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…
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