March 27 2023 Monday's Dailies

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

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from 1:27 to 3:17 and there were three seals on island.

Mom and PO3 spent most of their time today in a tide pool behind the waterfront rocks by the 3BS area. Marilyn only saw a little bit of the kid. She saw Mom's female belly, right rear side scar and at least one red tag.

Among the waterfront rocks between 3BS and SRI was a Subadult Female: smaller subadult size, light greenish gray belly, and unsure about tags.

It appears the Sooty Terns are starting to leave the island.

Team R&B started at paradise cove and found folks on shore looking at the same spot. They asked if

something was going on and a woman said there had been three seals fighting but they left.

Team R&B knew exactly what that meant so they headed over to secrets. There they were fighting off the rocks coming into the beach. They hurried out on shore to get people back and put up some signs and called the hotline.

It was Kaale RH32, Lefty RG28 and Aukai RL12 heading in very fast. they landed on shore to the rocks..  Kaale was after Aukai and Lefty was close behind fighting with each other. Finally Aukai galumphed up on the rocks and Kaale followed, but Lefty was right up behind Kaale. And there was more fighting.

In the end, Kaale came to the left side and hauled up. Lefty won over Aukai, the poor girl.  I guess if there were more males competing for her this perhaps is how females are mobbed.

A volunteer arrived and put her signs up, so Team R&B removed their and left the site.

They headed over to another west side location they found RH76 Kala. She was alone snoozing at seal inlet.

At the beach park they watched a brown bird looking like a boobie cruising on the water. Beautiful sea bird.

While on the road they saw a lifeguard on his quad and there was seal on shore. They hurried over and were shocked to find RK36 Kauai Kolohe. They had never seen him at this spot in all the years they have been out on the beaches. It was very exciting to see him on their turf.

Rabbit Island

RL12 - RH32 - RG28

RH32

RG28

RH76

Boobie

RK36

05/03/2022 (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

 Aloha all,

I haven't been present lately on the blog and I apologize  for it.

There has been so much going on here.

As you all know by now RN58 "Luana" gave birth on April 14^th to a little male we nicknamed PO5 "Mauna". On the day he was born, he wasn't yet 20 minutes old, when he started climbing a rock. Dave was beside me and said he should be called something like Mounty. We talked it over the next day when we saw it was a male and choose Mauna for mountain. We stick to the tradition of offering how was at the birth site or the first to see a new seal to nickname it. 

Today PO5 "Mauna" is 20 days old and doing great

For weeks pre-birth I monitored RN58 "Luana" daily. She also had other "fat" females around like R353 that was here or a stretch. On the day I saw her tummy moving in all directions I called it that we would have a pup in a day or two. She went MIA so we believe she made it to Niihau her usual birthing place. That was a close call.

Other females that have been around:

-  a quick visit from R413 also looking nice and round, 

- KG54 "Huaka'i" comes and goes she's looking very healthy,

- RL42 'Leia" looks round and seems to be on the move constantly, she has had a few suiters around

- RJ40 " 'E'ena" was around for a longtime. She had a CC scar on her RFF shoulder but has been MIA for a couple of weeks. Perhaps back on Molokai

- R303 "BG" shows up weekly in her different locations, she's looking nice and round already

- R604 "Kiane" is here daily, keeping herself out of trouble and always with one of the adult males around her. This week it has been R3CX Nalu

- RL74 "Kami" and RL98 "Lina" are here every day up and down the coast. 

The males have been:

- R3CU swims in to where the other seals are causes trouble and usually leaves

- R3CX "Nalu" after is ordeal on the westside has been here daily either alone or with R604 "Kiane"

- RG40 "Holokai" is everywhere either alone or looking for company of other seals. He was often with RJ40 " 'E'ena"

- RO40 "Ka'ena" has turned out to be a loner avoids being around the youngsters. He has a new CC (?) scar on (L) side of his neck

- RW02 "PVKauai" can be seen at the point one afternoon at the point, next day at Mokuleia and the following day back at the point. You know you'll see him but just don't know where

- RK36 "Kauai Kolohe" has visited a couple of times from our doorstep to the point to other locations. He's one handsome seal but a top of the list candidate for a bleach. Since he has lost his tags the one big IDing is his scar line behind RFF if he's covering it there are several other marks to ID him but it will put your memory to work during the process

- RG28 "Lefty" comes and goes. He also has a new CC scar on his LFF

- R330 "Squinty" always looking for company or hanging around other seals. He doesn't mind age or sex

- R407 "Kawika" comes and goes from west side to the point or further. Prefers being around females and has been seen courting RL42 "Leia" lately

- RN04 "Kainoa" came by for a visit on a couple of occasions.

As you can see the HMS have been keeping us busy. For the past weeks the average of seal sightings and documenting have been between 7 & 9 a day. Last Saturday !!! That's a lot of documentation and reports to write.

Today 9 - well when you start the day with M&P the numbers add up fast. Although M&P at this site haven't had any visitors so far. Males are coming by but keeping a BIG distance.

The LAAL - Laysan Albatross chicks are growing fast. Today I saw several with white plumage showing under their down

WTSH - Wedge-tailed Shearwater have arrived in mass and are nesting EVERYWHERE so please if visiting Ka'ena PLEASE STAY ON PATH.

The Koleas have finally left to Alaska.

Last week and today I heard what could be a Curlew whistling.

and finally last Thursday out with Tammy and Kilali from NOAA we got to see a whale put on a show of peduncle throws but the highlight was a mother and VERY young calf closer to shore. That's a treat yet so late in the season. Today I saw a couple of blows

That's all for the animal wildlife - I'll spare you of the human one.

More soon - Be Safe 

04/20/21 Tuesday (part 2) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

 

On Sunday we were granted the visit for the day Grande Dame "Right Spot" R016, we saw her enter the water at sunset, roll a little and swim away. I brought memories back of MANYYYYY moons ago checking on her with DB at Sandy Beach. She used to spend the day and at the last rays of sun would enter the water, roll, and swim away.

This morning in the same spot I found RK36 Kauai Kolohe - he spent the day here

I was checking the entrance at the Bight when I saw a seal foraging. The water was so clear we could see it dive and come back up. Spending 5/7 minutes down. It's going as an Adult U/U today.

RL98 Lina slept away on a beach

RW02 PVKauai (Permanent Visitor from Kauai) swam into a pool, settled down as a hippo with his back out of the water and went to "sleep"

Next and last was another visitor R3CX Nalu who was hauled out on some reefs sleeping away.

More soon - Be Safe

04/17/2021 (part 2) Lesley's Friday and Saturday Ka'ena Update

Saturday:

Despite overnight and early morning rain the park was full. 

There was a slightly different cast today compared to the last couple of days

RL98 Lina is back from her West side visit

RN58 Luana decided to haul out on a beach full of people and spend the day (LOTS of outreach was done there)

RK36 Kauai Kolohe is back from is visit to Kahuku

RW02 PVKauai was in the same location as yesterday, sleeping away on a small beach

R407 Kawika swam around for 40 minutes, making me walk back and forth till he found the spot to haul out and go to sleep

RL74 Kami was my last find doing her "where's Waldo?", meaning I walk by her on my way in and spotted her on my way out. It's all about the angle.

More soon - Be Safe 

Friday:

I made it out late today but was able to document 3 seals:

RL74 Kami was sleeping in the same location I've seen her the past 2 days, alas today she was alone.

RO40 Ka'ena was searching for higher grounds to get away from the swell that rolled in this afternoon

RW02 PVKauai was sleeping peacefully on a small beach, but probably not for long due to the swell

More tomorrow - Be Safe 

Eel

04/07/2021 Wednesday Monk Seal Dailies

 I am going to apologize upfront for being brief with today's dailies. It was a long day and I have a killer headache. I will do my best to get it right.

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team R&B, Team T&D and my viewing of Rabbit Island.

Team T&D walked several miles on the north shore today and found two seals at the beginning of their hike. They were happy to see Right Spot R016 and Kauai Kolohe RK36 together. Let's just say Right Spot let him know she didn't want to be bothered, he tried but finally they both settled.

Team R&B had been looking everywhere and was coming up empty until they finally found a seal at the bay. It was Nalu R3CX resting peacefully and pooping at the same time. (hey who doesn't like a good poop).

They headed over to another westside location and found three seals. R407 Kawika was with R3CU who was getting on his nerves. Kawika was getting too close and sniffing him out. R3CU barked at him but Kawika kept at it until finally he stopped and they both went to sleep.

Just to the right was RH76 Kala sleeping and not moving. Its nice that Kawika wasn't pestering this

lovely girl.

I viewed Rabbit Island for about 2 hours and saw Mom Pua RF34 and P01 resting together by the 3BS. The kid eventually went behind mom and was hidden for the last hour.  To the right of them was a smaller size light belly female, sub adult size.  About 10 minutes into my viewing an enormous seal hauled out in from of the SA/F and went poking. It was a male, and I did not see any applied or natural bleaches, in face I am not sure if there were tags. He stayed with her for about 15 minutes then went back into the water and hauled out about 15 minutes later by the 1BS.  There had been a adult to subadult size critter at the 1BS, and after the UM hauled out it rolled so I think it was a female.   (sorry for the vagueness, but as I said I am running on empty at the moment).

Right Spot and RK36

Nalu

R407 Kawika

R3CU

Boys - R3CU and R407

RH76 Kala

Pua RF34 and P01

unknown subadult/juvenile female and big boy

subadult/adult unknown