The Wandering Disciple

Planes line up on taxiway Foxtrot at Southwest Florida International Airport during the seasonal afternoon rush. Scenes like this are common throughout the holiday season as passengers travel to and from their holiday destinations. Southwest Florida International Airport is the second busiest single runway airport in the nation, connecting over 9 million travelers with destinations in the United States, Canada and Germany. (Photo: December 27, 2019)

The historic courthouse sits in the center of town, forming the town square. Old towns were built around the courthouse, like the center of the the spokes on a wheel. This courthouse is the Hernando County Courthouse located in Brooksville, Florida. It was built in 1913 by William Augustus Edwards and is considered the crown of Brooksville. (Photo: December 28, 2019)

Lu keeps an eye on the crowd at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Lu, a hippopotamus, is the only animal of the park that is not native to the State of Florida. But he has been a resident of the park since 1964 and became an honorary citizen of Florida in 1991. Lu is the oldest hippo in North America and turns 60 in 2020. (Photo: December 28, 2019)

A black-crowned night heron stares into the marsh with intense concentration waiting to ambush its prey. The heron can be found standing still waiting to ambush unexpecting prey like small fish, frogs or lizards. But the heron is also very resourceful and is one of the few species of birds that bait fish. They have been known to throw edible buoyant items into the water within striking distance and wait for a fish to come and grab a bite to eat, then the heron snags the fish out of the water for a meal. (Photo: December 28, 2019)

Fort Myers, Florida: The last full week of spotting for 2019 was a busy one.  Southwest Florida International Airport was hopping with flight traffic this week as travelers tried to reach their destinations in time for Christmas.  This week saw some bigger aircraft visit RSW including Air Canada Rouge bringing a 767 for this service.  Here is a look at what I saw during a busy week at the airport: 1711 – HC-130 Hercules (US Coast Guard)  09-00646 – MC-12 Liberty (US Army)  C-FMZD – Embraer 190 (Air Canada)  C-FNAJ – Embraer 190 (Air Canada)  C-GEOU – Boeing 767-300 (Air Canada Rouge)  C-GWSZ – Boeing 737-800 (WestJet/Disney Magic)  N60ES – Cessna Citation X  N119US – Airbus A320 (American Airlines)  N163AA – Airbus A321 (American Airlines)  N191GH – Raytheon Hawker 800  N278WN – Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines)  N303DN – Airbus A321 (Delta Air Lines)  N308FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)...

An osprey soars over the north shore of Lake Apopka. Osprey's are known as the fish hawk for their hunting preference. They can be seen soaring over lakes and streams before diving down and clutching a fish in their talons. The osprey is the second most distributed raptor behind the Peregrine Falcon and can be found in temperate climates on all continents except Antarctica. (Photo: December 25, 2019)

Hiding in plain sight, an American Alligator lays along the banks of the marsh. Alligators are masters of disguise and can camouflage themselves, blending in with their surrounding making it easier to stalk their prey or just catch a nap. Catching a nap is what this big gator is doing along the Wildlife Drive on the north shore of Lake Apopka outside Orlando. (Photo: December 25, 2019)

Orlando, Florida: On Christmas Day we took a ride through Central Florida and with that came a stop at Orlando International Airport. Spotting options are always a challenge at MCO, there are not approved locations and spotting from the garage is frowned upon by law enforcement. I have found plenty of spots off airport however the winds were not favorable for those spots. Typically with this wind pattern, I have spotted from B-52 Park however because today was a holiday, the gates were locked. So I punted and tried the North Cell Lot. It was not a bad spot, it is positioned between the runway complex and were within range of my 250mm lens. Runway 36 was a little further away and a little backlit at this time of day with Runway 35 closer and good lighting, however the action was on 36 during this trip. We were only here for about 15 minutes but that brief time gave us two heavies and two special livery. Here is a look at what we saw today: C-FTCA – Boeing 767-300 (Air Can...

Apopka, Florida: After seeing photos from here on Facebook, we finally pulled the trigger and headed to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive to go find some wildlife.  This place was always well talked about and it did not disappoint.  If you want to see gators, this is the place.  It felt like every 100 yards was another of the prehistoric reptiles.  During our trip this is what we were able to see: American Alligator Anhinga Belted Kingfisher Black-crowned Night Heron Blue-winged Teal Boat-tailed Grackle Cattle Egret Common Gallinule Glossy Ibis Gray-headed Swamphen Great Blue Heron Great Egret Green Heron Killdeer Little Blue Heron Northern Harrier Osprey Palm Warbler Pied-billed Grebe Peninsular Cooter Red-tailed Hawk Red-winged Blackbird River Otter Snowy Egret Turkey Vulture Tricolored Heron White Ibis Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is an 11-mile one-way road on the north shore of Lake Apopka.  It is open weekends and federal holid...

The holidays are in full swing at Christmas at Gaylord Palm. The hotel transforms into a dazzling display of lights and music each holiday season. As we celebrate the holidays with our families, the family here at Donten Photography would like to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas. (Photo: December 26, 2013)

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the zoo, all the animals are frolicking at Christmas in the Wild.  Each year for the holiday season, ZooTampa transforms into a Christmas wonderland with colorful lights and playful holiday attractions for the family and the park's native wildlife. So as the animals slip off the sleep on Christmas Eve, we hope you have a great Christmas Eve as well.  (Photo: December 22, 2018)

A Bornean Orangutan looks out at the rain in disgust as steady rain blankets the Sunshine State.  There isn't much play outside for these great apes when a cold rain falls over their habitat at ZooTampa. Hopefully sunnier weather prevails and the orangutans can open their Christmas presents on the last night of Christmas in the Wild.  (Photo: December 22, 2019)

Florida Panther cubs Cypress and Pepper wrestle in their daytime play yard at ZooTampa. The pair of of six month old Florida Panthers are being cared for by the staff of ZooTampa after their mother died from a neurological disorder. The playful boys are on display daily from 11-2 in their play yard in the Wallaroo Station portion of ZooTampa. The zoo staff will continue to hand care for the cubs until they find their permanent home at another zoo facility. (Photo: December 22, 2019)

Tampa, Florida:  While in Tampa enjoying the holiday events, Mother Nature took over and brought a cold steady rain over the region.  So we headed over to the parking garage at Tampa International Airport for some soggy planespotting under the cover of the garage to see if the weather cleared up.  But it didn't so instead of Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, I got in about an hour of planespotting before the rain got to heavy and it got too dark.  Here is a look at what was seen during this trip to TPA: D-AIFE – Airbus A340 (Lufthansa/Star Alliance) N125UW – Airbus A320 (American Airlines) N182UW – Airbus A321 (American Airlines) N220FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines) N249TX – Canadair Challenger N317US – Airbus A320 (Delta Air Lines) N360CM – Boeing 767-300 (Air Transport International) N410UP – Boeing 757-200 (UPS) N483UA – Airbus A320 (United Airlines) N504NK – Airbus A319 (Spirit Airlines) N525B – Cessna Citation III N544CM – Dassault Falcon 9...

Tampa, Florida: The wilds of Africa come to life at one of the most interactive areas of ZooTampa. Wallaroo Station is one part splash pad, one part wild animals, one part wild rides and 100% fun.  The land is home to Rock-footed wallaby, koalas and much more. Cross under the gateway and the fun awaits.  The centerpiece of Wallaroo Station is the splash pad.  This large oasis is usually jam packed with kids splashing in the refreshing waters to stay cool in the Florida heat. Wallaroo Station is designed for the kids.  In addition to the splash pad, this is also home to the parks kiddie ride.  There are flying bananas, a truck caravan and a train.  For the bigger kids there is the Tasmanian Tiger, a family style coaster. Wallaroo Station is also home to a few Australian animals.  To the right as you enter the region is the rock-footed Wallaby enclosure.  Get close up to the marsupials in their home.  Next up is the koala hangout. ...

Dotted all along the coast of Florida are tiny little barrier islands. These little uninhabited lands provide a great place to explore during the day. Only accessible by boat or kayak, you can have the island to yourself for the day for partying or relaxing under the sun. Just remember to leave it like you found it for everyone else to enjoy the last few remaining pieces on unspoiled coastal Florida. (Photo: May 10, 2015)

Fort Myers, Florida: The air traffic continues to increase and as it does, so does the unique blend of aircraft passing through Southwest Florida. A few of the highlights from this week include JetBlue's Bluerica and Sun Country's Transavia aircraft. Here is a look at what I saw passing through RSW:  C-FNAN – Embraer 190 (Air Canada)  C-GJWS – Boeing 737-800 (WestJet)  N100RE – Beechcraft Duke  N227FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N232FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N241JQ – Embraer 175 (Republic Airways/Delta Connection)  N273JB – Embraer 190 (JetBlue Airways)  N318JB – Embraer 190 (JetBlue Airways)  N326FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N359FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N403UA – Airbus A320 (United Airlines)  N438US – Boeing 737-400 (Swift Air)  N623JB – Airbus A320 (JetBlue Airways/JetBlue Vacations livery)  N645PM – Gulfstream G200  N668DN – Boeing 757-200 (Delta ...

The slow moving manatee enjoys a casual day of eating sea grass. It is this behavior that gives them the nickname, Sea Cow. But this behavior is also the cause of so many injuries to the mammal as it is unable to move out of the way of boats quickly resulting in deadly encounters with boat propellers. Mote Marine in Sarasota is home to two resident manatees as well as serving as a hospital for injured manatees. (Photo: May 7, 2015)

Along the coast of Florida, sailboats can be founded moored just outside the channels. Some for the night and some for longer. This is a community of sailors who like to live on their boats and enjoy the life at sea. But just like homes become abandoned and weather over time, the same can be true for these sailboats. They drift from their mooring and at at times become victims of the sea. (Photo: May 3, 2015)

A laughing gull struts his stuff along the beach at South Brohard Beach in Venice. One of the more popular gulls along the beach, the laughing gull is usually white and gray. However when they enter into breeding time, they transform. They develop a dark hood, white eye crescents and a red bill during this time making them stand out among the flock. (Photo: April 5, 2015)

116 years ago today, two brothers from Ohio made history on a barrier island in North Carolina. On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers made history with the first powered flight. While the initial flight lasted just twelve seconds, it paved the way for the aviation industry. Today the aircraft have come a long way from the original Wright Flyer, but no matter how technological advanced today's aircraft get, they still require those same basic principles discovered by the Wright Brothers over a hundred years ago to be successful. (Photo: December 12, 2019)

A boat buzzes the public beach on its way out to enjoy the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Any given day boats of all sizes can be seen having fun on the water. With miles upon miles of coastline and an endless supply of water both salt and fresh, Florida is a boating mecca. Whether you are fishing, cruising or taking in the sights, there is something for everyone on the water. (Photo: April 3, 2015)

A grackle stares back at the camera along the boardwalk at the Celery Fields.  At first glance, the grackle appears black however it has an iridescent coloring that can appear blue or purple in certain lights.  (Photo: March 28, 2015)

A ship sails into the channel of the Venice Inlet. The jetty here is a busy spot as its one of the few places to transition between the intercoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. You can watch the traffic along the banks of the north or south jetty parks. The jetty is also a popular place to fish along the banks of the inlet. (Photo: March 21, 2015)

Fort Myers, Florida: This week was a fun week at the airport. It has been a lot busier in terms of flight traffic and resulted in a few hidden gems among the flight schedule. I finally was able to grab a pic of the Maryland One livery by Southwest, I believe that is the final special livery I needed to capture from Southwest. I was also able to update my photos of the Frozen livery since last time it had undergone a maintenance order in which the full vertical tail did not have the Frozen wrap. Add in a couple of Swift Air planes and it was a pretty exciting week at RSW. Here is a look at what I saw this week: C-FJOU – Airbus A321 (Air Canada Rouge)  C-GWSV – Boeing 737-800 (WestJet/Frozen)  N50FJ – Dassault Falcon 50  N134HQ – Embraer 175 (Republic Airways/American Eagle)  N213JQ – Embraer 175 (Republic Airways/Delta Connection)  N214WN – Boeing 737-700 (Southwest Airlines/Maryland One)  N232FR – Airbus A320 (Frontier Airlines)  N236FR...

Today marked the forty year anniversary of United Airlines servicing Fort Myers and what better way to celebrate then hosting a retro aircraft at Southwest Florida International Airport. United Airlines pays tribute to the heritage of Continental Airlines in this special edition Boeing 737. Founded in 1937, Continental grew to become one of the nation's top airlines until a 2012 merger with United Airlines. Today United continues to remember the history of Continental by this special aircraft and by keeping the signature globe tail on the fleet. (Photo: December 13, 2019)

The colors of the Maryland flag touchdown on Runway 6 at Southwest Florida International Airport. Painted in tribute to the state of Maryland, Southwest's Maryland One was unveiled in 2005 to honor the airline's partnership with the state and more importantly Baltimore/Washington International Airport. BWI is a major hub for Southwest with over 16 million passengers a year flying on Southwest into or out of Baltimore. (Photo: December 12, 2019)

Lurking in shadows and hunting under the cover of night, the Black-crowned Night Heron is a nocturnal wading bird found throughout the Sunshine State. While they can be seen during the daylight, the night heron is most active at night. They have a more hunched appearance then daytime herons like the Great Blue Heron. They also feature bright red eyes helping to distinguish them over other herons. (Photo: March 20, 2015)

While Frozen 2 continues to dominate the box office, Frozen made a visit to Southwest Florida by the way of a Frozen themed aircraft. Anna, Elsa and Olaf are the stars of the WestJet Frozen themed Boeing 737 that made a flight from chilly Toronto-Pearson International Airport to sunny and warm Southwest Florida International Airport. Olaf didn't stay in the warmth of Florida long but he will forever be on the beach on the nose of this 737. The Frozen plane is one of two special edition aircraft flown by WestJet in conjunction with a partnership with Walt Disney World. The other plane is the MagicPlane and features Sorcerer Mickey in homage to Disney's Fantasia. (Photo: December 10, 2019)

Fort Myers, Florida: Spent a few days working at Page Field this week. Usually a trip to a general aviation airport gives a few surprises, however this week seemed to have one thing consistent, Cessnas. And a few different variations; single engine, twin engine, jet engine and even a seaplane. Here is a look at what I saw this week at Page Field: N16CJ – Cessna Stationair  N310LR – Cessna 310  N582ND – Piper Seminole  N757PC – Cessna Citation III  N818RA – Pilatus PC-12  N962GV – Tecnam P2006  N1330N – Cessna Skyhawk  N5218U – Cessna Skyhawk  N6013J – Cessna Skyhawk  N6027Z – Cessna Skyhawk  N7786W – Piper Cherokee  N8572Z – Piper Cherokee  N9733Y – Beechcraft Baron  N10897 – Cessna Skyhawk  N53533 – Piper Cherokee  N53540 – Cessna Skyhawk Click on the photo above too see these as well as the entire Page Field photo gallery.

When it comes to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, one of two things are for certain. Either you hook the big one or you end up with a big story. There is so much good fishing along the Gulf coast. Here in Boca Grande, fisherman come from all over the world to angle a tarpon. From April through August, the Boca Grande Pass is home to the world's largest collection of Tarpon. But there is much more than tarpon to catch off this coast. Redfish, Speckled Trout, Spanish Mackerel and many more can be caught without ever leaving the beach. And a short trip off-shore will lead to Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack and even sharks. (Photo: March 15, 2015)

Snoopy has been waging war against the Red Baron in the Peanuts comic strips for over fifty years. This epic dogfight between dog and ace was the premise behind the Red Barron entry into the 2019 Venice Christmas Boat Parade. The intricate details of the iconic battle led the vessel to the best in show award during this year's parade. (Photo: December 7, 2019)

Venice, Florida: The first Saturday of December in Venice only means one thing, its time for the annual Venice Christmas Boat Parade. For thirty years, the parade has been a staple of the holiday events for the island of Venice and surrounding communities. The Venice Christmas Boat Parade began in 1989 with 41 boats entered the inaugural year. The parade has continued annually since and celebrated its thirty year anniversary. The event kicks off from the Nokomis boat ramp and continues south through the intercoastal waterway to the Circus Bridge at south end of the island of Venice. This year’s parade featured 31 vessels registered ranging from small pleasure boats, to sailboats, to large yachts. Awards were given out in different size classes as well as a best in show and viewer’s choice award. The award winners for the 2019 Venice Christmas Boat Parade are: Best in Show  - #25 Red Barron  29ft & less - #6 Thunderstruck  30ft to 39ft - #26 Joan Marie ...

Get up close and personal with a gator at Pinelands Reserve. The alligator is a common sight in waterways around Florida. In the cooler months, they can be seen regulating their body temperature by sunning themselves along the banks of the water. (Photo: March 12, 2015)

An Eastern Meadowlark belts out a tune for all to hear. A beautiful song bird, the meadowlark has a distinct call that is very soothing and entertaining. This song of this colorful bird can be identified before you even have not seen the bird. (Photo: March 12, 2015)

A laughing gull flies over the beach at Manasota Beach in Englewood, Florida. Any day of the week all year long, the beaches of Florida are visited by many species of seagulls including the laughing gull pictured here. Gulls are part of the Laridae family. Florida is home to over 30 different species of birds in the Laridae family. (Photo: March 12, 2015)

An eastern gray squirrel forges the forest floor looking for a nut. The eastern gray squirrel is just one of the many animals you might encounter on a stroll through Venice Myakka River Park. This quaint little park along the Myakka River is a great place to take a relaxing walk along the calming waters of the Myakka River. (Photo: March 12, 2015)

A colorful shell lays along the surf at Gasparilla Island State Park. This state park beach located at the tip of Boca Grande is a popular place for shelling. Its positioning along the gulf coast as well as the currents in the pass sweep loads of shells up on the beach at the tip of the island. Shells of all shapes and colors can be found filling the beach making it a great place to look for shells whether you are a local or a tourist. (Photo: March 8, 2015)

The mighty Myakka River flows through the Myakka River State Park. Well not really mighty but how about wild and scenic. This 72-mile river stretches from Hardee-Manatee County line and flows south into the Charlotte Harbor. In 1985, the Myakka River was designated as a wild and scenic river by Florida Legislature. (Photo: March 1, 2015)

With Thanksgiving behind us, the Holiday Season is in full swing. In Venice, the season kicks off with the Venice Holiday Parade, leading the way for a month of holiday fun. With the arrival of Santa at the end of the parade, the holiday season officially begins. (Photo: November 30, 2019)