MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: August 25, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Monday, August 26, 2019

August 25, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

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

Marilyn went to Makai Pier to view Rabbit Island from about 1:45 to 3:10 pm. There were four seals on island today. Together at Left Point Beach were:

RG32 - sub adult size, 2 tags, older coat, male belly and dark patch on upper chest.
UJF - unknown juvenile female with 2 tags, light female belly and new coat.

Another 50 towards the 1BS was:
UJ - unknown juvenile, new coat, 2 tags, juvenile to sub-adult size. Marilyn never saw this seals belly so sex was unknown. This UJ appears to be larger than the UJF seen at LPB. This "could" be RH36 Kawena.

Closer to the 1BS was what Marilyn believes to be weaner RL47 (Sadie's pup) from this year. This seal is weaner size, shape and color, two tags and a male belly.

The Masked Booby Chick seems to be doing fine, and it will be interesting to see how much longer before it fledges.

Team Billand arrived at the pupping site at 5:40 am on Day 37. They found both Mom and Pup on shore asleep. Nanea woke up first and went into the water, Pohaku followed.
At 6:08 Da Benny arrived, swimming up to Pohaku, she greeted him by leaping at him and barking. He moved away and hung out until 6:40 am, then he left for the day ( for this day who knows what tomorrow will bring).

Mom and Pup hung out by the pathway for a feed, there were lots of folks gathered and lots of photographers out there today. All in the pathway trying to get the money shot.
From 9:17 to 11 am Pohaku and Nanea went for a swim, starting at "Nanea's cove", mid rocks, twin rocks, flats, rocky point. From this area back to twin rocks, where the went out to the open ocean.

They did their best to keep an eye on them but they were over 600 ft out, a canoe spotted them. Team Billand could see the canoe had stopped to look and then they moved on.
Nanea seemed to have a jolly good time, (Pohaku too). Nanea is growing up so fast (I personally think someone came by and inflated her over night). This swim is the furthest out Team Billand has seen.

Then Mom brought pup in closer, passed twin rocks on outside of cove, passing Nanea's Cove, turned and came back around and finally landed at 11 am on birth beach for yet another feed.

Team Billand left the site at 11:30 for a break and returned at 1:30 to find Mom and pup on birth beach sleeping.

Mom and pup decided to go for a swim, which required the volunteers on site to get people out of the water. Then Mom and pup would haul out again right by the footpath and fence.

At 4 pm Team Billand closed out Day 37.

During Team Billand's afternoon break they did find RH92 at a nearby cove. She was already in a zone that was put up by staff.

Team Billand also found RN14 Kalani at a westside location. He was on the rocks resting alone. He's a big critter and being good today staying away from Mom and pup.

RG28 and UJF