11/30/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand. It was a slow seal day for the posse, word from Lesley was she got skunked. I initially thought maybe the high surf but Lesley said it was as calm as most summer days.  So perhaps they were all out enjoying the calm conditions. LOL

After not finding seals anywhere Team Billand head over to westside beach and spotted a seal in the "play boy pond" . Although it was hard to photograph the water hole with lighting conditions and rain they were able to ID RIP RR70.  
They returned later to check and RIP was still there and now there was another. This critter has a nice new coat but in an awkward position to determine gender. Finally there was some flipper flexing and there was the ID Lei Ola RH48. She mostly stayed still and finally got the tag shot. 
That was it for the day..... two critters.

 RIP

Lei Ola

11/29/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you Team Billand and Team T&D.  Also a little update about some of the Rabbit Island critters.

Team Billand got to the outfall this morning and spotted a seal (or maybe two). After viewing their photo they could see it was RN14 Kalani who was out there foraging doing 6 minute dives.
Later in the day when they came back to the area for a recheck they found him hauled out at a nearby beach alone up on the rocks. No bosom buddy to pester him today.

The only other seal they spotted today was at a Leeward Beach late this morning. It was RIP RR70 alone to the right lower rocks snoozing. On their afternoon check he was still on the lower rocks, just leaving the playboy pond to dry out.

Team Billand spotted the Hokuliea heading in a westerly direction. Word is it is heading for Waimea to kick off The Eddie.  Team Tammy and Dave also spotted the Hokuliea rounding the point while they were out at Ka'ena Point.

Team T&D first find of the day was Puna RK88 at 10 minute beach. It looked like he had just hauled out. On their way back he was still there. 

Their next siting was the Hokuleia coming around the point as well as a pair of Albatross together.
The only other seal they spotted was the beautiful Aukai RL12 at back beach.

Some Rabbit Island news. Today there was a NOAA team out on the island. There was only four seals compared to Marilyn finding 7 or 8 (lol). They were able to apply bleach on two of the critters.
RW22 Kolohe is fully molted and bleached with N22 on his mid and dorsal posterior. 
RV08 Buster just started his molt so no bleach applied.
RK38 Hali'a attempted to "rebleach" her. They got the N on dorsal mid, but she woke up and went into the water. It is unknown if the bleach will take hold or what it will look like.
RK72 Kekoa is just starting his molt around neck and on chest so no bleach applied. Guess he decided to leave the west side to molt.
Thank you NOAA team as this will help making an ID on the island.

 Hokuleia on her way to opening ceremonies for The Eddie 

 RN14 Kalani 

 RR70 RIP

Puna RK88

 RL12 Aukai

11/28/2018 Monk Seal Dailies (part 1)

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

Well it appears it was a somewhat slow seal day. Team Billand only found two critters and they were together. HOWEVER, what a show these two put on for them. 
Bosom Buddies Kalani RN14 and Ka'ale RH32 were on the lower rocks upon arrival as if they were chit chatting. Then Ka'ale got a big aggressive and kept bugging RN14 and wouldn't give up. RN14 went in the shallows to get away Ka'ale would follow.
Ka'ale RH32 followed RN14 Kalani got into the water and for the next few hours, they put on quite a show, playing, rolling over, flipper slaps, just being seals buds. 
In the end RN14 landed once again with Fat Boy Butthead landing too. Suddenly Ka'ale made a dash for the water hole, both seals went racing for it. And again both fought with other in the little hole. That was it for Team Billand no other seals other than the Bosom Buddies.

11/28/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: Lesley's Ka'ena Update

The waves are still big and the volume of water washing the beaches are amazing.

I started by checking on an overnighted R330 "Squinty" at CE Pt.

From there I hiked out to the point. On Back Beach a big plump seal was coming up from the waterline. I first saw the little scar on her forehead then later her tags. Our girl RL12 "Aukai" is back. The beach looked like there was a really cool party overnight. Trails were everywhere, on every sandy piece of the beach.

I waited around but no other seals showed up. I was doing a last outreach with a family that had been in the Main Pool looking at little creatures. I wanted to point out to them that a seal could haul in at anytime. While talking to them I saw a seal in the middle of the pool. It literally sneaked in there without us seeing him. It made it way up on some reefs and as soon as I saw the white bleach spot on it's back I knew it was R3CU.

In the late afternoon I checked the front of the house and didn't see any seals around.  More tomorrow 

 Party trails 

 poo and spew?

 Sweet Girl ! 

11/27/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 1)

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

Team Billand headed over to the Outfall just before 7 this morning. They met up with volunteer Christina and proceeded to check out the area together.  They spot two seals off the outfall area playing and foraging. Both critters entered the outfall playing with each other like a choreographed dance. 
Finally they were able to ID both animals, since they were so busy moving it was a bit of a challenge. After an hour of playing about they both took off to the left.

Checking out a nearby beach they saw Kalani RN14 coming in alone over the rocks. The waves were strong and kept swishing him about and then he got washed out. He headed back to the outfall foraging once again with his bosom buddy.

In the afternoon Team Billand made one last check to a westside beach by the outfall. They found both boys Ka'ale and Kalani on the rocks chilling side by side. RN14 Kalani was on his side and Barbara noticed a new cookie scar near his genitals and can't remember seeing this in the past. These two have a special bond with each other, it will be interesting to see as they mature if that continues when their competing for a female.

Last but certainly not least Team Billand made a stop at a Leeward beach to see if Kekoa was around, even though he wasn't they were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset. THEN, to their shock and awe they see a little seal asleep on a sandy patch. The tide was lower than earlier and there was RH36 Kawena laying there in peace. It took a bit to study her since she is so clean, small, they were able to see the "H" on her tag. They lucked out by looking at her from the other side and spotted her N6 bleach on her right lower body. 

 Bosom Buddies Ka'ale & Kalani

 RN14 Kalani trying to haul out at a near by beach

They're back together again resting Ka'ale

 RN14 Kalani

Kawena RH36