Round about 04:45am on Saturday, the territorial rasping of a leopard really close lured Joubert and me out of our cosy tent into the cold winter morning air at Tlopi Tented Camp. Try as we might using our spotlight and headlamps the big cat remained unseen, so we warmed ourselves with hot drinks, waiting for the first rays of sunshine to appear. It was the morning of Marilize’s milestone birthday, and unfortunately this coincided with South Africa experiencing a “third wave” of Covid-19 infections precluding any big commemoration with the extended family and friends. It was up to me and Joubert to make the event memorable, so we surprised Marilize with a weekend breakaway to Marakele National Park.
First light made an appearance around 06:20 and a stream of birds started arriving at the dam – first a few double-banded sandgrouse, then a hadeda and a pair of egyptian geese, waking up the arrow-marked babblers in the tree shading our tent. It was only at 08:10 that the sun first peaked over the cliffs of the Waterberg towering over Tlopi and started heating up the crisp air. Somewhere in between Marilize joined us on the deck of our safari tent.
One of the most active actors on the dam stage was a pied kingfisher that regularly made attempts at dive-bombing fish in the shallow water, and was very successful at it too, providing us excellent views and photographic opportunities from very early on in the day.
Pied Kingfisher diving into the water at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)
Pied Kingfisher diving into the water at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)
Pied Kingfisher diving into the water at Tlopi
Pied Kingfisher diving into the water at Tlopi
Pied Kingfisher with its catch
Pied Kingfisher with its catch
Pied KIngfisher hovering above the dam at Tlopi
Pied KIngfisher hovering above the dam at Tlopi
Pied KIngfisher hovering above the dam at Tlopi
Pied KIngfisher hovering above the dam at Tlopi
Pied KIngfisher hovering above the dam at Tlopi
Pied KIngfisher hovering above the dam at Tlopi
There appears to be a very healthy population of bushbuck in the thickets around Tlopi. They regularly ventured out into the open to drink and feed in and around the dam.
Bushbuck Ram just outside the entrance into Tlopi Tented Camp
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe (photo by Joubert)
Bushbuck ewe wading into Tlopi’s dam to feed on water plants
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe crossing the shallows of Tlopi’s dam
Bushbuck ewe crossing the shallows of Tlopi’s dam
Bushbuck ewe and lamb
Throughout the day a family of tawny-flanked prinias put in regular appearances:
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia (photo by Joubert)
Tawny-flanked Prinia
The vervet monkeys had us laughing. As soon as they spotted anything on our deck that appeared to be food they could steal – and seeing as we were celebrating a birthday it must have seemed like a feast to them – they’d arrive from all corners, including from across the dam, to come and try their luck, in vain.
Vervet monkey waiting for a gap at our tent in Tlopi Tented Camp
Vervet monkey waiting for a gap at our tent in Tlopi Tented Camp
Vervet monkey jumping across the stream feeding into Tlopi’s dam
Vervet monkey jumping across the stream feeding into Tlopi’s dam
Vervet monkey jumping across the stream feeding into Tlopi’s dam
Vervet monkey jumping across the stream feeding into Tlopi’s dam
Vervet monkey jumping across the stream feeding into Tlopi’s dam
Vervet monkey jumping across the stream feeding into Tlopi’s dam
Vervet monkey waiting for a gap at our tent in Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
There truly is no need to venture out of Tlopi Tented Camp to go and look for Marakele’s wild inhabitants – there is a constant queue of animals and birds arriving at the dam in front of the camp, and around your tented accommodation, that would keep any nature lover enthralled all day long.
Reed Cormorant (photo by Joubert)
Hamerkop
Egyptian Geese (photo by Joubert)
Three-banded Plover
Emerald Spotted Wood Dove
Black Crake
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Dark-capped Bulbul
Bushveld Orange Tip butterfly
Egyptian Goose
Speckled Rock Skink
Cape Wagtail
Blue Waxbills
Yellow Pansy butterfly on dry rhino dung
Brown-veined White in what I think is an Albizia (False Thorn) bush
Cape White-eyes and Dark-capped Bulbuls sharing a drink
White-fronted Bee-eater in flight
Long-billed Crombec
Jameson’s Firefinch
Green-winged Pytilia taking refuge from the midday sun
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Black Stork (photo by Joubert)
Grey Go-Away Bird
Hamerkop
Common Dwarf Gecko
Yellow-fronted Canary
White-browed Scrub Robin
Natal Spurfowl
From about 14:00 in the afternoon, two herds of elephants made their way past the camp to the dam. They spent quite a while enjoying the water and the greenery around the dam, allowing us to take photographs of them to our hearts’ content. The little ones were especially endearing. Be sure to catch our next post to see what drama erupted next to the dam thanks to the elephants!
Big elephant bull in musth
Joubert eyeing a bull elephant at Tlopi Tented Camp in Marakele National Park
Elephants arriving at Tlopi’s dam
Elephant
Cute little elephant testing the air
Helping a reluctant friend cross the stream
Helping a reluctant friend cross the stream
Learning by imitating the grown-ups
Shaking off the dust from his ears (photo by Joubert)
This grass is so soft to lie on!
Young elephant trying to chase away the birds at the water’s edge
Practicing her balance! (photo by Joubert)
Practicing her balance! (photo by Joubert)
Making a splash
Elephant cow that’s had enough to drink now
Arriving at the water’s edge
The second herd of elephants were much bigger than the first
Matriarch of her herd
Ears peaked in irritation (photo by Joubert)
Ears peaked in irritation
Ears peaked in irritation (photo by Joubert)
Taking that first step across the stream
Big Bull
Big Bull (photo by Joubert)
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom (photo by Joubert)
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom (photo by Joubert)
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom
Tiny youngster crossing next to mom
At the end of a beautiful and happy day, with the sun setting to the west of Tlopi while the smoke from our evening braai (barbeque) wafted on the slight breeze, Joubert set up his camera for a few night shots after it went dark.
Sunset at Tlopi, with the smoke from our braai fire wafting over the dam
Sunset at Tlopi
Early evening at Tlopi (photo by Joubert)
The Milky Way above our tent (photo by Joubert)
To be continued…
DeWetsWild 
What a great collection. You must have had fun capturing the pied kingfisher hovering and diving! And such a diversity of birds … The photo of the Natal spurfowl is excellent. And then the elephant shots – lovely and the balancing elephant is so amusing! And then perfect sunsets and Joubert’s lovely photo of the starlit sky.
It really is amazing to think that all this was photographed just from our deck and around our tent on that one day, isn’t it Carol, and doesn’t come close to showing everything that we saw and experienced. Such a wonderful stage Tlopi has.
It is amazing. We have a stay at Tlopi high up on our wish list.
I’ll hold thumbs with you that Tlopi won’t have to wait much longer for your visit!
Holding thumbs too!
We are planning to visit Kruger in November if all goes well, and perhaps Marakele next year.
That monkey had me laughing too!
They’re always great entertainers – and quite naughty if given half a chance!
Wow! I want birthdays like that any time! What a remarkable location…Joubert has been a great asset as a photographer. I knew it! This was a marvelous idea for a birthday! I enjoyed this post very much! Thanks, D. 🙂
Thank you very much, H.J. I think I’m going to retire my camera soon and let Joubert get on with it!
So ‘n betowerende foto van die Melkweg! Welgedaan, Joubert!
Baie dankie, Tannie Frannie!
Wonderful images Dries and Joubert, I especially love the elephants and the amazing capture of the Milky Way 💛
Very kind of you to say, thank you Xenia!
I am envious of your ability to visit these magical places so teeming with wild life. I have recently watched a couple of documentaries on elephants and the program where Cher helped relocate a lone elephant from a rundown zoo in Pakistan. Those programs taught me a lot about the socialization of elephants and their lives in the Okavango Delta. I am looking forward to your followup story.
Indeed, John – the more you learn about elephants, and see their intricate social interactions, the more difficult it is to think of them as “animals”.
That’s quite the haul of species in one spot. Wonderful images as usual Dries & Joubert, my favourite is the Three-banded Plover, brilliant lighting and a great capture.
Thanks a lot, Brian. You don’t have to work hard to find something to photograph at Tlopi; you can just sit on your deck and wait for the action to come to you.
What a wonderful Eden you chose for the special celebration. I have drooled over your action photographs especially.
Thank you very much, Anne. We had an unfair advantage as we had front row seats to the action!
Wat wil n mens nou meer he? Dis was absoluut die wegbreek werd. So bly jul kon so baie sien en beleef.
Baie dankie, Ineke. Beslis n naweek wat ons vir lank gaan onthou en ek glo een wat Marilize se verjaarsdag baie spesiaal gemaak het onder ongewone omstandighede.
Pragtig/awesome.
What an embarrassment of photographic riches, Dries! You and Joubert obviously had a lot of fun as did I seeing all the photos. Baby elephants bring on a smile every time, but I also really enjoyed the jumping monkey and the kingfisher. I imagine Marilize has quite a nice birthday! Thanks for letting us share.
Thank you very much, Janet! We’re blessed to live in a country where this is possible.
You are.
Dries–you and Joubert have me smiling with all the elephant snaps. Those little ones are so cute. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
I can promise you our next post is one of the best sequences of elephant behaviour we’ve ever featured on de Wets Wild, Lois. That post is scheduled for Tuesday evening your time.
So little time, so many superb photos! You and Joubert are an unbeatable combination of photographers.
That is very kind of you, Hien,. Thank you!