10/19/2010 DB Dailies

Duke had Rabbit Island all to himself today. I found him at the right end at 0630. He moved down...he moved up...that was the action.

On my 0706, Spitting Cave check I found Kolohe and Buster together, foraging and playing. The dive times were erratic because of the play. It's been a heck of a long time since I've seen multiple animals at SC.

When Benny showed up at Sandy Beach yesterday afternoon, some dummy said that he was probably on his way to check out the Molokai chicks. Who was that idiot ???? At 1103 a White Plains lifeguard reported an animal hauling out. Team Billand confirmed the Benny ID at 1143. Molokai girls.......... the threat level has been lowered to Green !! The rising tide to got Benny at 1215 and he relocated to Wind Sock at 1254.

Team Billand next reported Rocky, just down the beach at Nimitz Cove at 1304.

Their next journey was to Ewa Beach were they found Irma, once again near Access 187A. Residents say she has been here for several days, and she has been documented there by the Billands for 3 straight days now. They finally got a look at her ventral side, and sure enough molting has begun, Though it's the first observed day , I'd guess that it's been going on for 2 or 3 days, and is a conservative 5%

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Now that Irma has begun her molt I began to play with her numbers trying to get an approximate birth date for this year's pup. Keep in mind that this is coming from the same guy that said Benny was going to Molokai ! Irma's history shows that her weaning to molt time is 51 to 53 days. That would put weaning at 26 to 28 Aug. 2010. Since she is known to be a 42 day Mom that puts birth at 13-15 Jul. 2010. Since she had last been seen in Ewa Beach on 6-30-10 prior to disappearing that gives her lots of potential travel time. Her return sighting was in Makaha on 9-3-10, allowing a potential 6 days travel time after weaning. Obviously, I have no clue if any of that is close, but it's a ballpark estimate. WHERE remains the biggy question.

Posse member Lesley checked in from the Turtle Bay area at 1459 to advise that fishermen had told her about an animal about a mile Kahuku side of Kahuku Point. When she arrived she found an adult female, with new coat, and untagged. My guess is that it was Right Spot, but no right side was visible. Photos are on the way. She found no Ua Malie today.

Dera called at 1525 about an animal that the cops had taped off at Hauula Beach Park. Lesley checked on her way back at 1603, and saw an untagged , adult ,female with new coat, and a right side mid body CC scar. Preliminary ID would be Lona. Awaiting photos.

Team Billand called at 1513 to say that Lifeguards had closed beaches from White Plains to Nimitz due to a Tiger Shark sighting from the air. No further info, but the news dogs have picked up the story .

Buster

Duke

Buster and Kolohe