MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: 2019

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

December 31, 2019 Happy Birthday DB

While we are all celebrating the arrival of the new year, a new decade.... I want to wish a very special friend a Happy Birthday! I couldn't end this evening, this year, the last day of this decade without acknowledging this man. He means so much to so many, and I personally want to thank him for all he taught me. BUT what I am most grateful for is: he brought some of the most amazing friendships together. So DB this one is for you....

Yes this is a ~~3 year~~ 5 year old bottle of Roque Monk Seal Ale, and yes it is still good.

December 31, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies.

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

Posse pal Katie was on the north shore today and her only find for the day was cute little K80 Katie. Thank you Vicki!

Team Billand started their day at 6 am at Paradise Cove. There were no seals when they arrived just lots of people on shore bugging the honu. The waves were big and powerful, crashing over the reef into the cove. Barbara couldn't help but think about Pohaku and Nanea.

They had an appointment so they left for a bit, and then just after 11 they got a call that there were two seals at secrets, but by the time they could get back the seals were gone. Then they got to Paradise cove and there was Kolohe RW22 on shore by the footpath area. There were signs up by two good Samaritans who were enjoying the sun when Kolohe arrived. Team Billand called the hotline. They hung in until noon.

At 12:45 Team Billand arrive at a west side location and upon arrival they spotted Kala RH76 with the new kid from Kauai R3CX/3CZ. They were inland by the sand patch snoozing. They are very sweet together.
Team Billand was able to make some VALUABLE observations. It appears R3CX/3CZ has natural bleach spot on the left side of his head, and on his left shoulder a marker.

And here come another critter, pulls in out of nowhere from the huge surf. It's Kekoa Alii RK72, he approaches R3CZ who is a bit annoyed, they have words, and RH76 moves up higher away from the boys.
Kekoa get smashed with the big waves moving him around. R3CZ mouths Kekoa, there are some vocals, then Kekoa is washed out and goes to the lower rocks, wedges himself in the rocks.
Kala RH76 and R3CZ stay together. By 3 pm there were no other seals, and it was time to call it day, a year, a decade. Happy New Year!

K80

Kolohe RW22

R3CX/3CZ

RH76 Kala

Kala and R3CX

Kekoa Alii - R3CX/3CZ and Kala RH76

Kekoa

December 31, 2019 (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

The house shook with every big set during the night but this morning the sets didn't look that big anymore. We still had big sets rolling in and the beaches got a good wash.

I got the see 4 seals today and all females.

As I stepped down on the beach I spotted R303 BG up on the Naupaka line. She definitely spent the night there. On my way back in the afternoon I checked on her, she was on her way down to the water.

Next I found RN58 Luana at Hidden Beach. On bigger sets she was surrounded by our local Hawaiian Snow.

At the point little RL74 Kami was in a nook between rocks on Main Beach. Spend quite sometime doing outreach there before checking around the NARS.

So today is the last day our weaners are weaners, as of tomorrow they will be yearlings, young seals.

Can't wait to see what next pup season will bring us

On my way back I finally found RK40 Napua back on this side. She hadn't been seen for several weeks it was a relief and pleasure to see her.

The TRIO of Snow Geese were at their usual morning spot. I have had several reports of them out on the airfield in the afternoons.

We got to see several young Albatrosses gathering, doing matting songs & dances.

And the waves and wind were putting on an extra show. Some whales were cruising by, I didn't see breaches but did lots of spouts. As I'm writing my reports I can see them out there

More next YEAR

December 30, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

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

I made a quick stop in Waimanalo this afternoon on my way home from Honolulu. I set up the scope and there was only one critter on island. I was hoping in the hour and a half I was there I would see more, but there was only one, which is better than none.

I believe this critter to be a female, juvenile size. She was laying on her right side when I arrived in front of the 3BS. She eventually rolled onto her belly when I could see the orange on her hind flippers indicating she had tags.

Melody sent email that yesterday she and Dana alone with Tony, Stephanie and Diana went up to the north shore to look for seals, but to also spread some positive energy out on the beaches. With all the hardship, spreading some good seal karma, cleansing with some sage, sprinkle of holy water can only help. They got to see some nesting Albatross, and they even got a visit with Sadie on their way home.

This morning Melody was out photographing the sunrise, when security found her to let her know of a seal at the other end of the beach. When Melody got there she knew it was Rocky by her NB on her LFF. She was by the morning glory and security had already put signs up. Melody reported to the hotline and then set herself up for what turned out to be most of the day. There were some visitors who came by and Melody was joined by Diana of HMSPO. Finally after rolling her way down to the water Rocky headed out to get herself some food. Melody included a video so please enjoy the show.

Team Billand had another busy day. When they first headed out this morning they didn't see any seals, just large surf. Then they heard a snort. It was Kekoa Alii RK72 trying to haul in with the waves pushing him about. He managed to on lower rocks, but the waves kept pushing. Then there was another snort from a different direction.
There was RW02 PvKauai behind the rock, they never saw him come in, in fact he may have been there all along. Both seals kept checking each other out. Then Kekoa got blasted by a way and was washed out. They spotted him foraging off shore.

RW02 got tossed about five minutes after Kekoa, he left and they were both seen off shore. While watching the boys Team Billand could see there were multiple seal out there. They left at 10:30 to answer a call from Paradise Cove.

Team Billand arrived at the site at 10:40 and were shocked to see how many people were out there on the shore. There was Kolohe RW22 with just some signs around him. Team Billand heard from Auntie explained that some good folks knew where the signs were and put them up, there were no ropes. A volunteer was there educating people, but it's hard with that many people. So many people going back and forth with their little children, boogie boards, tourists etc. Volunteer Melina arrived and immediately made the zone larger. Team Billand left knowing Kolohe was in good hands with Melina.

Team Billand returned back to see if any of the foraging critters had landed. When they returned to the west side site they found RIP RR70 on a small sand patch, Kekoa and RW02 were next to each other on lower rocks, and RH36 Kawena was with R3CX. Team Billand initially through this seal was R3CU, but viewing the tag shot they realized it was not. Team Billand immediately contacted the monk seal grapevine and found out this is a NEW seal to Oahu, seen other day. Turns out R3CX is five years old (2014) and was tagged on March 2015 on Kauai.

Rabbit Island J/F