Saturday, February 1, 2020

02/01/2020 Saturday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Melody.


Melody was in Waikiki when she got a text that Rocky RH58 was on the beach at Iroquois.  Melody finished up her work with the White Terns and hurried home. When she arrived HMSPO volunteer Diana was on site helping with the SRA.  They heard from a neighbor that Rocky had arrived around 7 am after cruising around the jetty.  
Rocky had dug herself in a deep wallow for the day and Melody called her into the hotline. After a little while of squirming and flipper flipping, she finally rolled and went down to the water's edge. She stayed put for several hours while it rained. When the sun came out people started to arrive and thankfully everyone was respectful. Rocky went into the water about 5:45 and took about 30 minutes to make her way to the open waters.

Team Billand hurried to the outfall before picking up junior sealette Olivia. They spotted a seal come into the outfall but could not make an ID. 
At 9:30 at a location by the outfall they found RG28 Lefty on the rocks alone and snoozing.

At a westside location they found RL20 Kalua already hauled up on lower rocks snoozing.
RW02 PvKauai was on lower rocks, snoozing. His two markers on his neck and tags were visible.

Next was RH36 Kawena was way up in the upper rocks and very well hidden. Thankfully she stretched with a flipper flex and they got her tag. 
She is looking healthy and no new markers.
Kekoa Alii RK72 was laying on his side most of the day. He is quite a big boy, snoozing in his water hole. He barely moved at all.

There were two seals foraging and fighting off shore. There were lots of splashing, hind flippers tossing about. Team Billand wasn't able to get a positive ID except one seal into lower rocks. It has cookie scars which led them to believe it was R3CU.

R3CX Nalu came in alone looking at little RL20. He galumphed up to him gave him a kiss and RL20 flipped his hind flippers in the air.  Nalu kept at him and then RW02 gave him a bark and that was that. Nalu remained by RL20 for the rest of their stay.

On their way home after a long day they happen to spot a seal in the canal on shore. They were able to ID RH92 Nalani sleeping on the sand patch.  Team Billand called the hotline and texted volunteer Melina about her location.

 Rocky RH58
RG28 Lefty
 RL20 Kalua
 RW02 PvKauai
Kawena RH36
 Kekoa Alii RK72
R3CX Nalu
 RH92 Nalani

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