MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: February 23, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Sunday, February 24, 2019

February 23, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley, our ole pal Gayle, posse pal Justin T, and some photos of my visit to the pier to view Rabbit Island. Lesley's Ka'ena Update is part 2 of the dailies! Overall there were a lot of critters out there.

Let's start with happenings on the east side. I got word this morning from posse pal Justin that he had spotted RK24 Kaiwi's son from last year. What a nice surprise, and to make it even better was another email later in the day from Gayle saying she spotted RK24. Gayle also came across his Mom Kaiwi RK96. I love when this happens.

I actually caught up with Gayle late morning when I was heading out to Makai Pier to view Rabbit Island. I met up with her and was able to enjoy the company of KC and Gayle. It has been a long time since I had seen KC on a beach, not to mention Gayle. It was a good day. KC was ID'd by female belly, mobbing scars, cookie scar and line scar on left side of her mouth and no tags.

Off to Makai Pier I went with. Upon arrival there was one critter to the right of the 3rd blue sign. It didn't give me anything to go on other than size. Small and thin, but I think bigger than the 2018 pups. At one point it rolled over not making belly visible but was greenish on the lower side, brownish coat but light color underside. I am calling it a unknown juvenile seal #1.

Initially it seemed there was only going to be one critter but panning over the island I watched as one seal hauled out by the second blue sign, then there was a head that popped up and a second seal hauling up between the front reef line, and the rocky beach. As I watched the second haul up was very distracted by its back side, and sure enough there was a 3rd. In this very active group of three the first to haul up was smaller and looked to be a male.

The second to haul up was an adult size, unknown gender but looked to have a newer clean coat, perhaps some markings (bumps) on left rear side. The 3rd critter eventually exposed it's belly and I think its a female, larger in size and all three had tags. These three would settle then toss about with each other.

Looking over the island when I panned back about 30 minutes later they were gone, all three of them. I did find a very small critter by the first blue sign, who eventually showed her belly and was a female with tags, My guess is one of the girls born in 2018. She was alone until one of the three critters popped up on the beach, then a second one. The first of the larger critters ran the second one off, and then proceeded to torment the wee one. She finally rolled her way to the right far enough that she could get some rest.

All in all there were five critters on the island today. Seal #1 Juvenile unknown, Seal #2 Juvenile Male, Seal #3 Unknown/Unknown, Seal #4 Unknown female, Seal #5 Juvenile female.

Team Billand started their morning with Buster V08 at plains. They arrived and shortly after he was coming in by the fenceline. They ran to get signs but here comes the lifeguard on his quad with the signs. They were on it !!! There was a large crowd at the beach today and growing. They called the hotline and left after an hour but before anyone showed up.

Team Billand went out to the west side beach and found a few critters. It was hard to make all the ID but finally in the end they got them. So to the right on rocks RN14 Kalani, middle was RW02 PvKauai and then RIP RR70. To the left high rocks Kolohe RW22 and Kekoa Alii RK72. Then Ka'ale RH32 came in and went to lay next to Kolohe. There were a few folks that were showing up and taking pictures of the seals.

Then Team Billand notices two seals fighting in the water, and one came flying in it was Kawena RH36. They didn't know who the other seal was until it tried to haul out by RIP. RIP and RW02 chased it away and it headed way off to the left of Nanakuli.

Last critter of the day for Team Billand was on their way home they made one more stop and found RL42 Leia. She was on the rocks moving higher and her tags were visible. They did not stay long so she would stay safe and hidden.

From what I understand Team Billand was hoping there would be SEVEN critters today.... WHY? Because today was a very special junior sealette's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVIA! The monk seal ohana wishes you a very happy 7th birthday and we are all so proud of what you have done with grandma and grandpa for the seals.!

K24