03/07/2020 Saturday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley, Marilyn, Team Billand, and posse pal Beth on MCBH. Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

Beth F found this bathing beauty on MCBH, no tags but plenty of scars. My guess here is KC and if there were CC on her back I would no for sure.  That poor girl has got a lot of scars on her body.  Glad she has been seen and not showing any NEW markers. 

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island after she got back from her Ka'ena Trek with Lesley.  There were five seals on island today.
On the flats of LPB were RG32, adult seal ID'd by his new N11 applied bleach. (Thank you NOAA).
Unknown adult with two red tags, lighter mottled belly. 
About 40 feet left of the 1BS was an unknown juvenile, two tags, light belly and juvenile size. Marilyn suspect this to be either RK37 or RK38. 

Momma Pua RF34 and PO1 were near seal rock inlet. PO1 was completely hidden behind Mom for the first hour of viewing. The kid never came around Mom so there wasn't too much to see.

Team Billand arrived at a west side beach at 9 am and found Kekoa Alii RK72. He was coming into left high rocks and hauled up alone.
RW02 PvKauai came in next and hauled up right of seal inlet. He was followed by RG28 Lefty who went to the right and settled there for the day.
There was a man on a moped trying to get Barbara's attention, she ignored him but when she turned to check on RW02 there was a seal hauled up with him. 
It was Kaale RH32 who stared at RW02 for a bit, as he got closer RW02 turned quickly and greeted him. Kaale would just settle right on the edge of seal inlet. 

Team Billand checked a few other sites and at one west side location, and at one location that was very crowded they found two seals.
RJ28 was on his back and the natural bleach on his fore flipper and one bleach on his hind flipper were visible. And just to make sure there was his tag J28.
Next to him was Nalu R3CX tags also showing. There were people fishing and walking about near the seals who were award of the them.

One fisherman walked right up to J28 who galumphed away as though he was going to take off, but he stopped when Nalu went up to him and they both stayed.

Team Billand returned back to west side beach to check on the critters from earlier. When they got back to the site there was another seal to the right of seal inlet.  They ID'd R3CU resting with his tags visible. They looked to see if Kaale was still in the area but it appears he had left.

Much to Barbara's delight little RL20 Kalua was next to Uncle Benny snoozing left high rocks. Nice to have da Benny back and ever so sweet little RL20 hanging out with him.  CORRECTION: RL20 was with Kekoa not Benny. ( Team Billand sent me a correction this morning)

Team Billand went to check another location and sure enough there was a critter, a big fat male. RN14 Kalani was very alert but resting. Today this location was packed with people, boogie board, paddle boards snorklers, crazy busy.  Let's hope Kalani just sleeps off his day and everyone keeps their distance.

 KC RK28 at MCBH

Rabbit Island RF34 Pua and PO1

 RG32 N11 and U/U 

 U/J 

Kekoa RK72

 Lefty RG28

 RW02 PvKauai

Kaale and RW02

RJ28  

 Nalu R3CX 

 Nalu and J28

R3CU

 RL20 Kalua and Kekoa

 RN14 Kalani

 Fat Boy

November 7, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley, Team Billand and Posse pal Anissa K.  Lesley's update is part two of the dailies.

Posse pal Anissa emailed Sadie sighting today in Hauula. She is looking good and I love that we continue to get updates on this beautiful seal.

Team Billand did their usual seal route and the only seal they found today was Benny RE74.  They found him at the westside location where he has been during his molt. When they arrived he was snoozing peacefully, way up by the bushes. 
Seems this beach is popular with dog walkers who chose to walk their dogs off leash.  As a dog owner I understand what it is to give your dog some freedom, but it is of great concern when people think their dog is so well trained that it wouldn't bother a seal. Seals are stinky, dogs like stinky things, dogs are curious, seals are new to their world, so an innocent situation could turn bad in the matter of seconds. The dog may not attack the seal, but the seal could attack the dog, and who wants that.  Okay that's my two cents.... I just hope people will be more considerate of the seals and more protective of their pets.

When Team Billand came back to check on Benny he was not in the same spot.  He had moved down to the shoreline. Waves were covering him, as he slowly made his way and left the site.

Sadie !  RB12 

 Benny RE74

November 5, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley and Melody.  Lesley's Ka'ena update is part 2 of the dailies.

Team Billand headed out to check on Da Benny at 6:30. On their first stop he wasn't there, but after intently looking where he was yesterday there he was. Benny was snoozing up against the bushes. He was resting nicely despite the nearby footprints by human and dog paw prints. Benny appears to be 70% molted.

At 7:30 Team Billand found Kawena RH32 at a different west side location. She was alone sleeping peacefully. Her tags were visible for a quick and easy ID.

At 8:30, they found Lei Ola RH48 at another haul out spot. She was alone on the rocks getting splashed by the waves. The waves did not interrupt her resting one bit. On their last check Lei Ola was gone.

Team Billand went back to check on Kawena just before 2 pm.  She had moved to a small rocky, sandy patch. She was now in the company of Ka'ale RH32.  Kawena was tucked between the rocks and it made getting her ID a challenge this time. But thankfully Ka'ale  kept bugging her to the point where she smacked him with her snout. She was making it clear to bug off butthead.  Ka'ale kept moving around her and finally he settled.
Volunteer Melina had joined Barbara and they both decided the female was Kawena.

Melody got a text this afternoon that Rocky had hauled out at cove 8 so she went to take a look. On the way she called security for signs and when she arrived there was Rocky laid out and her body half buried in the sand. This making it difficult to get a positive ID, Melody called it into the hotline as an UU.
Rocky wasn't being cooperative since she wasn't moving much, except to slide down toward the water.  A zone was set up, and some tattlers came by and pecked at her hind flippers until she flipped it off. Melody left after sunset and Rocky was still laying at the waters's edge. Once Melody got to check her pictures she confirmed Rocky's ID by the natural bleach on her left front flipper.

 Benny

 Kawena 

 Lei Ola

Ka'ale & Kawena

 Ka'ale

Rocky