DB Post Friday 2/12/2009

I found Irma at 0614, exactly where I'd left her last night. After getting her cordoned off again, I called Tracy, who came out and gave Irma her new N3 bleach, left side mid body only. I checked her multiple times throughout the day, but on my 1500 check she was gone. Two witnesses said that she had departed at 1400, of her own volition.

At 0852 I found R301 doing 8 minute dives at Spitting Cave.

My first look at Rabbit Island had been a bust, but when I got back to Makai Pier at 1135 I found RB08 on the beach at the left end. She would be joined by Sadie at 1252. They played for 5 minutes or so before settling down to snooze mode.

On a pan at 1341 I found Kolohe on the water front rocks , 90 ft right of 3BS. All of the RI cast were still there when I departed MP at 1455.

Team Billand is back from their Maui adventure ! They called at 1029 to report finding 2AU at Maili. He had last been seen on 4-20-08,at Ka'ena Point, and it was the Billands that time also.

They called again at 1130 with really big news that they had found Ewa Girl at Campbell Industrial Park, and that there was an Unknown female there with her. It was the same animal they had briefly seen at that location on 2-3-09. Their last call came at 1440, reporting Kermit at Nimitz Beach. Aloha, DB

Irma

Irma

Sadie & RB08

DB Post Wednesday 2/11/2009

The day began at 0600, checking Irma's and finding that Irma had departed. I picked up the signs and continued on.

This was to be on of those rare empty Rabbit Island days. Despite 3 separate sessions, I found nobody out there.

The lack of RI animals was somewhat explained by activity at Spitting Cave today. At 0820 I found two animals foraging and playing together. I got a certain ID on R301, but the small, red tagged , female with him was impossible to ID. It was either RB08 or Sadie, but there is no way to choose. I was hoping that I'd get back to the pier and see one or the other of the girls there, or than I might see R301 and his associate haul out together. Neither of those things happened.

At 0846 both animals swam around the point in and easterly direction. I advised Hanauma Bay personnel to be on the lookout, and I responded there to check both the bay, and Toilet Bowl, but I found nothing. I returned to MP , hoping that there would be an answer to the situation.

While sitting at the pier , looking at an empty island, I got a call from Alan Hong at 1216 reporting a single animal at Spitting Cave. When I arrived at 1240 I found that it was Buster, doing 10 minute dives. Then it was back to the pier.

Tracy called with reports of animals at both Diamond Head (posse member Rachel was on her way), and Kalaeloa Beach (Wind Sock). The Browns were responding to that one. Colleen confirmed Rocky at Diamond Head, at 1930. I have no word on the Kalaeloa animal at this writing

I departed the pier just before 1500, and rechecked Irma's for the umpteenth time on my way home, finding nobody. At 1611 Tracy called with the report of an animal at Irma's ! When I arrived at 1615 I found Irma on the beach, directly down from the Kealahou traffic light. I got her cordoned off, and will recheck her at dusk.

Irma was still there when I departed Irma's at 1930. I picked up the rope and left the signs. Aloha, DB

Irma

IrmaRocky

DB Post Tuesday 2/10/2009

At 0636 I found Irma waiting for me at Irma's, 300 ft east of the Kealahou traffic light. She has been there all day. I'll recheck again at dusk.

The Rabbit Island cast for today began as RIP and RB08, at the left end of the island. About mid morning RIP departed and I did not see him again today. At 1434 Sadie hauled out to the left end. When I departed the pier at 1545 the girls had the place all to themselves.

Barbara Billand called from Maui at 1229 to advise that her sister reported finding "a fat one, and a green one", at Campbell Industrial Park. No science involved here folks. My dollar is on Ewa Girl and Benny, but ??????????

When I left Irma's tonight at 0730, Irma was showing no interest in leaving. I picked up the rope and left signs, and called it a day.

Irma

RB08

RIP

Sadie

Monk Seal Volunteers being Interviewed

I apologize for not posting this earlier... it was sent to me twice and some how just fell through my email... The following links are programs on community television, William Aila interviewing a volunteers Dana and Rafe... Enjoy!!!

NOAA Volunteers William Aila interviews NOAA volunteers Dana Jones and Rafe Maldonado concerning volunteering in Hawaii for the Monk Seal conservation program.
Go to www.noaa.gov for further information.
See the program here: NOAA Volunteers

Other William Aila programs about NOAA are here:

Whales and Dolphins discusses how NOAA and Hawaii Pacific University is helping to save these magnificent species. Click here to view this program: Whales and Dolphins

Monk Seals showcases how NOAA and Hawaii Pacific University are working together to help save this ancient animal from extinction. Click here to view this program: Monk Seals

DB Post Monday 2/9/2009

After running myself ragged in the SE quadrant, and finding nothing, I summoned up all available guts, and decided to made a run to the SW quadrant, hoping that since I hadn't found Irma in 3 days, she might have returned to that side. I'd also been feeling guilty about not checking that quadrant with the Billands off island. Unfortunately, after in depth checks from all Ewa Beach spots, through Palm Grove at Campbell Industrial Park, from 1100 until 1320, I was still batting zero.

Just as I was about to check Palm Grove, my phone rang, and posse member , Ethel, at Hanauma Bay, called to report that "Ewa Girl" was just hauling out to her usual left side rock flats at Hanauma Bay. After uttering a string of the usual 3, 4 , and 5 letter words, I humped back to my car and began the 66 mile trek back to civilization. When I arrive at Hanauma Bay, I found that it was not Ewa Girl, but was , in fact, Rocky !

When I got back to the pier and checked Rabbit Island I found that a cast of 4 critters were now there, at the left end of the island. What would prove to be RIP, and Sadie were on the beach front incline at the left end of the beach, and R301 and RB08 70 ft left of the 1st Blue Sign (1BS). At 1655 first Sadie and then RIP moved up and interactions between all the animals allow me to get all the ID's. Though the action was just beginning, I departed the pier at 1700, due to a long hard day, failing lighting, and nuisance misty rain. Aloha, DB

Sadie, RIP, R301, & RB08 Rocky (hmm is she expecting?)

DB Post Sunday 2/8/2009

The first order of business was to check Sandy Beach at 0600. Thankfully, Irma had departed. I picked up the signs and continued on. Despite multiple checks of all the SE quadrant spots, I could not find Irma today. I have no clue.

At 0818 I found R301 doing 7 minute dives at Spitting Cave.

My first look at Rabbit Island was a bust, but when I got back to MP at 1030, I found our little buddy, Kolohe (RW22) once again tucked into the base of the cliff, but today he was at the extreme right end of the beach. He would move down to cool off at 1035, and by 1040 was hidden behind the water front rocks, and totally invisible for the rest of the day.

Despite many a mile on today's Irma quest, That was the day. Aloha, DB

R301

Kolohe

Kolohe

Happy 1 Year Bloggers!!!

Today makes one year this blog was created..... !!! Initially I created this blog to keep myself involved with Hawaiian Monk Seal information, but as time went on I realized this is a wonderful forum for "monk seal" people to share information, experiences and to help educate. I want to acknowledge DB Dunlap's contribution because without him this would be pretty boring. However, as a result of DB's efforts many volunteers have been able to share information... Barb and Rob... and our Molokai family.

Ultimately if this blog provides a place in which we can get updates on the animals we have cared for, or to be able to see that Mojo disappeared from Rabbit Island and pops up in Molokai, well I consider it a success.

In the end I created this blog to stay involved, but it is not "MY" blog it belongs to all of us, I am just the gatekeeper. I hope we can continue with such success and caring as we have in the past year. Mahalo, donna

I also want to thank all the folks over in NOAA, who without them I would not be involved with many of the opportunities I have been given. Thank you David, Tracey, Charles... and all of the NOAA family!

If you would like to sign up and become a volunteer go to: http://www.monkseal.org/

DB Post Saturday 2/7/2009

I was on it dark and early, since I knew Irma was back in the neighborhood. The Waikiki day, and then Spitting Cave yesterday, all said she was back. Sure enough , on my 3rd check of Sandy Beach, therrrrrrre was Irma , just hauling out near the Half Point rocks, on the main beach at Sandys, at 0803. There was an elderly , beach walking couple standing right there whom I see them nearly every morning. When I bombed on to the scene as she was galumphing up, they were in complete awe of the fact that somehow, I always magically appear just when the animals haul out. I always use the Monachus Gene explanation, rather than tell them the truth, that if you check every few minutes, you're likely to come pretty close. It does happen pretty often though, so there may be some Super Powers involved ?? I checked in on Irma several times during the day, and she was doing just fine amongst the Sandy Beach hordes. She is still there as of this writing, but I'll recheck her again at dusk.

Irma was still there when I departed Sandy Beach at 2000. All but the hardest core parking lot drunks had left. I picked up the rope and left some signs. Good Luck Irma !

The Rabbit Island cast looked exactly like yesterday, initially. It was once again RIP, Buster, RB08 and Sadie, all down at the left end of the beach. Buster would enter the water at 0913 and I did not see him again today, but the rest remained all day.

On a routine pan of the beach front at 0934, I suddenly became aware that there was another critter. Partially visible behind a gnarly forked driftwood branch at the right end of the beach, I found Kolohe. I'm sure he'd been there all along, but I just finally saw him when the lighting allowed. He moved down to cool off later, but remained all day.

Despite multiple calls to the White Plains lifeguards, and multiple messages requesting a call back, I never heard about any critters out that way. Since their quad is out of service they are also not checking the campground area or Nimitz Beach, so without a coupla' good Billands, I'm in the dark as to life in the SW quadrant. I just can't bring myself to leave the SE quadrant with Irma amongst the hordes.

There were no other calls for critters that I'm aware

Irma

Kolohe

Kolohe

RIP, RB08 & Sadie

DB Post Friday 2/6/2009

The Rabbit Island cast for the day consisted of RIP and Buster, and a rare event, both of the girls RB08 and Sadie on the beach at the same time. All were at the left end of the beach, and the only action was moving down to cool off, mid day. There was no observed interaction.

After yesterday's Waikiki stop, I was sweating blood this morning, trying to match wits with Irma, and figure out where she might be. I checked every nook and cranny and ultimately found the lady doing 8 minute dives at Spitting Cave. It was comforting to know where she was, instead of waiting for the other Irma shoe to drop all day long. Tomorrow ?????

I called the White Plains lifeguards at 1420 , and was advised by Bryan that what he thought was Benny, had just hauled out to the beach, fronting the snack bar. According to Bryan he came out of the water, barking and the crowd and galumphed right into them, forcing everybody to hurriedly scatter. Yep...........sounds like Benny to me !!

A subsequent conversation with Tracy provided info that earlier two animals had been a short distance down the beach at the Wind Sock, at Kalaeloa Beach (probably Kermit and Benny), but that one had been run off. Thereafter , Benny hauled out at White Plains. Scientific....no, Probable....yes !

I recieved email from our pal Val, on Molokai, late this afternoon. The Bloy/Pike expedition was to have done another trek, but as it turns out, Val came up with this oh so totally lame , and oft used excuse for not going. You've heard soooooo many times before "Yeah well.... we were gonna' go hunt for seals, but ya' see there was this deer that jumped outta' the Kiawe and crashed into our car. Come onnnnn !!.... THAT ol' excuse ??? Val said she was in the shotgun seat, and got way more Bambi than she ever thought she'd get. Wow !!! Aloha, DB

Oooops..... I included the Rocky shot, but left out the paragraph , wherein I was supposed to say that Tracy called at 1310 to advise that there was an animal at Diamond Head. I managed to get posse person , Chanel Garrett to investigate, and she put up signs and got ID shots of Rocky, next door to her house. Aloha, DB

Sadie, RB08, RIP & Buster

Irma

Rocky

Molokai Deer Damage

DB Post Thursday 2/5/2009

I was out on the morning hurt at 0600 as usual, but the day took a turn at 0725 with a call from Tracy, reporting an animal in Waikiki. Tracy, John Johnson an myself all got there at about the same time, approximately 0810, and found Irma cruisin' at Queen's , her usual Waikiki hangout. John and I worked the morning shift , until noon, when Jessica got there. I will return at dusk to check Irma's situation.

Irma's last visit to Waikiki was on 5-24-09, when she hauled out to almost exactly the same Queen's location. She was pregnant on that visit, and would go off to wherever she decided to go, on 8-7-08.

It was surprising how many of the people that stopped today, knew to ask if this was Irma again, and a few even asked after Kermit.

When I got back to the pier to check Rabbit Island at 1335 I found Buster near the 1BS at the left end of the beach. He would be joined shortly thereafter (1359) , by our little girl RB08. Both were in snooze mode when I departed the pier at 1530.

Team Billand went to Maui for a week (taking a Whale Week). It did not stop them however. At 1115 Barbara called to say they were with an animal fronting the Paki Hotel (I have no clue where that is), and after describing the markers, it proved to by Lona (R017). She is over on Oahu a lot, but has been on Maui for some time now. The ID was later confirmed by Nicole Davis, over there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHXwFEJEiM4

Todd White's blog is worth a visit http://northshoremonks.blogspot.com/. He accompanied David Schofield to Kewela Bay to remove an animal from the tennis court and backyard of a resident there. Though at this writing the animal is labeled as Benny, I don't believe that is the case. It is much more likely to be Yoda (R301), having several Yoda markers. He was last seen in Ewa Beach on 1-14-09 and has mostly been a SW quadrant guy, of has branched out of late, even having done several days at Diamond Head, visiting Colleen. The Yoda ID is only my humble opinion. Tracy will look at the shots tomorrow and we'll see what she thinks, but my buck's on Yoda.

I pulled into Queen's Beach at 1845 and Tracy called to advise that Irma had just departed, just as I stepped out of the car. Perfect timing, I picked up the stuff and called it a day. Aloha, DB

RBo8 & Buster

Irma

Irma

DB Post Wednesday 2/4/2009

Rabbit Island was, once again, Monk Seal free today. My #3 son, Buster was my only find. He was doing 6 to 7 minute dives at Spitting Cave.

Team Billand called at 0846 to report Kermit at the Wind Sock, Kalaeloa Beach.

Colleen Heyer called at 1100 to report that Rocky was down the beach from her house at Diamond Head, below the 2nd Lookout. Aloha, DB

Rocky

Rocky

Buster

Buster

Kermit

DB Post Tuesday 2/3/2009

It was a thoroughly overcast, cool, rainy crappy, perfect Monk Seal day. The Rabbit Island cast was Buster at the left end, and Kolohe at the 3BS. He hauled out and moved up into the tall grass , and became totally invisible. Had I not seem him haul out, I would have had no idea the little guy was there. On days like today, they tend to not even move.........they didn't.

Team Billand called at 1115 to report Kermit on the west side of the Nimitz Beach jetty, and called again at 1212 to report Ewa Girl at Palm Grove, Campbell Industrial Park.

Another call at 1220 advised that a "young looking" animal had hauled out briefly to Ewa Girl's location, but reentered the water and they ultimately lost the animal. Aloha, DB

Buster

Kolohe

Ewa Girl

Kermit

DB Post Monday 2/2/2009

Those of you who are regulars know that it's a damned rare day when Rabbit Island is certified Monk Seal free, but alas, today was one of those rare days. I have no clue.

Team Billand had a pretty sparce day also. The called at 1142 to report Kermit on the west side of the Nimitz Beach jetty, and that was the only find. They did call again at 1445 to report that they had seen an animal from afar fronting the cottages on Nimitz Beach, well away from the observation site at Wind Sock, but the animal was in the process of departing due to human presence. No ID was possible.

They also responded to a reported animal at Maili Beach Park, but the animal had departed prior to there arrival.

I received mail from Joanna Tabor about her 2-1-09 (Sunday) trek to Ka'ena Point. Though her camera batteries were dead, she did manage to ID and report RI37 there. Initially, I didn't recall having seen that number before, but I looked it up, and lo and behold found that was a female , born at Moloaa, Kauai between 5-1 & 5-3, 2005. She had received an incorrect cohort tag. The 2005 cohort letter designation is "V", and she had inadvertently being tagged with a 2004 "I" tag. The last thing in the world a girl needs is to be thought of as a year older than she actually is, but she is stuck with it.

The story gets even better because our little girl is the first documented child of none other than R5AY (mother of Penelope & Hoku)

As if things could get any neater, there is one last paragraph to the tale. Though I'd initially thought that RI37 was an unknown to me, but my Monachus Gene persisted in telling me that the number was familiar. Why did I know that number??? Tadaaaa !!!!!!! When I checked the records of the many Bloy/Pike Molokai Expeditions, I found that RI37 had been seen by them on Molokai on 12-27-08. Obviously, this little girl gets around. Aloha, DB

RI37

RI37

Kermit

Kermit

DB Post Sunday 2/1/2009

I guess everybody went to Buster's house for the Super Bowl or something. RIP was the one and only RI resident today. The sum total of the action was his getting in the water at his starting point at the left end of the beach, swimming to the right end of the beach, checking for others every so often, and hauling out to the water front rocks at the right end where he snoozed away the rest of the day.

Team Billand had a more interesting day, reporting 2AW at Kahe Power Plant, Kermit at White Plains, and finally Irma at the Last Bench, at Kalaeloa Campgrounds. Aloha, DB

RIP

2AW

Irma

Kermit

Mojo & B11 sent from Val

Aloha, Well DB never fails to amaze me. Like he said in today's blog, Diane and I found 12 seals on 1-30-09 in which 2 we couldn't identify. Well the ol' Seal Whisperer worked his magic and identified one of the unknowns as MOJO. DB is truly amazing and sure does know HIS seals--I didn't even notice that bleach mark on MOJO's head--I've got a lotta learning to do. Anyway, here is a picture of MOJO enjoying the quiet life on Molokai with friend B11. Thanks DB for your eagle eye, I sure appreciate it. Val