June 10, 2023 Saturday's Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Marilyn and Team R&B💕

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 1:30 to 2:45 and there were three seals on island today.

The two weaners were in the middle cliff area. Weaner A was seen first and then Weaner B was trying to join her. but then moving a short distance in the Lanikai direction and hauling out on the rock flats. Later Weaner A went into the water and briefly attempted to join Weaner B, but then disappeared. Marilyn's guess is Weaner A is RS34 and Weaner B is RS12.  

On waterfront rocks between 3BS and SRI was a Subadult Male: large juvenile to small subadult size, light colored male belly, unsure about tags.

Marilyn also checked multiple southeast spots this morning and the only critter she found was RK24 Bruno/Wawamalu.  She had seen him in the area on the 8th.  

She stayed with him for about 15 minutes and ID'd him by: older coat, male belly, and red K24 tag. Marilyn couldn't see his right side scar due to his position.

Team R&B decided to take a ride out to another part of the island. They saw two seals on shore were: 

RL08 male and RK42 female both from Kauai. 

Next after hiking a bit they found four seals. RL42 Leia and PO6, Pualani RS36 and a male visitor. They couldn't get his ID, they had fought and the male took off.  Weaner RS36 got barked at by RL42, and the cutest was PO6 following mom.  RS36 draped herself over the rocks and snoozed.

They spotted another seal coming in. RL08 came to shore and didn't notice the gang to the right, so he took off.  He returned shortly after with a puffer fish. He played with it on shore and then left taking off towards the other seals.   

Looking back they could see another seal with RK42. As they got to the area, the male took off, it was Squinty R330. They could see his opal eye. He left only to argue and fight with RL08, who had just arrived.  RK42 stayed put and alone while the boys fought it out.

Then RL08 hauled out, followed by Squinty and then Team R&B see two more seals! It was RN58 Luana and PO7. This is crazy !!!

From afar they saw another seal on shore. They walked over and there was RL74 Kami.

Heading back to their neighborhood they made a couple of quick stops to check. 

At the bay they found RM31 Kai alone snoozing on the rocks.  At the

other end was RL20 Kalua. Team R&B didn't want to bring any attention to them so they left the site.

They made one last stop to check on Lei OLa RH48. She looks to be over 50% molted already. Thats fast! She was alone resting peacefully and no one around to bug her.

RK24

Rabbit Island

RL08 and RK42

RS36

RS36 - RL42 and PO6

RL08 and pufferfish

R330 and RL08

RK42

Luana and PO7

Visitor with RL42

R330 Squinty

RL74

RL20

RM31

RH48

June 6, 2023 Tuesday's Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Tammy and Team R&B💕  Tammy's update is from the yesterday news department.

Posse pal Tammy day started out slow yesterday with just one seal. After several hours she ended her day with 8 seals.

First at 10 minute beach, best guess by size and location that this would be RL98 Lina, but many untagged seals showing up in the area she had to report it as an unknown/unidentified. 

On her way back she spotted a very bright white belly on the reefs, there was Kami RL74. 

Tammy stopped to check in on RL42 and PO6. There was another  seal visiting them but she could not get the ID.

Tammy also made a stop to  check on Luana RN58 and PO7.

Lastly she was both surprised and lucky to find RS36 Pualalni. Tammy watch her for a bit while she played in the shallows for about an hour. She entertained herself playing with seaweed and a mangrove pod.

Marilyn noted our sadness from the news released by NOAA today regarding the loss of RG76 Malama. She was born on Rabbit Island over a year ago. This news is especially disturbing because so much time and labor had been spent to rehabilitate her after she was weaned in an underweight status. We would all like to thank NOAA, Ke Kai Ola, and volunteers for their efforts in trying to give her a chance at life.  Here's the official link:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/endangered-species-conservation/hawaiian-monk-seal-updates?fbclid=IwAR3ClEHqKjQZ05swLMJdPGSPVRJFkHFY1VKVqsK5A34qzquWiVfT6C8FUgI#reward-offered-for-suspected-intentional-killing-of-rq76-(malama)

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 12:00 to 3:20 and there were no seals visible during the first two and a half hours of her viewing.  ( OKAY that dedication and patience).  Marilyn doesn't know if the lack of seals was due to the three spearfishermen who had landed with their kayak between the 1BS & 2BS.

Finally Marilyn saw weaner RS34 haul out near SRI at 2:33 pm. She was identified by her weaner size, shape and coloration, her two red tags and silver-dollar size NB on her lower right side. She rested for a while before hauling onto to beach near SRI.

Marilyn then saw the head of a young monk twice in the surge channel adjacent to the rock flats of LPB. At 3:05 pm, Marilyn finally saw weaner RS12 haul out of the channel onto the rock flats. She was weaner size, shape and coloration and had two red tags.

Team R&B were out searching for hours and was coming up empty. Finally they found RH76 Kala at noontime. She was alone hiding up in the rocks.  Team R&B spotted two tropical birds fly by several times, birds they had never seen before.

They got the news of Malama RQ76, who was killed back in March. They took this opportunity to sit and let their feelings out. Ironic that they found Kala RH76 who is RQ76's mom. No matter how hard we try, we can't always prevent the tragedy.

Next stop they found a seal in the rocks and they were trying to get an ID. Thankfully the seal showed his tags and it was RM31 Kai. He was alone and seemed content enjoying his rest.

Then Kai suddenly went from relaxed to holy crap there's a visitor.

Here comes big butthead RH32 Kaale. He came up and started bumping Kai. Then he climbed up to him and poor Kai was upset and started barking and whooping at Kaale RH32.  Kaale just did his thing, then left  leaving Kai alone.

Team R&B went looking for Kaale but no luck. They just not sure which way he went, but they kept looking.  They were still working off their sadness over RQ76.

Then they found another seal, adult who looks like they are molting. There was the beautiful large Lei Ola RH48.  She moved to cool off and that's when they saw her tags. 

RL42 & PO6

RL74

RN58 & PO7

RS96

unknown - unidentified 

Rabbit Island

Tropical Flyer

RH76 Kala

RM31 Kai

RH32 Kaale

Lei Ola RH48