3/31/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 1)

 Today's dailies are brought to you by Gayle, Lesley, Team Billand (back in action) and special update from posse pal RJ Strayhorn!  Lesley's full report is included part 2 of the dailies.

Gayle only find today was a critter on Rabbit Island, based on the white tips she is going with Kea N46. The photos aren't so great, cloudy, raining, and thunder mid-day, and hazy skies does not allow for good photo ops. Gayle noted despite the conditions looks like there will be lots of people camping overnight at Sandys for Easter Sunrise.

Team Billand is back in action, their first stop out at White Plains for sunrise. They waited around for a critter to come, but nothing showed up and they moved on.
They headed to a Leeward Beach and spotted a seal foraging (dives) 8 to 10 minutes. It wouldn't land but they were able to ID the cookie cutter scar on back and natural bleach below the cookie. The critter ID'd as R3CU, they stood by, but he never hauled out.  Over cast skies, dark clouds made it difficult to see off in the distance. There were fishermen and lots of poles set up. They lost sight of R3CU, let's hope he's stays safe.

Team Billand decided to return to White Plains for a check and they found big Buster Rv08 snoozing on shore, fronting the Surf Shack.  A zone was set up by the lifeguards, they informed Team Billand he had hauled up around 2 pm. The beach was very crowded but as the storm came through (thunder & lightning it was frightening go grease lightning :-)  the crowd thinned out.
Buster is looking big, robust, healthy and alert. Team Billand left at 3:30 when volunteer arrived on site.

An email from RJ was short and sweet but brought BIG news. RJ58/59 Kaimana was seen today on the north shore, all by her lonesome. RJ ID'd her by her J59 tag, she was seen around 3:00 pm.

Rabbit Island - Kea N46

R3CU

Buster V08

Kaimana J58/59

3/31/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Point Update

The Trio had a warm and pleasant hike out to the point, on our way we saw lightings towards Kauai followed by thunder every now and then. That storm came our way fast.

We enjoyed some time out at the point with the only seal of the day. RW02 "PVKauai" was hauled out on the reef island in the Main Pool. He didn't show his tags but was IDed by the 2 new puncture scars on the right side of his neck and his pit scar on back.

We felt the first drops and wind pick up, had time to put our ponchos and down it came. We change spots 4 times to protect ourselves from what was coming, the last spot is where we hunkered out the thick of the storm.

On our way out we saw the CHICKY & Chicky II wet like rats. Tthe rest of our hike out was a slip & slide one in the rain all the way back.

(\ /)
( . .)
('')('') ̡•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸
Happy Easter !

Chickie 

 Nice catch both for the Heron and Lesley

  RW02

3/30/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you by Gayle, Lesley and Melody.  Based on everyone's emails it was a slow seal sighting day. Maybe because of the heat and humans enjoying the beach they decided to lay low. (one can only hope)  ** Just in from Posse pal Vicki she found RI37 Ipo on a Hauula Beach***

Gayle's only sighting was of a critter hanging out on Rabbit Island. She checked the usual spots for the usual suspects but came up empty.

Melody arrived at White Plains at 10:30 am and a seal had just hauled out on shore. The lifeguards has just finished putting up some signs and roped off the zone, and the critter was resting peacefully sleeping. Since today was Good Friday (holiday) there were a ton of beach goers. Melody called the hotline and gave them the location. After the call she checked out the sleeping beauty and based on her scars Melody ID'd Pohaku RO28 looking big and plump. Since the beach was so crowded there were plenty of folks with questions. Melody was able to help out with a little monk seal 101. Volunteer arrived at 12:30 and Melody left shortly after that.

Lesley did the Ka'ena Point Trek and she had a much better day, here is her update:

On my way out to the point this morning I stopped to pick up a pile of ghost nets on the side of the Coastal Rd and out on some reefs. UTV was packed to it's max but still found place for more along the way.

Met up with some young hikers as I was parking at the boulders and walked into the NARS with them. They were please to have a 1 on 1 outreach, so they tagged along al the way to the point. I showed some of the Albatross chick. We saw RW02 "PVKauai" in Ka'ena's Pool, RR70 "RIP" & R330 "Squinty" in the Main Pool.

It took a while to confirm "RIP's" ID cause he was doing the hippo and wouldn't show me much to confirm his ID (for NOAA). I was very please to see "Squinty" he had been MIA for some time. perhaps did a visit out to Niihau or Kauai.

Heading back I checked Ka'ena's Pool again and found RO40 "Ka'ena" hauled out at the entrance face to face with RW02 "PVKauai" they were sleeping and no interaction was observed.

Rabbit Island Critters

Pohaku RO28

Ipo RI37

 Her signature scar on her rear flipper

 R330 Squinty

 RO40 Ka'ena and PvKauai RW02

 Ka'ena RO40

 RR70 Rip & R330 Squinty

 RR70 Rip

 RW02 PvKauai

 Today's sea debris collection

Jamie (NARS) @ work

3/29/2018 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Gayle, Team T&D (Tammy and Dave), Vicki and DB's favorite Canadians Darlene and Todd ( hmmm Team T&D #2).

I received an email from Darlene & Todd who visit the island every year. Usually when they visit, they go exploring looking for monk seals and have learned enough about the seals over the years (from the best teacher ever) DB. I was thrilled to get their email stating they spotted Rocky today RH58 and she was sleeping peacefully. Unfortunately they didn't have their camera (I am sure DB would have given them a hard time about that).  Darlene said there was a volunteer on site and that Rocky had arrived around noontime. I look forward to hearing more about their sighting during their visit .... and hope they remember the camera :-)

Team T&D (Tammy and Dave) made their way out to Ka'ena Point. The first critter they came across was RIP RR70 alone at Back Beach. They headed over to the main pool where they found RW02 PvKauai on the rocks. While they were trying to ID RW02, Ka'ena RO40 showed up at Back Beach. 
Ka'ena was trying to haul but RIP was not having it, there was lots of barking at each other, until they finally settled down.
Dave went to check the outer pool to see if there were any seals around, but all he found was lots of trash. He got in the water and filled half of a 2 gallon bag. YUCK! Poor RW02 had to swim through this to get to the main pool.

Vicki did some long distance viewing of Rabbit Island and spotted three critters, one in each size, small, medium and large :-) 

Gayle also checked Rabbit Island today, this morning she saw one seal, but a little later a second seal came ashore but didn't see the first seal. THEN a little later maybe it was the smell? or instinct? or a snort? but seal #2 saw seal #1 so he/she made a move towards the other seal. Always a treat to see them interact. Gayle  returned after 13:00 and there was a 3rd seal, this one looks small. (may Aka?)


In Gayle's email it simply said she hung out with Kaiwi RK96. Funny thing is I had to do a double take because I thought it said she hugged Kaiwi.... I was like whaaaaaaat?  LOL  This is what happens when you're tired.

Kolohe provided Gayle with picture perfect opportunity for an easy ID.  That beautiful cue ball visible made it good for Gayle.

RW02 PvKauai

Rip RR70 & Ka'ena RO40

Trash in a bag

Rabbit Island Critters

 Kaiwi RK96

Kolohe RW22