MonkSealMania.blogspot.com: 12/13/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Sunday, December 13, 2020

12/13/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

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

FIRST I have some unfinished business from yesterdays post. I crashed out before reading ALL of Team Billands emails. So from yesterdays news; In addition to their other sightings they also found RL70 Leina and a unidentified unknown. The critter just didn't give them enough to go on.

Kawika R407 was still at Tracks with lots of people surrounding him.

Unfortunately there were no signs or volunteers on site.

And last part of the day they found Ka'ale RH32 with Aukai RL12 hauled out. Both of them were surrounded by people, same deal no signs. Just after they arrived both seals left for the open water.

As for TODAY, Team Billand started their day at the outfall and upon arrival saw three seals foraging. Aukai RL12 was getting her fill of food and keeping up with the boys. Later she hauled out at Tracks. RN14 Kalani was foraging and on occasion going after Aukai. She would put him in his place, and then he was back to foraging. Ka'ale RH32 was busy stealing and foraging, all over the place as usual. Ka'ale left the outfall and tried to haul out at tracks, but he didn't stay.

Between 10 and 2 pm they were at the bay. There were seals but it took some time to get their ID's, but persistence and patience paid off. RN44 was spotted, by the end of the jetty with lots of splashing. He popped his head up with eyes wide opened. When they got home and checked their photos they could see a fishing line over his snout. They will go out early Monday to check. RN44 continued to forage far off shore.

RL20 Kalua was busy moving from right to left, He was moving fast which made getting a good photo difficult.

R3CX Nalu was foraging and bothering Lei Ola RH48. They went further out to stuff themselves. Seem there is a new school of fish far from the jetty in open ocean away from hooks.

Just after 2 pm Team Billand found R407 sleeping in a pond and RN14 Kalani was on the rocks

keeping his eyes on R407.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 10:50 to 12:20 pm. There were originally two seals on island when she arrived. On LPB was M90/91 N5 id'd by her small weaner size and flipper tags. Her applied N5 bleach was visible. During her observations N5 moved up and back down the beach.

About 100 feet Makapuu side of the 1BS was a molting adult male. Adult size no visible tags, molt about 45% today. Most of the ventral side is molted and there are a few molt spots on the dorsal side. Marilyn believes this to be Kekoa Alii RK72 from his facial scars on right side.

Then about 11:20 Marilyn became aware of a large seal with a new coat that was newly hauled out behind the rocks at SRI. He galumphed in the Makapuu direction and Marilyn could see his "cue" ball NB behind his RFF. This confirmed RW22 Kolohe's ID.

RL70 Leina