What a start to the photographic season in the C4 Hides at Mashatu Game Reserve. After scoping out a colony of White-fronted Bee-eaters hard at work digging away at the banks of the Majalie River, we rushed back to camp to collect the mobile hide. We gave the birds 2 days to get used to the big green ‘box-like’ object above their colony before setting off before sunrise to capture these beautifully coloured creatures in first light.
Unfortunately the morning was overcast, but this ended up working in our favour as we had more time to spend with the birds before the harsh light of the day kicked in. After 10mins of not one bird in sight and a slightly dampened faith that the colony had taken to us, the first bird arrived. Thereafter the performance continued until our batteries where dead and memory card where full up.
Being co-operative breeders the juvenile birds from the first clutches of the season, where hard at work digging holes and collecting food for their families within the colony. The juveniles make for perfect subjects as they are almost oblivious to the photographers and the tent, allowing the photographers to get close to them.
During the course of our action packed morning we had multiple visitors including, Laughing Dove, Meve’s Starling, African Hoopoe and Carmine Bee-eaters, not to forget mating White-fronted Bee-eaters!
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| White-fronted Bee-eater |
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| Mobile tent (with a few adjustments) on the waters edge |
The privilege of spending hours each day out in the field
observing and photographing wildlife is something that cannot really compare to
anything else for us.
Throughout all the years there will always be moments that
are more vivid in your memory and others almost forgotten completely. Certain
experiences stand out more so than others and every now and then, you get very
lucky with something phenomenal.
This particular afternoon we set out to go and have a look
on the new Valley Hide. On our way to the hide we spotted a relatively young
female leopard who was a little skittish and was headed in the direction of the
hide. After seeing tracks on many occasions of a female leopard that had come
down to the waterhole for a drink, we where certain that she was going to go
for a drink.
We quickly got into the hide and set up beanbags and pillows
as a small barrier to block our presence and waited for almost an hour before
we saw her strolling along towards us over the horizon.
This truly was a moment that got the adrenaline pumping.
Words cannot describe the feeling one has when being in the presence of a
leopard that is so close to you and so curious, so hopefully the video speaks
for itself in how beautiful and rare this moment was.
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| Leopard Encounter |
