The Wandering Disciple

A brown pelican flies along the Gulf Coast at Service Club Beach in Venice, Florida. The brown pelican is a coastal mainstay in Florida, frequently seen flying above the sea looking for its next meal. Prevalent throughout the coastal regions of much of the United States, the brown pelican is a successful conservation story. Once endangered due to the use of DDT in the 70's, the population began to rebound following conservation efforts that banned the usage of DDT and other pesticides. (Photo: April 16, 2017)

I'm ready for my close-up, a sea gull poses for a photo at Service Club Park on the island of Venice. Service Club is one of the many beaches that comprise the beach complex on the south end of the island of Venice. In addition to the usual fun in the sun, the beach is also a great place to watch shorebirds in their natural habitat. (Photo: February 3, 2013)

A Ring-Billed Gull patrols the surf at Service Club Park looking for his next meal. Many species of shore birds can be found here on the Gulf of Mexico beaches. (Photo: February 3, 2013)