04/08/2020 Stay-At-Home (16) Wednesday Monk Seal Dailies

Aloha Good People

I hope you all are well and staying safe. Such a strange time we are going through, so much unknown, and yet so much to be grateful for.  I do hope when the worse is behind us, we can look at the mistakes that were made, but more than that what worked. How neighbor reached out to neighbor, how we suddenly realize how important so many of the "essential" workers are.  I make sure I thank ANY and ALL of them whenever I have an opportunity.  

I got a really nice email today from blogger buddy Bobbi :-) She shared with me that her favorite seal is RL20 Kalua. Why because while visiting Oahu she got to see him as a pup. Of course I think for many of us the first "pup" always tugs our heartstrings.  
Bobbi did mention the Honey Girl R5AY was her favorite because she was the first seal she ever saw in the wild, again a first.

My first:
1st seal ever laid eyes on: Chester
1st view of a pup: Kerby born to Ewa Girl on Rabbit Island
1st pup watch Hoku born to 5AY on the north shore & and Kolohe born to KC on the north shore 
( they were born just week or so apart)

Having said that one of my favorites was Makaiwi 4DF.  I joke that I like her because of her tag number, but honestly the first time I met her she was at white plains. Team Billand had been out there so I went to give them a break.  She was so entertaining, did not stay still the entire time I was there. She rolled, she posed and she would put her flippers together like she was praying.  
That girl was all over the island, west side, waikiki, east side... and last we heard she made her way to the Big Island. She did return to Oahu once but then left for the Big Island again. It's been a long time since we had any sighting.

RL20 Kalua  

Makaiwi caught some dinner

 the hug pose 

 blowing bubbles from her nose

 the glamor shot

7/18/2015 DB's Dailies: Cass, Sadie & Kaiwi @ RI, Makaiwi & U'ilani @ RR, Ka'ena, RIP, RL42 & U/M @ KP, Kimo Kai @ Maili Point, Ua Malie&PO3, La'akea@TB

It was D#2 of the NOAA vaccination drill. The same crew, Chad,David, Cianna&Sam, once again motored off to Rabbit Island. Today was a very interesting find. I had seen two large animals in the Morning Glory, 40 ft left of 1BS, on RI, prior to the guys leaving. They began moving down just as the crew arrived. To my shock & awe, it was not 2 but 3 animals . ID info comes from the RI crew. The first to move down was said to have a NB on the head, which says Kaiwi (RK96). The next ,to my complete surprise , proved to be Sadie (RB12). I have her penciled to start her post wean molt , on or about 7-20-15. Only Sadie knows. I was completely unaware of Cass (RG06) being up there in the greenery, but she moved down next. For those that don’t keep track of the family trees, Sadie is Cass’ mom. She would depart while I was talking with the crew when they got back. The other two remained all day. Awaiting on island photos.

 Melanie called at 0929, advising that she, Thea & Karen Rohter were at the Reef Runway, in the company of Makaiwi (R4DF) & U’ilani (RN36).

 At 0740 a DanaTxt advised that Debbie was with an animal at Maili Point. Stacie & Rachel would ID the animal as Kimo Kai (RT12) at 1431. Debbie advised the he departed at 1738.

 Marilyn & Angie were once again at the End of the World today. They found Ka’ena (RO40), RIP(RR70) & an U/M at the point, and RL42 below the Waianae side KP trail.

 A Vicki HangaiTxt at 1827 advised that she was with Ua Malie&PO3 at the birth beach, and La’akea (RK82) at Right Spot’s Spot, Turtle Bay.

 Rabbit Island Crew....  

 

 Kaiwi, Sadie and Cass 

Crowd out at Ka'ena Point

 Ka'ena

 Rip

 RL42

 UM

Makaiwi

 Maka'iwi and U'ilani

 Thea and Karen

 U'ilani

7/13/2015 DB's Dailies: Cass @ RI , Benny @ SB, Makaiwi@Nanakuli, U/U@Sunset, Rocky&Pup@Kauai

The day got off to a slow, and wet start. My 0703 look at Rabbit Island was zero, as was my 2nd look at 0830. After a long wait Cass (RG06) finally hauled out to the left end of the beach on RI. She moved up and snoozed away the rest of the day. She was the only RI resident today.

 Team Billand called at 0720 with the report of Makaiwi (R4DF) at Nanakuli.

 A DanaTxt at 1223 advised of an U/U at Sunset Beach. It was thought that Right Spot was at the top of the possibles list, but the shot received was inconclusive , so it must remain an U/U.

I found mail, this morning, from our pal Val, on Kauai, advising that Rocky (RH58) had arrived on Kauai yesterday. Lloyd Miyashiro’s shots confirm the arrival. A call from Val today at 1331 advised that Rocky had pupped . I confirmed that with Tracy.

 In the Yesterday’s News department, shots from Diane Terai, received last night gave a solid look at PO3's ventral side. I had my own opinion, but I sent the shots off to my Senseis Thea & Tracy at NOAA, for a professional opinion. Happily , they agreed with my thinking. PO3 is a male.

 At 1833 posse member Vicki Hangai called with the report of an animal with a transmitter patch on it’s back, at Crappy Cove, Sandy Beach. When I arrived at 1840 I found Benny (RE74), and Vicki & I cordoned him off. All was well until two local people and their two yappie dogs arrived, insisting upon talking loudly to Benny. While I was trying to stop that behavior the dogs entered the zone and a combination of all that caused Benny to depart at 1916. We picked up the equipment and called it a day. Sorry, Benny!

 Benny... his belly still growing fur ... probably won't even out until he molts

 

 Cass

 

Maka'iwi hanging out Nanakuli

 Big Momma Rocky arrives on Kauai on Sunday

 and pups on Monday.... glad there wasn't any delays getting there

UU at sunset

 the belly shot.... a boy!

7/11/2015 DB's Dailies:Cass&Aukai@RI, Ua Malie&PO3@TB, Makaiwi@Makaha, Ka'ena@KP, RL42@Makua Cliffs,

On my 2nd look at Rabbit I found Aukai (RL12), 30 ft right of 3BS.

 On a pan at 0943 I found Cass (RG06) just hauling out to the left end rock flats. Both would remain at the those locations all day.

 A 1402 call from lifeguard posse member , Billy, reported an animal trying to haul out to the east end of Sandy Beach, with the adoring hordes once again right in it’s face , camera phones in hand. Just as we arrived at the scene, Billy called to say that the animal had departed. We never saw it. We relocated to Blowhole for an overview but never saw anybody. We checked Crappy Cove and Irma’s but that too was a bust.

 At 0708 volunteers Gina W., and Rikki reported in from the Ua&PO3 site at Turtle Bay. Mom & pup were just finishing a swim session. The checked in again at the end of the shift, having found no other critters.

 Vera Cober also worked the Ua&PO3 site today, and sent her usual outstanding photo contributions. 

At 0714 Team Billand reported Makaiwi (R4DF) right of the Hawaiian Princess Condo, Makaha.

Posse member/NOAA Intern, Sam Murphy texted from the End of the World with the report of Ka’ena (RO40) at Ka’ena Point.

 Team Billand came through again at 1056 with a report of finding RL42 at Makua Cliffs.

 Aukai

 Cass

 Maka'iwi

 perspective is everything... although this is probably a little too close for comfort

 I had to enlarge this photo... I honestly thought it was a net.... made my heart skip a couple of beats

 RL42  I can Flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

 okay... maybe not.... liftoff is tough

Ua Malie and PO3

Sweet sweet momma and little wee one

 I LOVE this shot!  the expression on UA's face priceless

 looks like the were posing

From our favorite intern Sam.... Ka'eana