The Wandering Disciple

A roseate spoonbill wades through a waterway looking for a meal. These bright pink wading birds use their characteristic spoon shaped bill to filter feed along shallow waterways throughout Florida and the rest of the Gulf Coast of the United States. (Photo: July 11, 2015)

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 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)

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)

If there is a body of fresh water in the Sunshine State, there is a pretty good chance there is an alligator calling it home.  While most of the time, you will see them sunning themselves on the banks, they become a lot harder to see when they are in the water.  Their skin color helps conceal them against the darker water and they can also hide under the surface for a long period of time, sometimes in excess of two hours.  (Photo: March 12, 2015)

A family of deer run across a field at the Pinelands Reserve.  The reserve surrounding the landfill is a great place to see all types of wildlife from deer, birds of prey and much more.  (Photo: December 8, 2011)

A white tail deer blends in with the tall grasses of the Pineland Reserve in Nokomis. Deer use the cover of the tall grasses to camouflage them from predators. (Photo: December 8, 2011)

A juvenile eagle flies over the Pinelands Reserve. The Bald Eagle is not born with the white head and tail, it gets the iconic look as the bird matures. (Photo: July 11, 2015)

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...

An alligator lies on the bank of the lake at Pinelands Reserve.  The Pinelands Reserve provides a natural buffer around the Central County Landfill and his home to hundreds of animals including a large collection of alligators.  (Photo: December 1, 2014)

A white tail deer looks up from the tall grass of the Pinelands Reserve. Pinelands Reserve is a 6,151 acres reserve in Central Sarasota County. The reserve was purchased as a buffer zone for the Central County landfill. Today the reserve is home to various species of wildlife including deer, tortoises, bald eagles, hawks and many more. (Photo: December 8, 2011)