05/23/2020 Saturday Safe-At-Home (60)

Aloha Good People, I hope you are all well and staying safe. So it's memorial day weekend and the fun has begun. For me, I stayed home to avoid the crowds and from what I hear, the beaches were packed. 

Team Billand found RG28 Lefty back on the west side this morning. There were lots of fishermen out and people in the water. Lefty was snoozing alone on the rocks. 

Team Billand then headed over to see RL42 Leia and PO4 this morning. When they arrive Mom and pup were having a swim. Mom was very vocal trying to get the pup back to shore.  They hauled out and PO4 immediately nudged Mom for a feed.
While nursing Team Billand heard another seal. They spotted a seal coming in, snorting. They noticed it was tossing its head right and left and then up in the air with its tongue sticking out. They were able to see through their lens there was a fishing line right corner of mouth. The seal continued to toss its head back and forth. They spotted a large cookie wound on its back with a "transmitter patch" scar,  they determined this was Ka'ena RO40.
They immediately called the hotline, explained the situation and sent a photo. 
Ke'ana headed to Leia and pup but Mom reared up and barked at him endlessly. Ka'ena took off heading for Ka'ena Point. They updated the hotline. Unfortunately they did not see him again. Hopefully the volunteers will be out there looking for him.

Meanwhile PO4 finished eating and they had a short nap until they got hit with a wave. Then they were back in the water for another swim. They finished their swim and back on shore for another feeding. While on shore they continued to get hit by waves causing them to roll about and soon enough they were back in the water for a third swim.

Team Billand left soon after, as volunteers were arriving, hopefully to look for Ka'ena.

Melody braved the city and checked out Waikiki and sure enough she was lucky to find Kaiwi RK96. She just weaned her pup this week and good to see her getting some rest. She is looking really good not to weary for having such a chunky kid.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island for about two hours with graduate student Kirby P. Kirby is studying acoustic behavior of Hawaiian monk seals at the Institute of Marine Biology. 

They originally spotted five seals on the island and then a 6th revealed itself a little later.
At left point beach there was Mom (UAF) and PO3. For the first hour PO3 2qw hidden behind Mom. When Moim entered the water PO3 followed for about a 30 minute swim. After that they hauled out between the 1BS and 2BS for a nursing session. PO3 is getting bigger and its belly is much lighter now. Unfortunately Marilyn wasn't able to get a good enough look to determine what sex the pup is, we do know its at least 5 weeks old.

Two unknown juvenile females (UJF) were about 15 feet apart on left point beach nearer the 1BS.

Then one seal galumphed over next to the other. They spent the rest of the time close together. Both had tags, lighter female bellies and juvenile size. Marilyn's guess is they were RK37 Huia  and RK38 Hali'a born on Rabbit Island in 2018.
Out on the rock flats Lanikai side of left point beach was a lone unknown adult. Adult size, mottled gray belly and tags. 

Lastly the was a lone unknown juvenile on rocky right beach. Possibly this is weaner PO1 but not conclusive, in that there wasn't enough to see.

 Lefty RG28 

 Ka'ena RO40 (possibly hooked) 

 RL42 Leia and PO4 

 Little kid is porking up

 Kaiwi RK96

Rabbit Island two female juveniles

 unknown adult 

 Mom and PO3  

 Unknown ... weaner is that you?