Wednesday, May 31, 2023

May 31, 2023 Wednesday's Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Melody and Team R&B💕

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 1:15 to 3:10 and there were only two seals (probably weaners) on island.
Alone and partially hidden on LPB was weaner A: weaner size and color, did not see rear flippers or clear view of belly.
Soon after Marilyn started viewing she spotted Weaner B on the rock flats of LPB. she then moved up one of the channels and appeared to be eating something. After a short while she reentered the LPB surge channel. Shortly after 2 pm Marilyn spotted her trying to scale the berm in the middle of LPB.  Poor thing tried several times and failed. She reentered the water and at 2:30 Marilyn found her hauled out between the 1BS and 2BS.
She appeared to be playing with a large branch, then rolled over showed her belly and then went into snooze mode.

Marilyn got a text shortly after 4 that a seal was at the Waimanalo end of Sandy Beach, so she heade down. The seal had signs around her, and Marilyn ID'd Right Spot R016. She has an applied bleach N6 and her natural bleach spot. 
R016 Right Spot: adult size, female belly, no tags. She seems thin hoping this old gal is done pupping. She weaned a pup last September and doesn't seem to be back to her adult female weight.

Melody went on an adventure today and decided to check in on PO6 & RL42 and hoping to also find PO7 and RN58.  Interestingly her first find was Luana RN58 and her pip PO7. There were on the beach both snoozing. A little bit later PO7 started nursing and that is when she noticed a seal lurking in the background. She later found out it was male RO40 Kaena.  He was a gentleman and did not bother mom and pup, he just went for a swim along the shore.
After all that excitement Melody continued her adventure and as luck
would have it she found Leia RL42 and PO6.  Mom and pup were also snoozing (guess that what mom and babies do, eat sleep poop repeat. A little while later both Leia and PO6 went for a very long swim and went far out for about an hour or more. Once they hauled out they nursed and snoozed.  After all that Melody called it a good seal day.

Team R&B noticed early on the boats were in the area today, laying nets in spite of a couple of seals in the nets, dolphins hanging out by the next and boobie's diving into the nets.
Their old eagle eyes spotted two seals on the rocks to the right, pretty well hidden. After a while they they were able to ID R3CX Nalu with RH76 Kala. Waves got to them and they moved where they could be seen to get an ID.
The seal in the nets was none other than the original butt-head Kaale RH32. They weren't able to get a good photo.
Then all "heck" broke loose! The seals were coming in but Kaale RH32 went after RH76 Kala and RM31 Kai joined in the fight for a long round. It was butt-head Kaale who really found it out with Kala jumping on her, she was fighting by tossing her hind flippers high in the air.
They had left the site, but with all that action they decided to go back after a bit to check on how everyone was doing. 
NOW RG28 Lefty was with Kala for a short visit. The Lefty joined Kai being very sweet with the kid, but eventually RG28 left.
There were kids around being little jerks to the seals on the rocks. Team R&B kept yelling for them to leave the seals alone. One of their friends came by and called DLNR, and cops but no one came to the site. There was even on dude who took his dog over to the seal, even though the dog was leashed, still not cool.
Rabbit Island Weaners
Right Spot R016
RN58 & PO7  - RO40 in background
RO40
RL42 and fatty PO6
RN58 and PO7
nets and dolphins - seal - boobies
R3CX & RH76
Butt-head RH32 - RH76 & RM31
Lefty and Kala
Lefty and Kai
RM31 Kai
R3CX Nalu

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

May 30, 2023 Tuesdays Dailies

Todays dailies are brought to you by Marilyn and Team R&B💕   Please see part 2 Yesterday's Dailies, it is an update from Melody on Pualani. I also included the link from NOAA about her relocation.

Marilyn decided she needed a change of scenery from Rabbit Island.  So she hiked to Spitting Cave this morning and as she got the flats at the end of the trail that she spotted a Hawaiian monk seal in the water.
The seal dove as she settled and she did not see it for another 20 minutes. Thereafter the seal seemed to be doing 7 minute dives. Marilyn stayed for about an hour.
She is reporting the seal as an Unknown Juvenile: juvenile size, two red tags, unknown gender. 

Marilyn then headed over to Rabbit Island from 1:45 to 3:00 and three were two seals on island.
Out on the rock flats of LPB was what she believes to be weaner RS34. She was ID'd by her weaner size and shape. She had a faint nb on her lower right side.
The other seal was at the back of LPB. This is probably weaner RS12, but Marilyn could only see part of the critter so it must go as an Unknown Unknown.  
Neither seal moved much during her observations.

Team R&B walked out looking for seals and thought they were going to get skunked. Ready to be disappointed, they were thrilled to spot a far seal stuffed in the rocks. It was Kala RH76 !! 
Then there was one more seal, and another! They seemed to be in the same shallows.  They watched closely and they were able to recognize RM31 Kai. The little green boy showed his tags.
Then the two seals were playing and decided to sneak up on Kala, she let them know to leave her be! But the two just moved closer until all three went into snooze on the rocks. The other seal being RL20
Kalua.  Later in the afternoon recheck they were all still there. 

At another west side location they found their last seal. There was the lovely Miss Lei Ola RH48 looking green. She was alone and resting up on the warm rocks. They couldn't tell if she started her molt but her coat is looking ragged.

spitting cave
Rabbit Island
RH76 Kala
RL20 Kalua and RM31 Kai
RL20
3 Seals - Kala, Kalua, and Kai
RH48 Lei Ola