05/16/2021 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

 

Today's dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Team R&B and posse pal Justin T. 

Justin was on the east side and came across this little cutie. Looks like Nohea M26/M27 was out today and resting comfortably at toilet bowl.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island for two hours this afternoon. When she first arrived it was only Mom Aukai RL12 and new kid P04. They were on the waterfront rocks at RRB. Soon after Mom moved behind the waterfront rocks and Marilyn could only get an occasional glimpse of Mom and pup. P04 seems active and healthy.

Just about an hour into her observations Marilyn noticed an UJ hauled out onto waterfront rocks on the

Lanikai side of the 3BS. The UJ spent a fair amount of time draped over the rocks until it finally made it over the rocks and was mostly hidden. The UJ had no tags or applied bleaches. Marilyn didn't get a good look at it's belly so its an unknown. Since there are no tags and based on size it's a good chance it's a 2020 kid.

Then about 20 minutes later weaner P01 hauled out to LPB where it was yesterday. P01 ID'd by weaner size, shape and coloration no tags and NB on LFF.

Shortly after an UM, hauled out not far from P01. The UM moved closer to P01 but then rolled down towards the water line. This seal was adult size, two tags and a dark male belly. It appeared the seal had something wrong with the left eye. It kept blinking and looked like the lower lid had sand on it. 20 minutes later the UM disappeared into the water and was not seen again. This may be RG32.

Team R&B💕 spent a long time searching for critters and came up empty so they decided to go visit RL42 and P03. It was a long drive, they put in 98 miles today. Both Mom and pup were in snooze mode while they were there. P03 did make a trip around mom for a feeding. Team R&B are so use to seeing very large adults on a daily basis, so seeing P03 was a real treat.  P03 is so tiny and jet black. They couldn't help but think of the ones that are no longer with us like K88, K40. Nihoa.  

When they went back to the west side, they stopped to take pictures of some dolphins they were thrilled to find a seal on the rocks. There was RL20 resting. He got hit by a wave so he began to move up. Then they got really lucky and found Lei Ola RH48 and RK72 Kekoa Alii hanging out together once again.

M26/M27 Nohea

Rabbit Island Aukai & P04

UJ

P01 and Adult UM

P01 weaner

RL42 and P03

RL20 

Kekoa and Lei Ola

Dolphin