04/30/2021 (part 2) Kaiwi RK96 and P02

Melody spent time with Kaiwi and P02 today. The beach was very busy and got busier as the day went on, for the most part people were respectful.  Mom and pup spent most of their time in the shallows snoozing and nursing. Late in the day as the surf was rising Kaiwi kept the pup close by.  

ENJOY the photos and video!

04/30/2021 Friday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team T&D, Team R&B, Melody and yours truly.  Melody's Kaiwi update is part two.

I observed Rabbit Island for just over an hour this afternoon.  Pua RF34 and P01 were on shore Makapuu side of the the 1BS at middle beach. There were two nursing sessions during my observation and I am honestly surprised Pua has much more to give.  P01 appears to be male and he is wider than his Mom.t

The other critter was a juvenile to sub-adult female with a yellowish belly and darker coat. She had tags and was in front of the 1BS.  All and all there wasn't much movement with any of the seals today.

Team T&D went hiked Ka'ena Point today. They came across three seals today. Their first find was

RW02 PvKauai, he was resting peacefully. There was a couple looking for shells at the other end of the beach not disturbing him at all. Coexistence at its best.  Next find was RL74 Kami at what seems to be her new favorite haul out spot.  Their last find was RO40 Ka'ena in his pool.

Team RH48 Lei Ola was on the rocks sleeping alone. There was a dude that came along and checked her out, didn't do her any harm but got close. Lei Ola was very aware he was behind her, thankfully she stayed.

While out looking for seals they notices a seal at tracks from afar. They hurried over to tracks but by the time they got their the seal was gone. They did a little research they determined the seal was most likely RH32 Kaale.

Team R&B's last find today was at a west side location and there was one seal resting. There was Leina RL70 lower rocks.

Pua RF34 and P01

Unknown juvenile female

RL74 Kami

Ka'ena

PvKauai

RL70 Leina

RH32 Kaale from afar

RH48 Lei Ola

04/29/2021 Thursday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley, Team R&B and an Kaiwi update from Melody.  Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

Team R&B's plan was to arrive early and sit and wait for RL20 Kalua. They were surprised when after 15 minutes out came a little green seal passing them in the shallows. It was RL20 Kalua. He swam over to his rock, climbed up on rocks and tried to hang in there but the waters were rough. He swam around, came up on the rocks again but the same thing the waves washed him off.  A dog came over to them and just hung out and a woman from the camp that Team Billand knew came over very happy to see them. While they were chatting Team R&B lost sight of little RL20. They never spotted him again after multiple checks.

Team R&B did multiple checks before finding another seal. Finally they found RH76 Kala snoozing on her side. The waves were slapping over her and a little crab friend was hanging out with her. That was it for Team R&B💕

In yesterdays'  Kaiwi and P02 news Melody sent some photos and a video. She arrived at the site about 9 am and since Wednesday was overcast there weren't too many people on the beach. Initially Mom and pup were in snooze mode for a couple of hours and then about 11 am P02 got antsy which delighted those who were there. P02 was galumphing circles around Mom working up an appetite. After a couple of nursing sessions they headed down to the beach and went for a swim session in the shallows.  After their swim they headed back up the beach and went to sleep. The rains came so Melody left to take care of some business.

Melody didn't make it down to see Kaiwi and P02 but she did receive a couple of photos from her friend Sandra who was in the company of Miss Rocky. Good to see the old girl around on the island again.

RL20 Kalua

RH76 Kala

Kaiwi and P02

Rocky RH58

Video from Wednesday of Kaiwi and  P02

4/29/2021 (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

 

Went out not knowing what I'd find after an all-night rain. Roads were like a hot knife on butter, but soon the sun and the wind did their trick, and all was good

In the seal world I saw RG28 Lefty who spent the day sleeping on a small patch of sand among some boulders

R3CX Nalu was sleeping on some outer reefs - where he has been hanging around all week

RO40 Ka'ena did a swim by but Nalu never woke up. He then went on and hauled out at another spot.

RW02 PVKauai hauled out mid-morning on a sandy beach and went into sleep mode very fast.

RN58 Luana who had been MIA for a while, showed up today and is looking beautiful.

Most of the LAAL chicks are already showing some white feathers on their chests.

Saw some Hinahina in bloom today some still were holding a diamond = a drop of rain. Naupakas are also in full bloom. and to wrap up the afternoon a whale was putting on a show tail slapping

More soon - Be Safe 

04/28/2021 Wednesday Monk Seal Dailies

 

Today's dailies are brought to you by Lesley, Team R&B and yours truly.  Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

I took the opportunity to check out Rabbit Island today and I lucked out by having about 45 minutes of sunlight before the skies turned black and the rains came. There was a total of four critters on island today.

Momma RF34 and P01 were just to the right of the 1BS. P01 has grown so much with a silver white belly and darker grey upper coat. P01 is at the stage where it looks like a tick ready to explode.  There was one nursing while I was there. At one point I thought they might go into the water but they rolled over and went back to sleep. RF34 is getting thinner, I imagine weaning will be coming soon.

There was an U/J unknown juvenile size to the right side of the 3BS. As far as I could tell there were no tags and brownish coat. 

An unknown adult UA was tucked into the rocky tide pool at RRB. By the width of its chest it appears to be an adult. It did not change position the entire time I was there.

Team R&B arrived early waiting for RL20 Kalua. While waiting they collected glass to pass the time. Finally they spotted a seal coming in, he rolled in the surf and slithered in climbing the rocks for his daily nap. 

It was RL20 looking a little better than he has, maybe getting a couple of good meals. They called him into the hotline.  When they rechecked about 11 am he was still there, but on their last check at 12:30 he was gone.

Team R&B's only other find today was RH76 Miss Kala. They were thrilled to see her by seal inlet. She was in deep snooze mode when they first saw her and still snoozing when they checked back later in the day.

RF34 Pua and P01

U/J

U/A

RL20 Kalua

RH76 Kala