01/10/2021 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Marilyn, Team Billand and posse pal diver Paul H.

Paul was out diving on the east side today and came across Kawena RH36 resting on the rocks. She is looking quite healthy and will turn five this year on 6/15/2021.  Wonder if her Mom Kaiwi will become a grandmother. 

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 1:10 to 2:20 today, She did not stay long due to the waves splashing up to the 2nd floor on the lanai at the pier. The first thing Marilyn notices was the thousands of Sooty Terns have already started landing and beginning their nesting and mating rituals. 

Marilyn only saw one seal during her brief observation. Wonder if the birds scared some of the others off. On LPB was an UJ unknown juvenile size and a light belly. She never saw any tags, but the seal seems to be too big to be one of the 2020 pups. 

Team Billand first spotted Kaale RH32 at the outfall eating. He left the outfall and moved over to tracks. Along with Kaale at the outfall was his bosom buddy Kalani RN14. Since Kaale was heading over to tracks Team Billand left to check on him.  Team Billand called the hotline when they got to tracks. They also found RG28 Lefty hauled out. There were lots of people on the beach, lots of surfers and no one was keeping their distance from the seal.

Team Billand continued their search to other west side locations. They came across N4 Kai again.  The little guy was on the rocks and thankfully volunteer Melina was onsite watching over him.

At another location they found the very regal Kekoa Alii RK72. He was on lower rocks, sleeping and enjoying his time alone. Team Billand has known this boy since he was born.

When they visited the bay they saw RN44 was landing. Little RL20 Kalua had landed too and Team Billand noted they did not see any line on his snout anymore. R3CX Nalu was further out foraging along with his honey Lei Ola RH48.

Kawena RH36

Sooty Terns on Rabbit Island

UJ 

Kaale RH32

Kalani RN14

Kaale hauled out

RG28 Lefty

N4 Kai

Kekoa RK72

RN44

RL20 Kalua

R3CX

Lei Ola RH48

01/04/2021 Monday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley, posse pal Paul H. and some Big Island news from Jason O.

I got a couple of text today, one was from a friend whose sister paddled out to the mokes this morning and saw a couple of young seals. Can not tell from the photo much other than one is a male and other unknown. They were both sound a sleep undisturbed and looking comfortable.

The other text was from our diver friend Paul H. who spotted a seal today on his way out. He was able to see the tag H37 that would make this bathing beauty RH36/37 Kawena.

Later today I received an email from photographer Jason O. who was on the

Big Island and got some pictures of W34 Waimanu.  Let's just say if we had a world record book for largest seal, I do believe she would be the one. SHE IS HUGE. Certainly much larger than any of our adults and possibly bigger than most pregnant females.

Team Billand headed west this morning and found a seal a sleep on shore. There was RL42 Leia snoozing high up shore by the naupaka bushes. The waves in the area were huge making hard to get a good look. They went around to view her, while watching a woman approached with her dog. Leina looked up and the lady picked up the dog and left. Team Billand thinks there is a fresh cookie bite on her right side.

From there Team Billand made a quick stop at the bay to check. They found Lei Ola RH48 and RN44 both foraging on the ocean side of the jetty.  When they returned in the afternoon Lei Ola was on the rocks snoozing and RN44 was sleeping to the left on the rocks.

At 2:00 pm at the bay Nalu R3Cx was on the right rocks, snoozing and in the company of some kids hanging out. Nalu left about an hour later.  RL20 Kalua was acroff from RN44 passed out on his back, looking quite comfortable. His fishing line was visible.

Team Billand had spotted a seal at tracks and called it into the hotline since it is a very busy beach.

They did head over to the area a little bit later and there was RH32 Ka'ale who was the seal they had seen hauling out earlier. but now he had company R407 Kawika. There were a couple signs in place and a volunteer on site. (whew !)  Then they noticed over by the restroom was RL12 Aukai alone on shore. She was snoozing peacefully and there were signs up around her too!  

Before Team Billand had gone over to tracks they had found RN14 Kalani at another location. He was snoozing on the rocks alone. 

J/M and U/J on the mokes

Kawena RH36/37

RW34 Waimanu Big Island

RL42 Leia

Lei Ola RH48 foraging

RN44 foraging

Lei Ola hauled out later in the day

RN44 hauled out

R3CX Nalu

RL20 Kalua

Kaale RH32

R407 Kawika

RL12 Aukai

RN14 Kalani