The Wandering Disciple

USAF Thunderbirds - 2014 FIAS Punta Gorda, Florida:  The skies above Punta Gorda Airport roar to life this weekend with the return of the annual Florida International Air Show.  For over thirty years, the show has been dazzling crowds with amazing aerial aerobatic displays.  This year's show is sure to not disappoint with acts the whole family will enjoy from the comedy of the Alabama Boys to the adrenaline packed routine of the US Air Force Thunderbirds. The headline act for the 2019 show will be the Thunderbirds.  The return of the Thunderbirds to Punta Gorda marks the first military demonstration team to fly in the air show since the Thunderbirds flew in 2014 before government sequestration pulled the teams from civilian air shows. Dash AeroSports - 2017 FIAS But the Thunderbirds are not the only jet engines to be roaring over Punta Gorda.  Scott Farnsworth will be tearing up the skies in the Dash AeroSports L-39 Albatross and Jerry McKart will be...

During the winter months, its not just the beaches and roads filled with snowbirds. Local park and ponds are filled with migrating birds evading the harsh winter months up north. This collection of ducks was swimming at Ackerman Park in Sarasota. (Photo: January 23, 2015)

An American Alligator attempts to blend in with it surroundings in a waterway at the Amberjack Environmental Park in Cape Haze. Alligators can be very good at hiding in plain sight. That's why extreme care should be taken near any body of water in Florida. Just because you can't see a gator doesn't mean there isn't one camouflaged near the banks or lurking under the surface. (Photo: January 18, 2015)

The Sarasota Sheriff's Office helicopter "Air One" fills up the Bambi Bucket in a nearby lake as it provides water drops over a wildfire to assist the fire department. Air drops are a critical resource for firefighters, allowing water to hit parts of the fire inaccessible to ground units. The helibucket commonly known as a Bambi Bucket, a trademarked name by the manufacture, can drop anywhere from 72 to 2,600 gallons of water depending on size of the bucket and capability of the helicopter. (Photo: March 13, 2015)

A great horned owl sits on top tree as the sun sets over Southwest Florida. The great horned owl is the largest of the US owl species and are known my they ear tufts. These nocturnal animals start getting active as the sun sets and use their stellar night vision to look from prey. (Photo: March 10, 2015)

While at first glance, Florida looks like a land of swamps and beaches. But if you look a little closer, they are plenty of diverse ecosystems each with their own plants and wildlife. Take this pine flatwood ecosystem located at Charlotte Flatwoods Environmental Park, it is home to many species of warblers in the trees and the flooded borrow pit is home to Sandhill Cranes, Blue Herons and Wood Storks. (Photo: January 4, 2015)

The wooden boardwalk passes through the mangroves and out along the bay at Lemon Bay Park. This park located on Lemon Bay is home to a great hiking trail providing beautiful bay views and then further upland a glimpse of nesting bald eagles. (Photo: January 3, 2015)

When the US Armed Forces needs an invisible eye in the sky to monitor and assess threats post 9/11, they turned to the RQ-4 Global Hawk. This drone produced by Northrup Grumman would allow operators to get similar surveillance as provided by the U-2 but without placing a pilot in hostile territory. The RQ-4 is capable of surveying over 40,000 square miles a day. (Photo: December 22, 2014)

The Summit Skyride travels to the pinnacle of Stone Mountain, taking guests on a stunning view of the mountain and its surroundings. This Swiss cable car lifts over 825 feet above the ground as it transports its riders to the top of Stone Mountain. From here you can see over sixty miles and includes a birds eye view of nearby Atlanta and the distant Appalachian Mountains. (Photo: December 21, 2014)

Ebenezer Baptist Church has been the spiritual center of the Sweet Auburn community of Atlanta. Since its inception 1886, it has served this community and later served a keystone in the Civil Rights movement.  It is here where Dr Martin Luther King Jr would get baptized, become an ordained minister at the age of 19, co-pastor the congregation with his father from 1960 until his death in 1968 and later hold his funeral.  The preaching of Dr King are still alive in this church and you can visit it as park of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Historic District, a tribute to Dr King and his impact on society.  (Photo: December 21, 2014)

Atlanta is not only the capital of Georgia but it could also be considered the southern center of industry and capitalism. Many major corporations have been founded or headquartered here. Coca-Cola, CNN/Turner Broadcasting, Home Depot, Chic-fil-a, AT&T, UPS and Delta Air Lines are just a few of the companies that have their global headquarters in Atlanta. These and many more companies help to funnel $385 billion dollars annually into the economy. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

A White-cheeked Turaco poses for the camera in the Living Treehouse Exhibit at Zoo Atlanta. The exhibit allows you to get close to colorful birds inside the free flight aviary. The attraction is just one of the many at Zoo Atlanta designed to help immerse visitors with wildlife. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

The Sunshine State has decided to participate in Fall as the swamp is filled with a splash of autumn color. The typical lush greens of the swamp was broken up with the red leaves as Fall has hit the region. It may not be the dynamic autumn look of northern states but it is nice to see a little change of season in the land of four summers. (Photo: October 20, 2019)

Fort Myers, Florida: The swamp was filled with color today. The usual lush greens were mixed with bright fall leaves and colorful birds. Today’s hike was missing a lot of the regular visitors but features a few colorful ones I have never seen before. Here is a look at what we found on our hike today:  American Redstart  Black and White Warbler  Blue Jay  Common Yellowthroat  Eastern Gray Squirrel  Limpkin  Northern Cardinal  Peninsular Cooter  You can see Fall in the swamp for yourself by visiting Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. It is located at 7791 Penzance Boulevard in Fort Myers, Florida. The park is opened daily from sunrise to sunset. There is no admission for the park but Lee County charges $1 an hour/$5 daily max for parking.  Click on the photo above to see photos from today and the entire gallery from Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve .

The northern mountains aren't the only ones that can enjoy a colorful Fall. Even the deep south gets in on the colorful action, albeit a little bit later. This is a look at Atlanta's Grant Park as it transitions from Fall to Winter. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

One of my favorite childhood memories was hitting the road and taking a road trip. Whether it be heading to the shore for the weekend or getting lost on a Sunday with my aunt, I always enjoyed seeing new things, having fun experiences and making memories. This is something that I continue to this day with my family as we try to take weekend adventures and the occasional long distance road trip like this one to Atlanta in 2014. (Photo: December 20, 2014)

Rising high above the forest floor is Myakka State Park's Canopy Walk. The suspension bridge allows you to walk through the canopy of the forest and get a view once only available for birds. At the end of the bridge, the there is a 75 foot observation tower taking to high above the canopy for a panoramic view of the park. (Photo: December 13, 2014)

Like a soldier defending its fort, a fiddler crab scans the coastline at Cedar Point Environmental Park on Lemon Bay. The fiddler crab is pretty intimidating looking with its giant claw but the claw is used mainly for courtship, not fighting. (Photo: December 6, 2014)

A great egret crouches down in the reeds along a pond at the Celery Fields as it tries to be stealthy while hunting. The Celery Fields in eastern Sarasota area a birding hotspot with birds migrating from across the country to this wetland oasis. That in turn brings travelers from around the world as they try and cross species off their life list. (Photo: December 4, 2014)

A large flock of ducks swim across the lake at Ackerman Park. The small park along I-75 is a popular place to see birds. Its close proximity to the birding hotspot, the Celery Fields, Ackerman Park has a nice diversity of birds. From the wading birds that line the banks to seasonal ducks that swim the waters, it is a good place to visit to cross some species off your checklist. (Photo: December 4, 2014)

As you gaze across the plain and see zebras, giraffes and more, you might begin to forget you are in Florida. But you are still in the Sunshine State at Busch Garden's Serengeti Plain. The Serengeti Plain is 65 acre animal habitat that recreates an African Savannah in the heart of West Central Florida. The Serengeti is divided into two regions both with distinct animals. The South plain features giraffes, Eland, Grevy Zebra, Addax and more while the North plain features White Rhino, Wildebeast, Ostrich, Grant's Zebra and more. Busch Gardens gives you three ways to get a glimpse of these animals; the Serengeti Express train, the Sky Ride or the Edge of Africa walking paths. But if you want to get even closer, they offer behind the scene tours like the Serengeti Safari. (Photo: October 12, 2019)

Tampa, Florida: For the second time since becoming passholders for Busch Gardens Tampa, we had the opportunity to take another insider tour. For this tour, we decided to take the Cheetah Insider Tour to get up close to some of our favorite animals in the park. The tour begins at the Serengeti Outpost near the Nairobi Train Station. Here you will meet with your tour guide that will lead you to the Cheetah House. The Cheetah House is located behind the Cheetah exhibit in the old Clydesdale Hamlet. It is here we met with Cherish who would be the trainer that would give us insight into the Cheetah program at Busch Gardens Busch Gardens is home to nine Cheetahs. Cheetahs are interesting animals. Unlike other big cats, Cheetahs do not roar, they meow and purr much like a house cat. They are also the only species of cats that do not retract their claws. And boy are these guys fast! Going zero to Cheetah, or zero to sixty, in just a few seconds. We first met up with Tendai ...

A juvenile bald eagle stands watch over the Pinelands Reserve from atop a power pole. Bald Eagles are easily identified by their majestic white heads and tails. But did you know they are born without them? An eagle is born with all brown feathers with white streaks. They will remain this until they go through sexual maturity, or about five years of age. (Photo: December 4, 2014)

Fort Myers, Florida: It was a pretty exciting week at RSW this week. The late week arrival of Vice President Pence brought Air Force Two into the airport as well as the support cargo aircraft. While AF-2 came in the cover of darkness overnight Thursday/Friday, I was lucky enough to catch the C-17 Globemaster III carrying the motorcade. It was the first time I have seen the C-17 airborne and she is quite the sight in the sky. Another cool sighting came on Monday afternoon as JetBlue’s new A321 NEO spent a good chunk of the afternoon on Monday doing touch and go approaches as she worked the kinks out before going into revenue service. United also sent their new livery into RSW on Friday and while I did not catch it, there was plenty of special livery this week including Mickey Mouse for WestJet, American’s Astrojet and more. Here is a look at what I photographed this week: 11-00289 – MC-12 Liberty (US Army)  98-0057 – C-17 Globemaster III (New York Air National Guard)...

Deer gather to graze on the luscious grass of this former landfill turned into nature preserve in Eastern Sarasota. They have become know as the Rothenbach Park deer, these white tail deer come to the park to feast on the acres of grass that grows on the ninety foot mound. People come to Rothenbach Park to enjoy the nature and serenity that can be found on the miles of paved trail that surrounds the park. (Photo: December 4, 2014)

A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III arrives heavy at Southwest Florida International Airport. The C-17 is one of the Air Force's heavy lifters, used to support the Air Force mission worldwide by providing supplies to crews across the globe. Manufactured by Boeing and introduced to service in 1995, the C-17 is capable of delivering over 170,000 pounds of payload. This particular C-17 was on a Reach mission, a special mission providing support to the Vice President's Secret Service detail. (Photo: October 9, 2019)

An alligator lays along the edge of a pond at Pinelands Reserve in central Sarasota County. In Florida, gators can be found in nearly any body of fresh water. They have even been spotted in saltwater from time to time. If there is a source of food, they can survive. But use caution when around bodies of water because even if you can't see a gator, don't assume one isn't there, a gator can stay underwater for several hours. (Photo: December 1, 2014)

Every night as the sun begins to set below the horizon, hundreds of wading birds settle in to a tiny island in the middle of a pond. The rookery is a safe haven for these birds. The alligator filled water surround the island provide safety from predators allowing these birds to sleep and raise young without being harassed by their predators. (Photo: November 30, 2014)

With a long slender neck that resembles a snake, the Anhinga has been given the nickname snake bird. When swimming, only the neck is visible, resembling a snake that is about to strike. (Photo: November 28, 2014)

An Asian Elephant blows mud over its back at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.  While it looks like this elephant is just playing in the mud, it is trying to keep cool in the Florida heat.  The water is cooling to the skin of the elephant and the mud acts as sunscreen helping to prevent the elephant's skin from sunburn.  (Photo: October 5, 2019)

Kembe plays catch with a piece of meat during an enrichment activity in the Edge of Africa exhibit at Busch Gardens Tampa. The African lions enjoy activities like this where that can play and get rewarded with a tasty treat. Busch Gardens uses enrichment activities like this to provide variety in the lions daily routine. Tossing meat, putting new toys in the exhibit or rotating the pride from the den habitat to the jeep habitat are all ways the staff try to keep things interesting for the lions. (Photo: October 5, 2019)

Fort Myers, Florida: This week was a pretty solid week of new aircraft photographed at Southwest Florida International Airport. I managed to get a few new special liveries for my photo collection including American Airline's TWA Heritage, Southwest's Lone Star One, United's Special Olympic livery and one of the three JetBlue Vacations aircraft. I got a total of 53 aircraft photographed this week, 36 of them are new to the collection. Here is a list of the aircraft I photographed this week. 2318 – HC-144 Ocean Sentry (US Coast Guard)  169542 – P-8 Poseidon (US Navy)  C-FAWJ – Boeing 737-800 (WestJet)  C-GWBL – Boeing 737-800 (WestJet)  C6-ZIP – Learjet 60  N125UW – Airbus A320 (American Airlines)  N128UW – Airbus A320 (American Airlines) #  N201FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines) #  N201LV – Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines) #  N208QS – Canadair Challenger  N212WN – Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines)  N223FR ...

An eastern lubber grasshopper hangs out on a palm branch along the hiking trail at Carlton Reserve. The lubber is one of the most iconic species of grasshoppers mainly because of its large size and bright color pattern. Because of its large size, the lubber is used in labs a dissection specimen. (Photo: November 28, 2014)

A colorful purple gallinule plays along the reeds at the Celery Field. The Celery Fields in eastern Sarasota County are a world renown birding hotspot with thousands of people flocking to its trails to see rare birds of both resident and migrant species. All year round there is something to see here at the Celery Fields. (Photo: November 24, 2014)

Don't let the adorable face of these lioness fool you, she is a fierce hunter in disguise. The lionesses are typically the hunters for the pride of lions. While the male lions are on the fringes for protection, it is up to the Lioness to hunt and provide for the entire pride. (Photo: September 21, 2019)

Look at me, I can swim. Well not really. Despite spending much of their life in water, hippos can not swim. The maneuver through water by walking along the bottom much like they were on land. (Photo: September 21, 2019)