1/30/2021 part 2 Marilyn's Rabbit Island Update

I finally got the Makai Pier after a 2-week absence. It was great to be there again. The weather was generally sunny and breezy with frequent passing clouds. I viewed Rabbit Island from Makai Pier from about 2:45 to 4:05 pm.

There were six HMS on RI today.

On Left Point Beach in a fairly close group were:

Seal 1: subadult female with a yellowish belly and 2 tags.

Seal 2: unknown adult seal with 2 tags. This seal never showed me a belly. Seals 1 and 2 moved in a Makapuu direction beyond the other 2 seals.

Seal 3: subadult to adult male (I think) with a yellowish belly and two tags.

Seal 4: subadult to adult unknown with two tags and possibly some scars on its back. I never saw this one's belly.

It is possible that I have mixed up Seals 3 and 4.

On the beach between the 3BS and SRI were two more HMS:

RK37 - juvenile to subadult with yellowish female belly, 2 tags and a nb on her rear lower left side. Again is it so wonderful when there is a natural or applied bleach.

UJ (unknown juvenile): juvenile (yearling size) with no tags and a male belly I think. There is possibly an applied bleach on the rear dorsal area. But the seal was "shake and bake" for much of the time.

RI is overrun by Sooty Terns and near the end of the day there were huge numbers of them flying through the sky over the seals.

RK37

U/J