MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: June 4, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

June 4, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and yours truly. :-)

Despite lots of searching today even taking a hike out to Ka'ena West Team Billand only found one seal. It was about 3 pm after they left Ka'ena west they took one more look at a westside location and there was a seal. They were able to ID Lei Ola RH48 on the rocks getting wet from the incoming tide.

At times she was totally surrounded by the waves but she stayed in place.
A big wave came in and tolled her off the rocks into the shallows rolling about. She was calm and just went with it, and then they watched her swim off.

I went to Makai Pier to observe Rabbit Island from about 10:45 am to 1 pm. During my time I observed three adults and one pup. Initially I sat at the pier for just about an hour before the first seal arrived.

A young adult hauled up in front of the 1BS and made it's way over to Left Point Beach. The seal was vocal, in that it's mouth was moving and looking around. I thought maybe another seal might be in the area, and as I was panning the island, Mom (RB12 Sadie) and PO4 hauled out at Left Point Beach. Mom reacted to the young seal by barking at it, the seal turned which made an applied bleach N3 visible I was also able to confirm male belly and tags. This applied bleach belongs to 1KT male.
Mom chased 1KT into the water and PO4 followed.

Not even 10 minutes later Mom and PO4 hauled out and PO4 began to nurse. 1KT hauled out to the right of them about 10 feet away. ( Guess he didn't learn from being chased off the first time). Everyone was settled in their respected spots when an adult hauled out from the left of Left Point Beach. It appeared it had a natural bleach mark on right side, but later checking my photos I can not confirm. Seal was reported as a UU.
The UU approached 1KT and they began to tumble and play, well Mom wasn't having it and she went for the both of them. It was intense for a minute or two, in that bodies were flopping, my main concern was PO4 getting caught in the middle.
Well Mom rules, she chased the two off the beach and she and pup were resting comfortably when I left at 1. (A lot of action on Rabbit Island today).

Lei Ola RH48