August 31, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Marilyn and some news from our pal Val.

News from Kauai brought to you by our pal Val.  She spent some time with PK5 Rocky's pup. Val describes her as the most perfect petite seal she's ever seen, and that says a lot. She's sassy, vocal, energetic.  I have to share another little tidbit from Val... since most seals on Kauai don't get names like here on Oahu and Val really prefers to use tag reference, but today she thought of the perfect nickname for PK5.  Pebbles, cuz she's a tiny Rock(y) !!!! LOL  perfection all the around.
(BTW - Good luck in the race Val ).

Team Billand was back to a somewhat normal seal day for them.  At 6:25 they headed over to KoOlina and found RH92 who was already in a zone.  They made a couple adjustments to the zone, since it was about 2 feet from her head and they were able to ID RH92. She looks like she is ready to molt anytime now.
There were two large fish near her body, not chewed, it looked fresh and the crabs were having a feast. RH92 was not participating in the feast (which is a good thing)
Team Billand called the hotline. They then educated the folks who came to see the seal. 

Team Billand checked out the westside hot spots and they found RG28. The last time they saw him he was very green. But today he is very handsome with his brand new coat. They spotted the white on his left flipper and they "may" have seen another cookie scar, but not sure.
He looks a little thinner, but that very well may be because he just molted. He was alone on the rocks.

Their next find came at 1:50 and to their surpise Kekoa Alii RK72 was on mid rocks, alone and snoozing. His marker on his face was visible. He looks good and healthy and Team Billand was thrilled to see Ewa Girls son, since it had

been a bit.

Marilyn was checking out all the spots on the south east side this morning from about 10:45 to 11:20. She came across a juvenile seal with an old coat wedged tightly up against the rock wall. This critter never showed it's tags or it's belly so technically it is being reported as a U/U. However, Marilyn is willing to bet TWO cats that this is RK24.  Such a nice find, if it is him.

Next Marilyn headed over to the Pier to view Rabbit Island from 1:15 to 3:00 pm. Photo conditions were not ideal most of the time it was overcast.

There were four critters on Left Point Beach. 
UAM (unknown adult male) with an older coat, two tags, male belly and no distinctive markings. He entered the water about 1:30 and moved a short distance down the shore where he encountered RG32 and then galumphed his way over to RL47.
UAF (unknown adult female) adult size, female belly, at least one tag, and no other distinctive markings. Marilyn think this is likely RB12 Sadie who has completed her post-wean molt. 
There was a UAF reported with an older coat on 8/24 and this may be the same critter with a new coat. Timing makes it right for Sadie.
RG32 subadult to adult size with an older coat, male belly and two tags. He also entered the water at some point and later came back on shore with RB12.

Closer to the 1BS was RL47 Kamakana, ID'd by weaner size and color, two tags and male belly. He was visited by the UAM.  

At SRI (seal rock inlet) there was UJF#1 (unknown juvenile female #1) newer coat, female belly and two tags. This is most likely one of the 2018 Rabbit Island pups, either RK37 or RK38.

Far to the right on Rocky Right Beach was UJF#2 with a newer coat, female belly, two tags. This is probably one of the 2018 pups.  RK37's natural bleach was not visible on either U/J/F.

And lastly the Masked Booby Chick is still hanging out up on the cliff.

 Rocky and  PK5 "Pebbles"  LOL

 Here Mom and Pup posing for a Patrick Ching painting. 

RH92

RG28

 Beautiful white bleach marker

 Kekoa Alii RK72

RK24

 U/A/M and RL47 Kamakana

 U/A/M and U/A/F

 RG32 and UAM

 RL47 Kamakana 

 UJF #1 

 UJF#2

Masked Booby Chick

August 30, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

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

Team Billand was out checking out sites between 7 and 8 am. They went back to the pupping site to check if Mom had returned or who might be around.
There was a seal going from right to left to Nanea's cove vocalizing the entire time.  
They were able to ID RN14 Kalani and he is not a happy camper.  Seems he's also going through withdrawal missing his seal buds. 

There were visitors in the water taking photos, without a care there was seal barking away.  Team Billand watched on, and poor Kalani just kept looking  around for someone. He even went over and played with the buoy, tugging at it letting it bob up and down, biting at it.

Team Billand had an early day as they had to take care of some personal errands and appointments.

Melody on the other hand had a very good seal day today. She was up and out early this morning and headed to an undisclosed location to check on our newest weaner L44.  Volunteer on site informed Melody that Nanea had been out for a long swim and had just hauled out.  Melody hung around and watched a snoozing seal (which she had been doing all along at the pupping site).  While there she heard a big snort. It wasn't Nanea who snorted, so Melody looked around, and here comes another seal. This seal was a good size, and Melody recognized the face, a very green face with "Alice Cooper" eyes. A look that is shared by her Momma, make this critter none other than Kaimana RJ58.

Kaimana came on shore doing the head bob and got a whiff of Nanea. Kaimana cautiously galumphed up the sand sniffing all the way getting closer and closer.  She gave a snort and Nanea looked up, and probably happy to see another seal. 

Kaimana was close enough they sniffed each other, and at one point Nanea tried to nurse from Kaimana and when that didn't work they snuggled on the beach.
They spent time playing in the water and then Kaimana took Nanea out into the open waters.  They doubled back after a while, but the volunteers and Melody lost sight of them when they headed straight out.

Let's hope Kaimana will take Nanea under her flipper and show her the ropes. I mean after all they got so much in common.  They both famous, they both born on very populated locations, both Mom's are Oahu females that USUALLY got to Kauai to birth, and both were relocated shortly after being weaned.    Hope they become good friends.

Thank you Melody for sending the video so we all get to experience the two infamous female kids.

 RN14 Kalani

 poor dude, go find your buddy Ka'ale

 Hello there !  Kaimana RJ58 and Nanea RL44

 I'd like to help you out, but I'm not your mother 

 Hey I had one of those antenna things too!

 Hey I told ya kid I ain't your momma 

August 29, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Team T&D.  And in yesterday's news department a video from Melody.

Before I start with the dailies, I just want to acknowledge the stranding on Maui. My heart goes out to the whales for being stressed, and much gratitude for all those that did what they could to help these beautiful mammals. 

Melody's video is of Nanea before her tagging. She got herself stuck in the rocks and Melody got the footage. We all know she got herself out but watching the process pulls at your heart strings. Actually in my crazy mind I was imaging her swearing in monk seal language. (but that is  just how my mind works. ) LOL.   Turn up the volume and you can hear the folks in the background.



 What a difference a day makes.  So what I gather Nanea was relocated yesterday by the NOAA Team to an undisclosed location.  OR - she was abducted by aliens and dropped off to a different location.  Either way Team Billand is feeling the withdrawal after 40 days of watching Pohaku's pup grow into a big beautiful independent seal.  May the powers that be protect her on her journey and have her birth lots of pups of her own.


Team T&D went out to Ka'ena Point today and their first find was Luana RN58 near the Lyman Beach Access. By the trails and wallows on the beach there is a good chance she was there all night.

Tammy and Dave next and only other critter was da Benny RE74 at back beach. He was very alert and constantly checking the ocean and shoreline. Team T&D did not see any other seals, but that doesn't mean Benny didn't sense or smell them.  Benny is probably still in full cruise mode on the hunt for chicks (wonder if he came across Pohaku).  Benny looked wet so it is unclear how long he had been there and he only stayed for about 15 minutes after Team T&D spotted him.

Team Billand first find of the day was RH92 at 8:15 am. When they arrived there was already a zone set up and RH92 moving about. She was ID'd by the scars on the right side of her face.
Security said she had arrived about 6:30 this morning. Team Billand had received a call at 8ish.

She seems very antsy, moving all over the area. She keeps going on her flippers looking to see who is coming, looking over to the wall area. She galumphed to the shoreline, stuck and buried her head in the sand. 

Volunteer Melina arrived and Team Billand informed her about RH92 and her demeanor. Suddenly they watched RH92 get into the water and slowly leave the area.
At this time Team Billand left to look for other critters.

They had hit up all the hot spots on the west side without finding any seals. After 41 days, it the first time they made it home early.  

Lastly a big shout out to Tammy of Team T&D who made the cutest, most delicious cookies for Team Billand yesterday.  Look at these goodies.
Also in my humble opinion moments like this warm my heart. So many folks out there on the beaches looking after the critters. But time and time again I feel so blessed for the friends I have made in the last 11 years.  We are a monk seal ohana bonded together and supporting each other through the good times and the hard times.  AND we have each other's backs... always.

Sweetness on so many levels

RH92

  Benny RE74

 RN58 Luana