04/07/2018 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Mrs. Whisperer!

I am so excited I just can't contain myself, we have a baby!  Our first pup of 2018 on Oahu was born on Rabbit Island and discovered this afternoon by Mrs. Whisperer!  I know DB would be so stoked.
So here's what happened.....  Marilyn arrived at the Pier a little after 1300 today and did not see any seals on her first pan of the island. Then she thought she saw a seal behind the waterfront rocks of the rocky right beach. She spotted a very dark "rock" near the seal, but then the rock changed shape and she realized we had P01. She was only able to stay a little more than an hour but could not ID the mom.  Best guess at this time is Aukai (RL12) but will have to confirm over the next couple of days.  
Near the time Marilyn was ready to leave the pup moved around to Mom's ventral side and appeared to be trying to nurse. Can't wait to hear about tomorrows adventure. YEAAAA!!!!! 

Marilyn also checked Kokee and surrounding area, just as she was ready to leave she saw a seal haul out onto the flats about 11:30. The seal was R016 Right Spot ID by her natural bleach on her right posterior side. She is looking healthy and plump. The nearby fisherman was happy to see her and left her alone.

Team Billand checking out a Leeward Beach spotted a seal foraging offshore. Initially they thought maybe it was Rip but never saw his bleach number. The weather being so cloudy and gray made it hard to see any distinctive marks. Barb did notice a mark on the right side should and a scar on front of the head over left eye, critter had tags but couldn't read. They watched this critter for 2 hours doing 6 to 8 minute dives, the seal swam out and they lost sight of it. Seal is reported as a UU.


Team Billand headed out to Ka'ena west side, they noticed a critter on the rocks. There was Lei Ola RH48 sound a sleep, resting peacefully and still hooked. She stretched, scratched as normal, no stress and her hook is still very visible. On their way back she was still there snoozing the gray day away.

Team Billand last find was at a Leeward Beach when they went to check if the U/U came back. But no it did not, however to the right was a smaller critter, a little green and lo and behold it was butt head RH32 Ka'ale resting alone. The crabs were all crawling around near him, he was annoyed and turned about, but the crabs didn't care and remained close by him. Ka'ale is looking healthy and a healthy little guy/ 

All and All a good day for our seal ohana !!!!!

 PO1 and Unidentified Momma

Right Spot R016

armpit scar

U/U foraging

Lei Ola RH48

 Ka'ale RH32

Beauty surrounds us

1/15/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: Buster RV08, PvKauai RW02, Ka'ale RH32, Kekoa Alii RK72, Lei Ola RH48, Rip RR70, U/U and Y/N Ka'ena

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand.  Gayle sent an email she was skunked again two days in a row. 

I also received an email from Lesley regarding a sighting from Friday 1/12 at Ka'ena Point. It was late afternoon when she got a call and went down to see, found volunteer Nikko. She was able to ID Ka'ena RO40. Thank you Lesley for the update.

Team Billand had a busy day today. First there was Buster RV08, and the many, many, many beach goers at White Plains. Given a holiday long weekend, nice weather, and I am sure grateful we are still all here, most people took advantage of the beach. Robert took a couple of pictures that will give you a glimpse of how crowded the beach was.  Team Billand called the hotline, they spent an hour with him doing their best to educate people and keeping them at a distance. They did talk to a young gentleman who was very interested, who knows another posse pal.

Out on the Leeward side Team Billand found RW02 PvKauai and Kaale RH32 in the water fighting/playing. They both come real close to hauling out but didn't. The tags on the young newly molted seal is Ka'ale, but he left. The second seal did haul out and was ID'd as RW02. The hotline was called and updated with location and information.

Team Billand's next find was the beautiful Miss Lei Ola. She is still hooked, but is showing no signs of stress, looking healthy. She was resting on rocks with Kekoa Alii RK72 for the day.  Kekoa was

above Lei Ola being a gentleman not bothering her at all, although he kept his eyes on any of her movements. They both remained in the same spot inspite of the large surf.

Then Team Billand saw another two critters off shore foraging doing 6 minute dives. They never landed but able to ID Rip RR70 and the other could not be ID'd. The U/U moved on but Rip was still out there on their afternoon check.

Ka'ena RO40

 Crowded?

 Buster RV08

 RW02 PvKauai & Ka'ale RH32

 PvKauai RW02

Lei Ola RH48

 Kekoa RK72 

 Lei Ola RH48 with her lip piercing 

RIP RR70

 UU

1/14/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part one) RI37 Ipo, RW02 PvKauai, Waves & Whales

Today's dailies are brought to you Team Billand. Kimberly and Lesley. Lesley's complete update is in dailies part 2.  I also received an email from Gayle and she got skunked today, although when she got to Kaupo Beach she spoke with a family that frequents the area. They said there was a seal there in the morning and had left about 7 am. Gayle commented that Right Spot probably spent the night since this is where she left her last evening.

Email from Kimberly D sent photos of RI37 Ipo hanging out on the North Shore today. She is looking quite healthy and robust. Thank you Kimberly.

Team Billand found RW02 PvKauai on the Leeward Side. They called the hotline right away as he was all the way up on the shore and visible from the road. They checked on him several times through the day and volunteers were on site. Waves were extremely large and dangerous.

Team Billand also spotted a U/U off shore. The critter never landed and was seen in the large waves. No ID was possible and they did not see it the critter again.  Team Billand didn't find many critters today but they were able to give us a glimpse into what they were dealing with. Yokohama was closed down, Makaha Valley Road waves were up and over onto the road and Waikomos also had waves on the Farrington Highway. But the whales were out there enjoying themselves.

RI37 Ipo

 RW02 PvKauai

 UU

 Water on the road

 Yoks closed

 water and sand on the beach

 Whales 

 happy dance