09/26/2021 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Marilyn and Team R&B💕

Diane and I met up with Marilyn today to view Rabbit Island. We were there from 11:05 to 1:00 pm and saw a total of five critters. 

Initially by the 1BS was an A/M, adult size, old dark coat, dark male belly and at least one tag. About 12:15 another seal joined the A/M.  We thought this seal was the one we had seen earlier in a tide pool at SRI that is labeled as J/F 2. She disappeared from SRI about 20 minutes before she hauled out with the A/M.  J/F 2, juvenile size, light female belly and two tags.

Between Middle Cliff and 3BS was a SAM, subadult size, new coat, light gray male belly and two tags.

Near 3BS was J/F 1, juvenile size, (probably a 2-year-old), newer coat, light female belly and two tags. About 12:25 pm, JF 1 was joined by juvenile female (JF 3), juvenile size, older coat, with some green, and light gray female belly. JF1 and JF2 had some interaction and swapped positions at least once.

Team R&B got to the outfall this morning and it was very crowded, so many cars and fishers on the jetty.  There in the outfall was Lefty RG28 busily going in and out of the outfall foraging.  He later landed at tracks. There was some dude following Lefty with a go-pro. Team R&B watched the guy approach RG28, sit near him all while he was filming. They walked towards the guy and asked what he was planning on doing with the photos, he said it was for himself. They informed him that the seal was endangered and protected by state and federal laws.  Seems this is an endless effort!

At another west side location they found RL70 Leina on the rocks. Her head was in the water watching

the little fish pass her face. I guess they were too little to eat.

They had visited the bay early in the morning and there was just one seal, RL20 Kalua foraging by the jetty on ocean side.  They went back to find there were a lot of folks on the rocks jumping into the water. They went to the jetty area and spotted RL20 still foraging.

Team R&B decided to do the Ka'ena West trek. Upon arrival they saw a couple of people in the pond swimming. They looked around and on the rocks there was a large female basking. They were able to ID RH76 Kala!

Then much to their surprise they spotted a very well hidden little green seal between the rocks. It was RM31 Kai. He is looking very green and his applied bleach was visible.   It was a perfect way to end the day.

Rabbit Island

 

Lefty

RL70

RL20

RH76

RM31