September 18, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Team T&D, and Lesley. Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

Day 18 at KoOlina for Team Billand, just as they arrived in the parking lot, they got a call "your seal is back",  and they were there in a flash. 
Nalani RH92 was snoozing her little heart away. Team Billand had no signs so security was notified, and they brought signs and a zone was put up. Team Billand immediately began educating people on site.  Must be a shift in visitors, since this mornings group new nothing about the seals.

Around 7:30, RH92 left and went across to mid beach. Team Billand grabbed the signs and pulled the ropes. A wonderful woman visiting from Maryland who offered to help Barbara with the signs. Thank you Lynn from Maryland for lending a hand.
People were yelling and getting out of the water, RH92 landed. Security came right out to put up the signs with Team Billand.  (Teamwork does work!). 

Team Billand was able to rest for a bit under a shady palm tree and have some breakfast.  With all the new visitors, gives Team Billand to win over a whole new group of people and turn them into seal protectors. They already recruited Lynn, who is a conservationist looks after the birds that are disoriented by the light on the mainland. 
Team Billand finished their breakfast at 9 am, and they spotted volunteer Melina. Time for her to take over and Team Billand left the site at 9:15 am.

Team T&D are still on the Big Island, and on this mornings survey they found RA20. She is looking nice and healthy, like she gained all her nursing weight back.  It was 6 months ago that she gave birth to RL50.

After hanging out down the beach from RA20, Dave decided to go exploring. Not 50 yards away Dave got Tammy's attention and let her know there was a seal. Tammy rushed over with her camera, to get some ID photos of the seal before she took off.

Turns out this is a young untagged female that has been seen before and noted as very skittish.  Lots of ID markers and pictures were submitted to PIFSC to see if they can ID her.

After a short break, Team T&D met up with Big Island volunteer in the afternoon. Luckily the three of them found a seal hiding, sleeping in the rocks. There was RL50 (RA20's kid).

 RH92

RA20

 sub-adult female untagged

 RL50

2/8/2017 LATE BREAKING NEWS FROM THE BIG ISLAND!!! UPDATE 2/9

At the risk of providing alternative facts or fake news... here is a CORRECTION to yesterday's breaking news....  

IT WAS RA20 who gave birth on the big Island (not R8HY) although she was reported in the area :-)  Thank you Cameron for the update!

I received an email this evening from Cameron on the Big Island....  At about 2:00 pm R8HE gave birth on the Kona Coast !!!  He reported her scar is still there and healing but everyone is doing okay.

I am hoping we get some pictures soon.... What I thought was exceptionally thoughtful was Cameron wanted to make sure all those who watched over her got the news !!  

I do believe this is the FIRST pup of 2017 !!

11/1/2015 DB's Dailies: Kainoa@Aukai@Rabbit Island, Kaiwi@China Walls, RW02@Mokuleia, plus RW34&U/M, Big Island

At 0739 I found Kainoa (RN04) new arrived, fronting 1BS on Rabbit Island. He would remain there the rest of the day.

 Also at 0739 I found Aukai (RL12) fronting 3BS on RI. She too would remain the rest of the day. 4

Mahalos to M&M (Marilyn & Melanie) for making the hunt through the SE quadrant. Melanie called at 1300 reporting Kaiwi (RK96) at China Walls.

 Colleen Heyer called from the Big Island at 1429. Vacation or no, ya’ can’t keep a good Monk Seal girl down. She called with a report and shots of a probably pregnant female in the company of a smaller male, at Keokea Beach Park, Hawi, BI. Forwarded the shots to Tracy for some profession help on an ID. Tracy called at 1820 to advise that the pregnant female is RW34. She is expected to pup any second now. Tracy checked in again at 1849 to advise that Big Island personnel were advised. They had apparently gotten word of RW34 and a small U/M at that location. They will be going out tomorrow to assess the situation.

 Aukai

  Kainoa 

 Kaiwi at China Wall

RW02 molting at Mokuleia 

surrounded by footprints

 RW34 and U/M on Big Island

 RW34 ready to birth any second

 UU on big island

6-3-2014 Star of the Day....... who can it be?

It's Maka'iwi in Kona on the big island!

 oh boy she's looking pretty big!   

 and apparently has a lot to say!

 sleep well sweet Maka'iwi

3-18-2013 Sadie&Pup(D#5), Kolohe&Kaiwi@RI, Buster@SC&CW, RK36@SC, RIP&Benny@WP, Noa@Maili Pt, T21M&RL54@TB, KC@Kualoa BP, R5AY@Kualoa Pt, Makaiwi@BI

At 0647 I found Sadie & Pup (D#5), once again at the Waimanalo end of the beach on Rabbit Island. I observed several feeds during the day, and several trips up and down from the water line. Unfortunately, any wet time is completely hidden from me behind the water front rocks. I don't believe there has been anything but just keeping wet at the shore line.

Also at 0647 I found Kaiwi (RK96) just hauling out to Rock Right Beach. She would move to the back of the beach, but would later move down to cool off.

At 0657 I found Kolohe (RW22) in the Morning Glory, 40 ft left of 1BS on RI. He would galumph toward Sadie & pup at 0702, but bark from mom turned him away and he made a hard left and entered the water. At 0729 he would haul out to join Kaiwi at RRB. They would remain there the rest of the day.

At 1014 Zeeny called with the report of Buster (RV08) at Spitting Cave.

At 1114 she would call again, this time advising that Buster was hauling out to China Walls.

At 1255 Kimo called to advise of a animal at Spitting Cave. It would prove to be RK36.

At 1204 Team Billand reported RIP (RR70) at #1707, White Plains.

At 1400 they found Noa (R6FI) at Maili Point.

Sean checked in at 1440 with a report from a caller at the "Pops" surf break in Waikiki, reporting a animal in the line up, with the last number "7", on either a tag, or a bleach (RA37/N17). Either way, we both believed that it was very probably RA36, but ?????

Lesley called at 1442 to advise that she and Diane had trod the upper east side and reported T21M, and RL54 at Turtle Bay, KC(RK28) at Kualoa Beach Park, and R5AY at Kualoa Point.

Team Billand called at 1543 with the report of Benny (RE74) hauling out to join RIP at White Plains.

Late afternoon DeraMail brought news from Justin that Makaiwi (R4DF) is confirmed on the Big Island. She was last seen on Oahu, at the Moana Surfrider Hotel in Waikiki on 3-7-13. Amazing ! She has this routine going.... makes me wonder how and why she goes back and forth. ( I know she swims there... I mean how she knows which route to take.... what motivates her to go that far....). 

 Buster at China Walls

 RK36 @ spitting cave

 beautiful sunset - lucky we live hawaii

 Benny

Rip

 Beny and Rip

 and of course things wouldn't be normal if there wasn't some barking with Benny around.

 Noa

 KC RK28 

 R5AY in a god awful place.... wish they could build up the side of the road.

 RL54 sleeping beauty in the forest

 T21M @ turtle bay