The Wandering Disciple

The Majesty of the Seas passes through the Government cut as it embarks on another Bahama cruise. The Government Cut is a manmade shipping channel that connects the Port of Miami and the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo: April 19, 2010)

Sarasota, Florida: With spring training in its final days, the Tampa Bay Rays took its opening day lineup on the road to face the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. The Rays took an early lead and never really looked back as they won 4-3. The Rays wasted no time in taking the lead, scoring in the first inning. Asdrubal Cabrera double to left to score John Jaso and make it 1-0. The Rays pushed across three more in the third. David DeJesus homered to right. Then a sac fly by Desmond Jennings and an RBI double by Logan Forsythe made it 4-0. The Orioles strung together three one-run innings in the six, seventh and eighth but it wasn’t enough as they Rays held on for a 4-3 win. Click on the photo above to view my Rays/Orioles photo galler y.

The Carnival Destiny maneuvers through the busy water of the Port of Miami. The Port of Miami is the gateway that connects South Florida cruisers with the Caribbean ports of call. (Photo: April 19, 2010)

A laughing gull sits on the handrail at the Gasparilla Island fishing pier waiting for its next meal. An abandoned rail trestle converted to a fishing pier, it is a popular spot to fish. (Photo: November 21, 2010)

Boca Grande Pass, the mouth of Charlotte Harbor has been protected by the Boca Grande Lighthouse since 1890. While the lighthouse was dark for twenty years of that expansive history, today the lighthouse is in full operation and also serves as a museum to maritime history. (Photo: March 27, 2010)

Englewood, Florida: Hamsher Homes gave the division leading Italiano Insurance a run for their money on Saturday night. Hamsher took an early lead but by midway through the contest both clubs were locked into an 8-8 tie. The tie lasted until the top of the fifth when Italiano pushed across two runs. Hamsher never recovered as they fell 10-8. Click on the photo above to view my Hamsher/Italiano photo gallery .

Sarasota, Florida:   We decided to hit the Celery Fields for a little bit of wildlife spotting on a sunny Saturday afternoon.  We didn't have much time before our appointment so we only stopped at the Raymond Road boardwalk. The quick stop awarded us with a lot of activity.  There were many Red-winged Blackbirds, Limpkins with babies and even a King Rail.  One of the coolest things we saw, or scariest depending on your fears, was a Cottonmouth Snake.  It swam across the top of the water under the boardwalk.  It was good piece of mind knowing we were safe on the boardwalk.  I have always heard stories about them but had never seen one in the wild. Here is a list of what we saw on our trip. Boat-tailed Grackle Common Gallinule Cottonmouth Snake Great Blue Heron King Rail Limpkim Red-winged Blackbird Roseate Spoonbill Tri-colored Heron Click on the photo above to view my Celery Fields photo gallery include photos from today and past v...

The early medical history of Manatee County is frozen in time at the South Florida Museum. Here you can see replicas of history, like this dentist’s office, on display in the museum. In addition to historical artifacts in the museum, South Florida Museum also features an aquarium and a planetarium. (Photo: February 14, 2010)

Sarasota, Florida: Preparations for the 2015 season conrinues throughout Florida and Arizona as teams make the final adjustments as they prepare for opening day. Today’s contest saw the Tampa Bay Rays taking on the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. What started as a home run slugfest quickly turned into a non-event as the skies opened up and the game was cancelled and erased from memory. Click on the photo above to see photos from the Rays/Orioles game before the rains came.

A patrol car from the Brevard County Sheriff’s on display at the American Police Museum and Hall of Fame. The museum is a tribute to the brave men and women who make up our nation’s police force. (Photo: January 24, 2010)

A two-man capsule from Project Gemini sits on display at the Astronaut Hall of Fame outside Kennedy Space Center. Launched atop the Titan II rocket, Project Gemini provided NASA with ten space missions between 1961-1966. (Photo: January 24, 2010)

Englewood, Florida: Hamsher Homes continue to struggle scoring runs as they fell to the Kimberlin Roofing on Wednesday night. Hamsher scored first again tonight but a steady collection of runs by Kimberlin combined with a huge sixth inning was all it would take to put the game out of reach. When the game was called due to time limit, Hamsher lost 11-3. Click on the photo above to view the Hamsher/Kimberlin game gallery.

The Atlantic Ocean shows its fury as it hurls waves towards the Cocoa Beach coastline. The waves at Cocoa Beach are some of the best in Florida and are prime for surfing. (Photo: January 23, 210)

The smoke stack of the Disney Magic provides proof of the magic of Disney World on the high seas. The Disney Cruise Line currently operates four cruise ships embarking on cruises of the Caribbean. (Photo: January 23, 2010)

A replica astronaut stands guard over the visitor’s complex at Kennedy Space Center. The visitor’s complex is the gateway to our nation’s space program, allowing visitors to get up close to the history of space flight from the early Apollo missions through the space shuttle program. (Photo: January 23, 2010)

Englewood, Florida: The Hamsher Homes minor league team continue their 2015 season as the faced Porter Contracting on Saturday night at Englewood Sports Complex. Hamsher came out and scored four runs in the opening frame to set the pace. They held a 7-2 lead into the third inning when Porter took control of the contest by scoring five runs and picking up an additional run via the five-run rule. Both clubs exchanged runs and Hamsher eventually tied the game in thanks to a three run fifth inning. But Porter score in the bottom of the fifth to hand Hamsher a 11-10 walk-off loss. Click on the photo above to view the Hamsher/Porter game gallery .

In a comedic spoof of Mount Rushmore, the heads of the main characters of the film Dudley Do-Right adorn the mountain peaks of Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls at Islands of Adventure.  Built in 1999, the log flume ride was one of the original rides at the Central Florida theme park.  (Photo: January 9, 2010)

Venice, Florida: The Venice Audubon Rookery is becoming a popular spot as the nests are very active. There are many of species of birds that have nested on the island and many of the eggs have hatched, making it very busy around the lake.  On today’s visit we photographed: Anhinga  Black-crowned Night Heron  Double-crested Cormorant  Great Egret  Great Blue Heron  Northern Mockingbird  Palm Warbler  Red-winged Blackbird  Snowy Egret  White Ibis  The Venice Audubon Rookery is located in the rear of the South County Administration Complex. It features a large lake with a roosting island in the center of the lake. A gravel trail leads around the lake with several benches available to sit and watch the activity.  Click on the photo to view photos from the Venice Audubon Rookery .

The Garden of Allah Villas is one of the movie backdrops found at Universal Studios Florida.  More than a theme park, Universal Studios is also a working movie studio as many of the park's buildings can be used as backdrops for productions.  (Photo: January 9, 2010)

A waterfall creates a tranquil spot to escape the hustle and bustle of Universal Orlando.  Many tropical oasis like this can be found throughout the Royal Pacific Resort, one of four resort hotels at Universal Orlando.  (Photo: January 10, 2010)

A Florida Panther stands in the brush at Homosassa Springs State Park.  The park is a unique attraction that combines a zoo with natural Floridian fauna.  A nature trail leads guests on a walk through animal habitats featuring Florida native wildlife.  (Photo: November 11, 2009)

The bright blue waters of Lake Osprey at Oscar Scherer State Park are a popular spot at this suburban park located just south of Sarasota.  The man made lake is open for swimming to help cool down from the hot Florida sun.  (Photo: November 8, 2009)

A locomotive from the Seaboard Airlines Railway is one of the many historic railroad items on display at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish.  It is here where you do not only see the exhibit, but you get the opportunity to ride the exhibits.  (Photo: October 18, 2009)

An Aoudad lays in the grass along the drive-through safari at Lion Country Safari.  The one of a kind attraction takes you through six different ecosystems in the comfort of your own automobile.  When you complete the safari, you can continue your adventure on foot or drive though again.  (Photo: September 7, 2009)

Boca Grande, Florida: Another beautiful weekend means another trip to the beach and today we decided to head out to Boca Grande and Gasparilla Island State Park. The crystal clear and calm waters made for a great afternoon at the beach and a great opportunity to watch the shore birds. There was a lot of activity as a large group of willets spent a good bit of the day flying around the beach. I also saw my first magnificent frigate bird as it flew over the beach heading south. Today we photographed: Laughing Gull  Magnificent Frigatebird  Osprey  Royal Tern  Willet  Gasparilla Island State Park is located on the barrier island of Boca Grande. It features several miles of beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Click on the photo above to view photos from Gasparilla Island State Park .

A black bear lays along the Florida Boardwalk at Lowry Park Zoo.  The Florida Boardwalk takes you on a journey through the wildlife that call the Sunshine State their home.  (Photo: August 30, 2009)

Englewood, Florida: After a brief break from play for spring break, baseball resumed in the minors division of Englewood Area Youth Baseball as Hamsher Homes hosted USA Steel Fence on Saturday night. After a tough loss last week, Hamsher came out swinging and jumped out to an early lead.  They batted around the order and posted four runs to the scoreboard before the dust settled. Hamsher followed with a pair of runs the next inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead. USA Steel Fence took advantage of a pitching change to rally for four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Hamsher distanced themselves again by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 8-4. USA added another run in the fifth while Hamsher added two more before time expired.  When the two hour time limit was reached, Hamsher was left in the winners column following a 10-5 win. Click on the photo above to view the Hamsher/USA Steel photo gallery .

A sugar roller sits on display at the Gamble Plantation near the banks of the Manatee River.  Rollers like this were used to grind sugar cane throughout plantations in the south.  (Photo: August 7, 2009)

The peaceful waters of the Estero River as it passes through Koreshan State Park.  It was along the banks of this river that Cyrus Teed established the Koreshan Unity in 1894.  (Photo: July 29, 2009)

Venice, Florida: A hidden gem along the Myakka River in Venice, Venice Myakka River Park is a tranquil place to take a walk along the calm waters of the river. A short trail will lead you to the river were you will find picnic area and a canoe launch. The park is joint venture between the City of Venice and Sarasota County. It is located at the end of Laurel Rd. It is open daily and there is no admission charge.

Nokomis, Florida: Our day of watching wildlife continues as we headed to the Pinelands Reserve. Like past trips to the Pinelands, we were treated with great opportunities that included a one that I have not yet photographed, the Eastern Meadowlark. There were even a few baby Sandhill Cranes walking around with their momma. On today’s trip, we photographed: American Alligator  American Kestrel  Belted Kingfisher  Black Vulture  Double-crested Cormorant  Eastern Meadowlark  Great Blue Heron  Great White Egret  Little Blue Heron  Mottled Duck  Red-shouldered Hawk  Sandhill Crane  Turkey Vulture  White Ibis  White-tail Deer  Wood Stork  Pinelands Reserve is located around the Central County Landfill Complex off Knights Trail Road in Nokomis. If you are planning on visiting, you need to stop at the administration building to check-in and get a map of the property. There is always a dive...

Englewood, Florida: Any day at the beach quickly turns into an opportunity to watch wildlife and airplanes, two of my favorite photography subjects. It was a very quiet day at the beach, despite the spectacular weather. The beach was only visited by the usual shorebirds. Today we saw: Brown Pelican  Laughing Gull  Osprey   Willet  It was pretty quiet on the aircraft as well, just a couple single engine planes flying the coast. Even without a lot of subjects to photograph, it was a great day for the beach. The water was clear and is starting to warm up while the beaches are starting to thin out as winter residents are starting to head home.

A snowy egret snaps into a sand flea in the surf at Gasparilla Island State Park. The barrier island state park is a great place to watch shorebirds look for food in the surfline. (Photo: March 8, 2015)

Sarasota, Florida:   Spring training is full swing throughout Florida and Arizona as major league teams prepare for opening day.  Over 7,400 fans packed Ed Smith Stadium to watch the Baltimore Orioles host the Toronto Blue Jays for some Grapefruit League action under the sunny Florida skies. The visiting Blue Jays jumped out to an early lead in the first inning.  They wasted no time, tagging the Orioles started Miguel Gonzalez for back to back singled to lead off the inning.  Justin Smoak later drove home Jose Reyes for the first run of the afternoon.  Then Ramon Santiago scored on an RBI double by Kevin Pillar to make it 2-0 Blue Jays. The Jays added to their lead in the fifth inning.  Munenori Kawasaki doubled to left, scoring Josh Tole to increase the Blue Jays lead to 3-0. The Orioles reached the scoreboard by posting a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.  The Orioles loaded the bases with a single by JJ Hardy, a walk by Chris Davis ...

Even the Great Horned Owls like watching a Floridian sunset.  This owls sits atop the tree awaiting the dark of night to do its hunting.  (Photo: March 10,  2015)

A rhino beats the heat by taking a dip in the pond at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa.  The Indian Rhinoceros in the photo is one of over 1,00 animals on display at the zoo.  (Photo: June 28, 2005)

The colorful blooms of Mabel's Secret Garden is a popular sight at the Ringling Museum on the Sarasota bayfront.  The museum was once the home of John and Mabel Ringling.  Today guests can tour his estate, stroll through the gardens and tour his art collection and circus memorabilia.  (Photo: June 14, 2009)

Boca Grande, Florida: We took a leisurely Sunday drive to Boca Grande to spend a couple hours at the beach at Gasparilla Island State Park. We headed out to the lighthouse and set up at the point. The shorebirds were plentiful. I had a great time watching a snowy egret digging for sandfleas along the surfline. Here is a collection of what we saw: Anhinga  Brown Pelican  Double-crested  Cormorant  Franklin's Gull  Laughing Gull  Osprey  Ring-billed Gull  Royal Tern  Snowy Egret  Gasparilla Island State Park is a Florida State Park located in Boca Grande, Florida. It features several miles of beachfront with multiple access points. Each beach access provides a different experience. There is a $3 per car admission fee to the park payable via an honor box at each parking lot. The park is located on a barrier island which has a $6 fee for crossing the privately owned and maintained bridge. Click on the photo above...

A white tiger tries to take a nap during the heat of the day at Busch Garden.  The tigers are located in the Jungala portion of the park in a habitat that allows you to get closer to the tigers than in any other zoo.  (Photo: May 31, 2009)

Englewood, Florida: The 2015 season of Englewood Area Youth Baseball opened up under the lights of Englewood Sports Complex. Hamsher Homes opened their minor league season against Italiano Insurance on Field 3.  Italiano jumped out to an early lead by scoring two runs in the second inning. Hamsher cut the lead in half by scoring in the top of the third. But a big four run inning in the bottom of the fourth put the game out of reach for Hamsher. A two run rally in the final frame brought them closer, but Italiano held on to win 6-3. Click on the photo above for a few photos from Hamsher/Itlaliano season opener .

Each winter, the National Mall entertains thousands of ice skaters to the sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Art. With the National Archives as a backdrop, this temporary rink is a favorite for locals and tourists alike. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

A wax figure of former President George W Bush stands on display at Madame Tussaud’s Washington DC. The museum is home to wax figures of politician, celebrities, athletes and much more. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

A tall tower of the Washington National Cathedral towers over the land. At 301 feet tall, the cathedral is the fourth tallest structure in Washington DC. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

The history of the US Postal Service is highlighted at the National Postal Museum in Washington DC. From letter carriers to air mail, all aspects of the postal service can be seen here. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

A replica of the Voyager Spacecraft sits on display at the National Air & Space Museum. Developed in the 1960’s the Voyager program was designed to explore outer planets in the solar system. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

An Easter Island Head or “Moai” welcomes visitors to the National Museum of Natural History. The museum is home to the only two figures on display in the United States. (Photo: February 14, 2009)

Sarasota, Florida:  We took an late morning/early afternoon trip through Myakka River State Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon to do some wildlife photography.  With the recent rains, the river level was high and the trails were a bit muddy so we decided to stick to the park driveway for our photography. It didn't take long to encounter wildlife on our drive.  As soon as we cleared the campground area, we encounter a female white-tailed deer in the field and some black-bellied whistling ducks along the water line. Our first stop on the drive was at the bridge over the Myakka River.  This is always a great place to see gators and birds by the water.  But the high levels of the river kept things pretty quite.  There were only a couple gators and birds. We drove the rest of the way through the park on the way to the birdwalk.  The drive was unusually quiet, not much activity at all. At the birdwalk we encountered a bit of activity but still relati...