

Englewood, Florida:  The unseasonable warm temperature saw us hitting the beach just a couple days before Christmas and no trip to the beach is complete without photographing the wildlife found at the beach. It was a very active day for shorebirds at the beach and they were found in large groups throughout the beachgoers.  Spotted during today’s trip to the beach were: Anhinga Laughing Gull Osprey Ring-billed Gull Ruddy Turnstone Royal Tern Sandwich Tern Snow Egret Willet The highlight of the day was the Osprey nest by the pavilion. The Osprey was actively working on the nest and we watched it for a little while as it perfected its nest. Check out the Into the Wild page of Donten Photography for photos of today's wildlife.

A UPS cargo plane disappears into the fog as a dense early morning fog blankets Southwest Florida International Airport.  (Photo: December 16, 2015)

Fort Myers, Florida: Every year as the Gulf water temperatures drop below 68 degrees, manatees look for warm shallow waters to spend the winter in such as the ones found at Manatee Park. This seventeen acre park locate on the Orange River was opened by Lee County in 1996. It features a pathway along the canal with several observation shelters to view the manatees. It also has a vast butterfly garden along the way. The manatees can be found in high numbers in late December through February as the temperatures drop in the Gulf of Mexico. As the manatees come, so do the visitors so be prepared for large crowds. The weather in Florida has been rather warm this winter and the Gulf temps are still in the 70’s so there were no manatees visible during our visit. However we did see a rabbit, a black snake and a bunch of butterflies. Manatee Park is located at 1901 Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers. It is open daily from dawn to dusk. There is no admission charge however there i...

Like a beacon of freedom, the Statue of Liberty stands tall in the New York Harbor.  Given to the United States as a gift from France, Lady Liberty has been a sign of freedom since 1886.  While most people recognize the Statue of Liberty as a monument, most people do not know that it also served as a lighthouse for a little over a decade.  (Photo: August 28, 2005)

The red brick walls of the Netherlands Inn and Spa rise up from the surrounding cornfields in the the heart of Amish Country in Lancaster County.  (Photo: August 28, 2005)

A historic dispatcher console for the New York Police Department sits on display at the NYPD Museum in lower Manhattan.  This is how the early calls were dispatched to the patrol units of the nations largest police force.  Today the NYPD processes over 11 million calls a year.  (Photo: August 27, 2005)

The midtown Manhattan skyline as seen from the 40th floor window of the Hilton Times Square.  The NYC skyline is filled with iconic high rise building, center in this view is the Worldwide Plaza.  (Photo: August 26, 2005)

This United Airways aircraft was painted in the Blue Skyway livery to celebrate the airlines 75th Anniversary and to pay tribute to the airlines Continental Airlines heritage. (Photo: December 8, 2015)

Bright colorful blooms of a flower brighten the day along a lake bank in Sarasota. Despite it being the middle of December, colorful flowers can be found in bloom throughout the Sunshine State. (Photo: December 8, 2015)

The cast of the Today Show on NBC makes a permanent appearance at Madame Tussauds at Time Square. Here the likeness of Al Roker, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer join many other celebrities at the popular wax museum in New York’s Time Square. (Photo: August 26, 2005)

Travel today is made easier thanks to a President Dwight D Eisenhower’s Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. This helped connect the country via a system of cross country highways now known as the Interstate. What was once a controversial plan is now the backbone of our country’s transportation system. (Photo: August 31, 2005)

Riders prepare for the splashdown as SheiKra comes screaming in for the splash finish at Busch Gardens Tampa. Bases on a mythical bird hunting prey, SheiKra pulls 4 G’s as it drops 200 feet and reaches 70 miles per hour along the way. (Photo: July 24, 2005)

The sound of water cascading over the waterfall provides a tranquil environment at the former Cypress Gardens theme park in Winter Haven. Although the theme park has been reopened and redesigned as Legoland Florida, much of the garden elements of the Cypress Gardens theme park still remain. (Photo: July 4, 2005)

A bronze statue of Mexican politician Benito Juarez sits on display in Bryant Park in New York City. The statue was dedicated in 2004 by the State of Oaxaca on behalf of the Mexican government. The Juarez statue joins other international figures to be memorialized in bronze in Bryant Park. (Photo: June 18, 2005)

A vintage city cab sits on Hollywood Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Several older cars are used to represent the Golden Era of film production, helping to enhance the story at the park. (Photo: April 9, 2005)

A quiet residential street is one of the many scenes recreated at the United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot. At Epcot’s World Showcase, the scenes of twelve countries come alive along the banks of the World Showcase Lagoon, allowing park guests to experience the cultures of each country without ever leaving Central Florida. (Photo: February 26, 2005)

Rising up from the center of the Magic Kingdom is one of the most iconic sights at Walt Disney World, Cinderella’s Castle. The castle not only serves as the park’s icon, it is also the heart of the park as all the worlds branch off from the castle. (Photo: February 6, 2005)

The Budweiser Hospitality House at Busch Gardens Tampa once provided park guests with a sample of Anheuser-Busch products as well as an inside look at the beer making process. But when they sold to the Belgian brewer InBev, that tradition came to an end and today, the Hospitality House serves as a restaurant. (Photo: January 2, 2005)

The Edson Keith Mansion sits along the banks of the Phillippi Creek and is the centerpiece of the Phillippi Estate Park. The mansion was built by Edson and Nettie Keener Keith in 1916 and is built to the Italian Renaissance architecture style. The mansion remained under private ownership until purchased by Sarasota County in 1985. It was then converted into a county park and today the mansion hosts meetings, weddings and much more. (Photo: December 9, 2004)

Roses boom all year round in the colorful rose garden at the Ringling Museum. Completed in 1913, Mabel Ringling planted and took care of the roses of the garden. It is one of several gardens on the estate and is probably the most popular on the property. While none of the roses in existence here today were planted by Mabel, they are the same variety in which she had planted years ago. (Photo: September 26, 2015)

Happy Thanksgiving from us at Donten Photography to you and your family. We are very thankful for your support of our photography hobby and I hope you enjoy the content we bring to you. Today's Thanksgiving Day themed picture is a turkey found at Myakka River State Park in eastern Sarasota County. (Photo: November 18, 2015)

Englewood, Florida: After an exciting race on Friday, the racers of the Offshore Powerboat Association returned to the waters off Englewood Beach for the final day of the Englewood WaterFest and the second half of the OPA World Championships. The two day event rounds up the 2015 season for the OPA and crowns the World Champion in each race class. Like Friday’s event, the ten classes were divided into three races that would race head to head on the four mile course in the Gulf of Mexico. Here are the results from Sunday’s race: Super Cat – Amsoil (#77)  Super Vee Lite – LSB Racing (#3)  Class 2 – Bat Boat (#211)  Class 3 – 2nd Amendment USA (#306)  Class 4 – Saris Racing (#441)  Class 5 – Wanna Race (#502)  Class 6 – Woah Mama (#632)  Class 7 – Bay Rat (#723)  Cat Lite – FJ Propeller (#S-19)  Extreme – Cat Can Do (#19)  The points from Friday’s race were combined with Sunday’s results to crown the World Champion. H...

Two offshore powerboats race down Englewood Beach in search of the OPA National Championship. Englewood Beach hosted three races on Friday afternoon as part of Englewood WaterFest. These race crews will be back on the water at Englewood Beach on Sunday in the World Championship. (Photo: November 20, 2015)

Englewood, Florida: The racers of the Offshore Powerboat Assocation converged on Englewood Beach for the inaugural Englewood WaterFest. The premier racing group would be hosting two racing events over the weekend, starting with the OPA National Championships on Friday. The OPA National Championships was originally scheduled to occur during the Ocean City Grand Prix but Hurricane Joaquin forced the event to be cancelled, forcing the sanctioning body to declare Friday’s race in Englewood as the National Championship. Racers took to the Gulf of Mexico on a four mile course that extended from Englewood Beach southward towards Stump Pass State Park. The event featured three heat races with boats from ten classes. The race winners included: Super Cat – Cleveland Construction (#4)  Super Vee Lite – LSB Racing (#3)  Class 2 – Batman (#211)  Class 3 – Strictly Business (#V-6)  Class 4 – Saris Racing (#441) Class 5 – Wazzup II (#513)  Class 6 -Smith B...

A dolphin comes up to interact with guests at Sea World Orlando. Located in the Key West portion of the park, Dolphin Cove is where you can feed or pet these gentle sea mammals or go under water in the cave to watch the dolphins swim beneath the surface. (Photo: August 28, 2004)

A flock of Flamingos hang out near a pond in the Bird Gardens section of Busch Gardens Tampa. One of the oldest portions of the park, Bird Gardens is home to many species of birds and two free flight aviaries. (Photo: June 27, 2004)

The bright teal water of the Gulf of Mexico and the sandy beaches are what make the Suncoast a top destination on the coast of Florida. (Photo: May 1, 2004)

A giant sword rising from the ground at Arlington National Cemetery pays tributes to the soldiers who enlisted in the Canadian armed forces in Europe. The Canadian Cross of Sacrifice was proposed by Prime Minister William Lyon in 1925 to honor the brave American soldiers who joined the Canadian military to fight in World War I before the US entered the conflict. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

The highest court in the land, the US Supreme Court in Washington DC is where many historic decisions have been made by the Justices of the Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court reperesents the judicial branch of government as one of the three main portions of our nation’s government structure.  (Photo: April 29, 2004)

A dense fog sets over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan and is one of the icons of the Big Apple. (Photo: April 26, 2004)

The church at the Jamestown Settlement was the center of early settlers life in the new colonies. Religion was one of the many reasons why the early settlers risked so much to make the journey across the Atlantic to America. (Photo: April 24, 2004)

A field of colorful flowers brightens the ground in front of a home in the historic district of Williamsburg. Much of the historic district is preserved to spotlight the events surrounding the American Revolution. (Photo: April 25, 2005)

I would like to take a moment and thank all the men and woman who have served or are currently serving in the United States armed services. Your dedication to preserving our freedoms is great appreciated by me and my family. In honor of Veteran's Day, today's photo of the day comes from the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base. (Photo: December 22, 2014)

While much of the nation is seeing bright colorful fall leaves, a look at thermometer in Southwest Florida makes you think its July not November. But if you look closely you can see signs that Fall has arrived even if the temperatures don't reflect it. (Photo: November 7, 2015)

Bradenton, Florida: A sunny Sunday gave way to competitive youth baseball as the teams converged on Braded River Park for the Suncoast Out Hit Hunger Tournament presented by Suncoast Travel Ball. After finishing pool play 1-1 on Friday night, the Sarasota Shock came into Sunday as the #5 seed and faced the GCBA Black Sox in the opening round. The Black Sox took the lead early, pushing across seven unanswered runs. But the Shock were not going down without a fight, clawing their way back into the game. But the Shock ran out of time and eventually fell to the Black Sox 7-4. The loss eliminated the Shock while the Black Sox advanced into the semi-finals. Click on the photo above to view my Shock/Black Sox photo gallery .

Naples, Florida: Over the past couple weeks, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has posted some phenomenal wildlife photos on their Facebook page. Watching these photos made me want to go back and revisit the swamp so we decided to take the trek out to their boardwalk in eastern Collier County. The park was hosting a Photo Safari over the weekend so what better time to go and enjoy a walk in the wilderness while taking photos of what we encounter. Our last trip back in 2010 provided a bunch of great photos so I was hoping that today would be no different. During our exploration of the wilderness, we came across quite a few species including: Anhinga  Black Racer  Black Vulture  Cottonmouth Snake  Green Tree Frog  Gulf Fritillary butterfly Little Blue Heron  Northern Cardinal  Squirrel  Racoon  Red Shouldered Hawk  White Tail Deer  White Peacock butterfly  Wood Stork  We also had a chance to see the rar...

Lakewood Ranch, Florida: After a big win earlier in the evening, the Sarasota Shock took to the field for a second time on Friday night, this time against a tough Lakewood Ranch Mustangs Elite team. It didn’t take long for the Mustangs to set the tempo for the game, jumping out to a big lead. The powerful offense was backed by an even more dominating pitcher and some great defensive work to hold the Shock quiet all night. The first nine Shock hitters sent to the plate were all retired and the game was called early with the Shock suffering the 19-0 loss. The Shock will be off on Saturday before coming back on Sunday for the Suncoast Out Hit Hunger Tournament at Braden River Park. Click on the photo above to view my Shock/Mustangs photo gallery .

A clothesline hangs from the window of an Amish homestead to a barn. Without the conveniences of electricity, the Amish revert to simple ways of completing everyday household chores. You can get a glimpse into Amish life at the Amish Village in Lancaster County. (Photo: April 23, 2004)