The Wandering Disciple

Venice, Florida: The holiday season ramps up in Venice with the Venice Holiday Parade leading the community into the holidays. For 44 years, the parade has brought together citizens of the community to usher in the holiday together along the parade route. This year’s parade did not disappoint. Thousands of spectators lines the parade route which stretched through downtown Venice. They were entertained by over 3,000 participants representing over 120 community organizations all with one message, a happy holiday season for all. The Venice Holiday Parade is considered the official start of the season for Venice. It occurs annually on the Saturday following Thanksgiving and kicks off all the festivities the region has to offer. Click on the photo above to view the 2019 Venice Holiday Parade photo gallery .

The greens of the autumn forest get a pop of color thanks to a pair of colorful birds grabbing a bite to eat at the Audubon bird feeder at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. This feeder is a popular place to see the colorful Painted Bunting. Here the Painted Bunting shares the fever with a bright red Northern Cardinal. (Photo: November 29, 2019)

An alligator opens its mouth wide while sunning itself at Everglades Wonder Gardens. The alligators are one of the key attraction at this historic roadside attraction. Since 1936, this Old Florida attraction has been letting tourists get close to gators and other wildlife that live in the colorful botanical gardens. (Photo: November 29, 2019)

Bonita Springs, Florida: Not to long ago, family road trips were a staple of family travel. Parents would load the kids up and hit the road, stopping at roadside attractions along the way. This nostalgia is captured at Everglades Wonder Gardens, one of Florida’s original roadside attractions. This tropical oasis of tropical gardens and wildlife has been entertaining travelers for over eighty years. Back in the 1930’s the Tamiami Trail was the only road to connect the bustling cities of Tampa on the west central coast with Miami on the southeast coast. The Piper Brothers saw this as the perfect place to open their reptile garden along a stretch of road on the edge of the Everglades. In 1936 the opened a roadside attraction that allowed travelers to take a break from the drive and get close to some native wildlife. Since then, the attraction grew but still managed to maintain that vintage roadside attraction feel. That is evident the moment you walk through the doors of the h...

A Happy Thanksgiving from Donten Photography to you and your family. Enjoy your holiday with friend and family. Today's holiday photo of the day is a wild turkey roaming the forest at Myakka River State Park. (Photo: November 23, 2019)

Like a pelican flying over the shoreline, enjoy this bird's eye view of Lido Beach from the roof a gulf view condominium. From this viewpoint, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico seems to stretch all the way to the sky. (Photo: September 3, 2015)

As the temperatures drop and the Gulf of Mexico begins to cool, manatee begin moving into sheltered waterways in search for warmer waters. Their warm water migration leads them to places like the warm water discharge of the TECO power plant in Apollo Beach. Here in the winter months, you can find manatees by the hundreds frolicking in the warm water. (Photo: February 21, 2015)

A male lion chills in the sun on a chilly day at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Busch Gardens is home to two prides of lions that call the Edge of Africa exhibit home. Because lions are territorial, you never see both prides of lions on exhibit at the same time. When one pride is on exhibit, the other pride is enjoying their off exhibit home. You can get close to this off exhibit home during the Edge of Africa insider tour. (Photo: November 24, 2019)

Busch Gardens is getting into the Christmas spirit as the Tampa park transforms in to a Christmas wonderland. From now though Christmas Busch Gardens becomes Christmas Town, a magical place filled with color displays, dazzling lights, entertaining shows and much more. The annual holiday display is ranked one of the best displays in the country, check it out for yourself daily though January 6. (Photo: November 24, 2019)

An osprey flies high over the Myakka River on a sunny Saturday morning at Myakka River State Park. The osprey is one of the many raptors that can be found at the park. They soar over the river waiting to dive down and grab a fish to eat. In flight, the osprey has a distinct kink in their wings resulting in an "M" shape while flying. (Photo: November 23, 2019)

Sarasota, Florida: After taking a position with the fire department at neighboring Southwest Florida International Airport, I have not been back to my home airport Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in quite some time. This weekend I found myself in Sarasota and made a stop by SRQ. Runway 14 was active and I went to my usual spot near the approach end of 14 and spent about an hour photographing movements. Here is a look at what I saw today: N107PF – Cessna Skylane  N166SA – Beechcraft Super King Air 300   N167TV – Gulfstream IV  N188RW – Piper Malibu Mirage  N324DX – Airbus A321 (Delta Air Lines)  N374NW – Airbus A320 (Delta Air Lines)  N384SH – Cessna Citation Excel  N395ZA – L-39 Albatros   N407YX – Embraer 175 (Republic Airways/American Eagle)  N424FX – Embraer Legacy 450  N424TP – Piper Saratoga  N643RW – Embraer 170 (Republic Airways/United Express)  N663AW – Airbus A320 (American Air...

Sarasota, Florida: Today we took advantage of the cooler weather by taking a trip to Myakka River State Park. Cooler weather usually makes the wildlife more active and today did not disappoint. On a trip through the park, we saw quite a bit of wildlife. Here is a look at what we saw today: American Alligator  Common Raccoon  Black Necked Stilt  Eastern Gray Squirrel  Great Blue Heron  Great Egret  Least Sandpiper  Limpkin  Little Blue Heron  Osprey  Red Shouldered Hawk  Tricolored Heron  White Ibis  White Pelican  White Tailed Deer  Wild Boar  Wild Turkey  Myakka River State Park is located at 13208 State Road 72 in eastern Sarasota County. The park is open daily from 8am to sunset. Admission to the park is $6 per car. Click on the photo above to see photos from today’s visit as well as the entire Myakka River State Park photo gallery .

A group of birds retire for the night on the rookery island at the Venice Audubon Rookery. Each night as the sun begins to set, hundreds of birds from various species fly into the rookery to get a good nights sleep. The island provides a safe oasis for birds to roost for the night free from predators. (Photo: January 31, 2015)

A double-crested cormorant stands still as a statue along the banks of a lake. The cormorant is a wading bird that when not in the water can be found along the edge either standing still awaiting its next meal or drying its wings after a swim. Unlike ducks and other water birds, once in the water a cormorant can not fly immediately so it needs to dry its wings before flight. (Photo: January 25, 2015)

Waves break along the beach at South Brohard Beach in Venice. While the Gulf of Mexico is typically calm, winter cold fronts like this or summer tropical weather can stir the Gulf up and produce some wave action like the relaxing waves seen here. (Photo: January 25, 2015)

A great blue heron sits on the nest, protecting the eggs from predators at Venice Audubon Rookery. Herons tend to build their nests withing trees on a rookery island. The trees provide shelter and some protection while the water surrounding the rookery provides even more protection from land based predators. In fact, while most people avoid alligator filled lakes, the herons actually prefer it as the gator acts as a deterrent for predators t to the nesting site. (Photo: January 25, 2015)

A string of ducks swim across the lake at Ackerman Park. A group of waterfowl like these ducks are called a string. Ackerman Park is a popular place to see ducks up close as this roadside lake is a popular spot for the waterfowl. (Photo: January 23, 2015)

In June of 1948, the Soviets cut off all roadways into Berlin prohibiting shipments of supplies into the city. In response, the western allies developed a plan to deliver supplies via air. This massive operation became the Berlin Airlift. The mission which lasted a year resulted in over 200,000 flights delivering 2.5 million tons of supplies. These massive bombers became known as candy bombers when pilot Gail Halvorsen started dropping candy out of the planes to help boost morale. (Photo: November 16, 2019)

A flying tribute to the veterans of World War II, the Tico Belle has served the nation proudly. This storied C-47 flew many missions over Europe in World War II including Operation Neptune (D-Day) and Relief of Bastogne (The Battle of the Bulge). Following the liberation of Europe, Tico Belle participated in the Berlin Airlift. Following her service to the US Army Air Force, Tico Belle saw service with Royal Norwegian Air Force and finally the Royal Danish Air Force before retiring to the Valiant Air Command in 1988. Today she continues to fly in tribute to the brave airmen who served our country. (Photo: November 16, 2019)

A clouded leopard catches a cat nap at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. ZooTampa is home to a pair of clouded leopards. These colorful cats are found in the Himalayan foothills. (Photo: October 12, 2019)

Ever wonder what a plane might look like if you could see through the fuselage. The blueprint livery by JetBlue transforms a blueprint into an aircraft, bringing the design from paper to life. (Photo: November 13, 2019)

One of these tails are not like the other. It is in fact a throwback to an era gone by in American Airlines. In an effort to memorize their history, American Airlines honors its heritage through retro liveries like this one from the old American livery which their fleet utilized until 2013. (Photo: November 12, 2019)

Florida's biggest cat, the Florida Panther sits on a perch at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. This large cat found in South Florida suffers from critically low number with only about 200-230 remaining in the wild. Loss of the panthers in the wild is contributed to their biggest predator, the alligator, as well as being hit by cars and loss of habitat leading to territorial aggression between panthers. While wildlife corridors and refuges have been established for the panther, the best place to see them is in captivity like the ones found here at ZooTampa. (Photo: October 13, 2019)

The Force was strong in Tampa as the Star Wars themed Boeing 737 from United Airlines visited Tampa International Airport on Saturday. This special themed aircraft features the dark side on one side of the aircraft and the light side on the other. Look for this one of a kind aircraft coming to an airport near you. (Photo: November 9, 2019)

A winding path in the woods leads you on a quiet stroll through tropical flowers and spring-fed wetlands at Eureka Springs Park.  Located on the edge of Tampa, this hidden oasis provides tranquility in the hustle and bustle of the big city.  From colorful tropical plants to luscious green foliage large enough to be from the land of dinosaurs, it is all here in this hidden gem.  (Photo: November 9, 2019)

ZooTampa's growing baby joey koala eats some eucalyptus leaves near his mama. This growing joey named Sydney is almost sixth months old. He was the first baby koala born at the Tampa Zoo. You can see Sydney with his mom Ceduna and dad Heathcliff in the Wallaroo Station section of ZooTampa. (Photo: November 9, 2019)

“Thunderbirds, Let’s Run Them Up!” Those are the orders from the lead pilot of the diamond formation as the US Air Force Thunderbirds take to the skies during their performance. The six ship demonstration team is the third oldest demonstration team in the world. Based at Nellis Air Force Base, the Thunderbirds travel the country showcasing their precision flying before millions of spectators. This photos of the squadron comes from their performance at the 2019 Florida International Air Show in Punta Gorda, Florida. (Photo: November 3, 2019)

Fort Myers, Florida: I made a brief trip over to Page field. Here is a collection of the general aviation planes I saw during this visit. Runway 5 was in use but most of the action was on the Base Ops Ramp. C-GTZB – Bell 206  N106SR – Cessna Citation II  N468JJ – Gulfstream G200  N533LF – Eurocopter EC-135  N650AT – Cessna Citation VII  N675DB – Cessna Stationair  N713AG – Socata TBM-900  N884AM – Eclipse 500  N954KP – Cirrus SR-22  N2030Y – Cessna Skyhawk Click on the photo above to see photos from this trip and the entire Page Field gallery .

American pride was on full display during the 209 Florida International Air Show at the Punta Gorda Airport. Patriotism flew higher then Old Glory in the cock pit of this vintage World War II era warbird. It was on display in the air with acts from US Special Operations Command Para-troopers, the Navy Legacy Flight and the USAF Thunderbirds as well as on the ground with static displays from the US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Marines and the US Army. All five branches of the armed forces were on display at the annual air show. (Photo: November 2, 2019)

Fort Myers, Florida: This week was a busy week for special liveries into RSW. WestJet’s Frozen livery, United’s Friendship livery, Southwest’s Arizona One livery and JetBlue had a pair with New York’s Hometown Airline livery and JetBlue Vacations livery. There was even a visit of a Boeing Business Jet into Private Sky. Plus we are getting closer to the peak travel season so airlines are changing the aircrafts that visit RSW. It was an exciting week and here is a look at what I saw this week. C-FJQL – Airbus A321 (Air Canada Rouge)  C-FYKW – Airbus A319 (Air Canada Rouge)  C-GWSV – Boeing 737-800 (WestJet/Frozen)  N115HQ – Embraer 175 (Republic Airways)  N226WN – Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines)  N228FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N239JQ – Embraer 175 (Republic Airways)  N258JB – Embraer 190 (JetBlue Airways)  N337FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N353JB – Embraer 190 (JetBlue Airways)  N386DA – Boeing 7...

A bright yellow smoke rises into the sky to help the helicopter find the landing zone to pick up the troops. To start their performance, the US Special Operations Command Para-commandos teamed up with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office to simulate a helicopter pick up of troops. The troops signaled the LZ using the yellow smoke while the UH-1 Iroquois came in to pick up the para-commandos for their performance. (Photo: November 1, 2019)

Scott Farnsworth give the crowd at the Florida International Air Show a thumbs up following his final performance of the weekend on Sunday. Farnsworth takes his L-39 Albatros to the edge and back during his performance, showing the crowd what this advance trainer is capable of. In addition to performing at air shows, Farnsworth races this jet where he competes in the prestigious Reno Air Races. When not flying the Dash AeroSports L-39, Farnsworth is a pilot for JetBlue Airways. (Photo: November 3, 2019)

This brief pause in the 2019 Florida International Air Show is brought to you by Allegiant Air. The staple of passenger travel at Punta Gorda Airport, Allegiant Air is coming and going daily serving over 45 cities. The low cost airline connects Charlotte County with destinations throughout the east coast and midwest. (Photo: November 3, 2019)

Its all hands on deck when it comes to keeping a military workhorse ready for duty. A Coast Guard airman from Air Station Miami performs maintenance on an HC-144 Ocean Sentry at the Florida International Air Show. The entire crew of these aircraft chip in when needed to keep the bird airworthy. (Photo: November 3, 2019)

A ground crew member of the Geico Skytypers marshals in Skytyper #4 into parking at the Florida International Air Show. The Skytypers are a six ship demo team flying the T-6 Texan advanced trainer to demonstrate precision flight maneuvers used to train pilots of the US Navy during World War II era. (Photo: November 2, 2019)

As we gear up for the Florida International Air Show this weekend in Punta Gorda, we mourn the loss of an air show veteran across the state in Stuart.  Dr Joe Masassa has taken his unique OV-1 Mohawk across the show to pay tribute to 1,636 soldiers unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  Just like the mission you supported, may your memory never be forgotten.  (Photo: March 30, 2014)