02/27/2020 Thursday (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

I was out at Kahana all day yesterday. Driving home in the late afternoon I got a glimpse of a BIG seal at Aukai - wasn't able to stop so no ID. The seal was cordoned off and there was a volunteer there.

As I was about to go up our driveway I did one last look back and there was a seal hauled out on the beach. I backed up and went back to get it's ID. I was lucky cause it had just hauled out, was all breaded but one look with the zoom I got that white eye of R330 Squinty.

This morning I went to check on him he had just left according to the fresh trail he left behind.

Just a couple of galumphs away a freshly hauled out RL98 Lina was sleeping away.

From that spot I zoomed the whole beach and saw a seal on the opposite side of our bay. When I got the I IDed RW02 PVKauai by his scars then showed me his tags.

Down at the point I had a fun surprise RG22 (M) (KP2's young brother) was down near the waterline. I saw a little seal come in the pool like a torpedo and in a beeline came straight up to him - it was RJ28 (M) (Pohaku's 2017 boy). He has a NB on his LFF and for a while I thought it was "Lefty". Team T&D arrived and Tammy corrected me Lefty is RG28. I looked back at my cheat sheet and there it was. RG28 Lefty is Pohaku's 2015 kid. So my mix was in the same family.

As far as we know it's the first time RJ28 shows up on this rock. I saw him as a new born in Kauai so it's a pleasure to have him come around to visit.

He spent the morning rolling over and being roll on by RG22 - those 2 definitely know each other.

Sealette Kauai & Kauai volunteer team and Sealette Molokai - I/We are doing our best to keep an eye on your kids and it has been a challenge to keep up all these visitors.

Dave went to check the outside reefs and from there he looked at us and mimicked a small seal. I went over the opposite side to check and IDed RL74 Kami tucked up high on some rocks.

While we were at the point we got to see not one but two BFA flying over us.

We started to head back to check the birds. Tammy beside me said is that a seal, I looked to the Runway and yes there was a seal. Dave that was ahead of us pointed to the side and said there's your friend... turns out it was Mr. Pheasant. Dave also noticed that he was banded

This evening I got the information that he's one of the wildlife released birds from Kuaokala that manage to make his escape from the hunting area!!

Back to the seal on the Runway it was RN58 Luana.

We checked on PVKauai and Lina on our way out and they were still there. I saw her leaving after sunset.   more tomorrow 

1/25/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you by Gayle, Team T&D, Team Billand and another tidbit from out pal Val.

Our pal Val brings us more news from Kauai. Once again little RJ28 was napping his day being warmed by the sunshine. 

Gayle saw a smaller critter on Rabbit Island today. Could be Aka (back from his Waikiki trip) or maybe Wailea ?  
Gayle had an appointment in town today so she stopped by Kaimana Beach around lunch time to see if any critters were there. Sure enough Kaiwi RK96 was there coned off but there was no volunteer on site. Truth be told Kaiwi is Gayle's favorite :-) Vicki came by about 15:00 and thankfully a volunteer came to watch over her.

Team T&D went out to Ka'ena Point today. Their only find was R330 Squinty, they even looked for 

albatross chicks and came up empty. 

At 5:15 am Team Billand found Miss Pohaku R028 at White Plains. They set up a zone and called the hotline. They spent time talking to the folks who come out early, mostly the surfers. They left her at 8:02am.  Later in the day 4:30 pm they returned to look after Pohaku, she was still there. They also found Buster V08. At 6:12 pm they left both seals and were pau after a very long day. 

While doing their route they saw folks taking pictures by the waters edge at Nanakuli. By the time they got there the seal left. The guard told them there had been two seals one big, one small. He thought the bigger one was Benny and the small one had a real white belly. The lifeguard took Barb for a ride on the quad to try and find the seals but no luck.
Team Billand had an idea where the next haul out might be, so off they went. Sure enough next stop there is a seal on shore, they were able to ID Benny RE74, had called the hotline. As soon as a volunteer arrived Team Billand moved onto their next stop.

Team Billand stopped off at a Leeward Beach and found two seals on land already ID'd RIP RR70, & Kekoa RK72.  There was one seal foraging doing 6 minute dives who was ID'd as RN14 Kalani and didn't land while they were there for the first visit. They went back later in the day and now found Rip, Kekoa, with RW02 PvKauai and Kalani RN14 had hauled out.

Team Billand received a call and when they arrived they found a zone already set up by "Aunties" workers. They were setting up for a wedding. Kolohe RW22 was resting looking handsome. They called the hotline, educated people. When volunteers arrived, Team Billand left for the day.

At Electric Beach they saw a UU doing 6 minute dives and were unable to get an ID.

RJ28 - male on Kauai born 2017

Kaiwi RK96

R330 Squinty

Pohaku R028 

Benny

Kekoa

RIP

 Kalani RN14

 PvKauai RW02, Kekoa RK72, Kalani RN14, 

 RW02 PvKauai

Buster

1/24/2018 Monk Seal Dailies:

Today's dailies are brought to you Gayle, Team Billand and a very special update from our pal Val.

Gayle reported a sunny and beautiful day with one critter on Rabbit Island and no whales. Thank you Gayle.

On a Leeward Beach Team Billand first found Kekoa Alii Rk72 landed upon high rocks looking for any of the others, he was looking mighty tough with nostrils flared. Next to come up on high rock RN14 Kalani, galumphed to upper location and remained there all day.

RW02 PvKauai came in looking for a place to park on the rocks

landed and moved up in the rocks for the day. His tags showing, two marks on his neck and ding on back, marker on right eye.

Team Billand found  Kaale RH32 on the rocks already in a deep sleep, resting alone with tags showing. Funny he chose to be by himself..... (that's cuz he's sleeping, when he wakes he look to find someone to head butt).

While looking for seals, Team Billand received a frantic call of a seal on shore, off shore trying to land but too many people around. They got a second call the seal had landed, and Auntie got security to come out and get folks back. Turns out Kolohe RW22 was the seal and he was at KoOlina. When Team Billand arrived he was on the sand near the rocks already zoned off by security.  Barbara noted how big he is, well he'll turn 10 this summer. They stuck around and educated folks, who were happy to meet Kolohe. The hotline was called twice.  Team Billand left when the crowds thinned.

Last find of the day for Team Billand was RL42 resting peacefully on her side. She is looking is looking healthy and robust. 

Big news of the day comes in a Kauai Report by our pal Val. She found TWO seal of interest to our readers! First she found little RJ28 who is Pohaku's 2017 kid. It had been a while since he been seen so Val was thrilled to spend some time with him today.  WHAT A SWEETIE!
Her other find R353! She's a Kauai gal that has been hanging out on Oahu for a bit. She still remains skittish but looks beautiful. Val's happy to have her back on Kauai and all the Aunties on Oahu don't  have to worry about her.

Kekoa RK72

 Kalani RN14

 Kekoa & Kalani

PvKauai RW02

 Ka'ale RH32

Kolohe

 RL42

RJ28 (Pohaku's 2017 little boy)

 R353 she's back on Kauai