MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: 02/23/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Sunday, February 23, 2020

02/23/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

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

Team Billand arrived at a west side beach this morning and found two seals already hauled out up on the rocks. RG28 Lefty was on lower rocks sleeping with some of his recycled breakfast. Looks like whatever fish he ate this morning he barfed and this made all the little crabs very happy for the free banquet.
Kekoa Alii RK72 was to the left on high rocks very well hidden.

RL20 Kalua came up next with lightening speed. He went right to the lower rocks, saw Lefty and galumphed up to him. There was an initial stare down and then peace and quiet.

R3CU arrived, and Team Billand thought he might have been hooked but tossed it. Which we always love when that happens.

Late afternoon after they spent time with family ( Happy Birthday Sweet Olivia!) Team Billand returned and saw a seal to the right of seal inlet sleeping. It too them a bit to determine who but was able to ID Kawena RH36.
Much to their surprise while photographing her another seal popped up. They took a lot of photos because of the poor lighting they couldn't tell who it was, and then they realized it was RH32 Kaale!
He started bothering her and she gave it right back to him with her hind flippers. He continued to be a butt-head and they knew for sure he was back and up to his old antics!

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island this morning from 10:40 to 12:40, joined by Gayle and then later Tony Q. Viewing conditions were decent but getting decent photos were a challenge because of the shadow from the clouds.
When Marilyn first arrived Mom and PO1 were not visible and then finally she spotted Mom by Seal Rock Inlet, where she stopped and nursed the pup. About noon they hauled out onto the sand.

I met up with Marilyn about 2:15 and we stayed until 3:30. Again shadows from the clouds made photos difficult.

Both Tony and I saw a rear flipper tag, and I will say it did not look worn, in that the color was very vivid. Mom appears to have a lighter belly and we did not see any forehead bleach. Mom is still a mystery and there are a few guesses, but nothing for sure. If anyone has a time when they have seen Kaiwi lately that would be helpful to rule her out, or keep her as a possibility.
One new tidbit of news based on photos that Gayle was able to review from the past week, is the pup was on island on the Friday the 21st, and did not see it on the 20th.
ALSO Marilyn got confirmation this not only is Oahu's first baby

of 2020, it's the first pup on the main Hawaiian Island for 2020.
Mom could be one of Sadie's pups from a few years back that haven't been seen for quite a few years, maybe a seal from another island. Stayed tuned as the mystery unfolds.

Also not to be left out there was an adult to sub-adult male on left point beach. He gave us nothing to go with because he was covered in sand. He was there the entire time I was there with Marilyn.

RG28 Lefty