8-2-11 My Afternoon with Honey Girl and Pup

Aloha good people..... I was on the afternoon shift today with mom and pup. thanks to new volunteer Deena for staying longer while i made my way through traffic. This is Deena's first pup experience so she for sure will be experiencing all the "awww and ohhhh" moments.   Upon arrival there was a water session ending and a very brief attempt at feeding, did not last long. Mom and pup went into snooze mode for a bit and then the kid re-entered the water for some fun. Lo and behold the pup was up on the rocks when mom started calling, instead of going into the water and around... the little bugger took the short cut up and over.......for sure a very active and strong pup.  There was a feeding session about 5:00 and then they both went into snooze mode with the exception of a couple of nuzzles and rolls. ENJOY the pics.... ~da blog lady~

 mom you calling me?

 okay i'm coming....

 i'm hungry mom ... roll over

 ma! you're crushing me.... let me gooooo!

 love you too!

 what's up there?

 there.... up there in the sky!

 mom where did you go?

 i'll put my head down Zzzzzzzz

 goodnight baby

8-2-11 DB Dailies

At 0642 I found Duke (RA12) just hauling out to the water front rocks, 40 ft left of Seal Rock Inlet on Rabbit Island. He would remain there the rest of the day.  On my 0721, Spitting Cave check, I found Kolohe (RW22) doing 7 minute dives.  I got back to Makai Pier at 0900, but it would be 1333 before I found another critter. Nani (RK60) hauled out to the far left end of the beach, and remained there the rest of the day.

Rachel called from Diamond Head at 0932, reporting that Rocky (RH58) was still at the showers. Her D#3 molt appears to be a conservative 20%.

Dana called at 0950 with the report of an U/U at Sunset Beach. Her 1325 call confirmed a Right Spot (R016) ID. One of the beach goers at turtle bay this afternoon mentioned on his walk down from the hotel he saw a seal swimming in the water close to shore.... do we want to guess right spot? On my departure i did a quick look but no sightings.

At 1010 Team Billand called from the birth site at the Reef Runway. Interestly enough they found Ewa Girl (RS00) at that location, with no Kekoa visible.  Barbara called again at 1135 to advise that security person, Aileen found Kekoa in the shallows 7/10th of a mile to the west of the birth site. The Billands observed his activities until departure time of 1200. They checked the birth site on the way out and found that Ewa Girl was gone.

In the "Yesterday's News" department, I'm attaching excellent shots from posse members Alice & Glenn's trek to Turtle Bay yesterday. Thanks to you both, and Thanks too to all the truly hardcores who are out there on the fence line with Mom and Pup !

Live....Local...Late Breaking... Keith Kenyon sent photos from his trek, with his son to Ka'ena Point today. They found T21M and 761 at the end of the world.

Rocky @ Diamond Head Molting Away

Oh poor rocky... she going to pieces

I don't know DB looks a little more than 20%  she going to pieces pretty quickly

Yea! Team Kenyon back with mini Kenyon tagging along.... T21 relaxing @ Ka'ena Point

761 @ Ka'ena Point

Camouflage 761 hiding in the rock pile

Yesterday's News R5AY and Pup

Thanks to posse members Alice and Glenn for some great shots of our newest monk seal pup on the North Shore. These shots were taken on Monday 8/1 pup being 4 days old.  It's an active little bugger and of course adorable.

 little wrinkle waistline

 sliding down momma's side

8-2-11 Team Billand @ Reef Runway

Ewa Girl back at Reef Runway... is she trying to confuse us....  Is this a semi-weaning?  Although from the looks of it Kekoa is doing just fine exploring on his own and clueless MOM was even close-by.  Anyone care to comment on if this is unusual or just another "monk seal moment"?  I am sure Barb was happy to see both Mom and Weaner, even though they weren't together.

 Weaner Kekoa exploring the his surroundings.

 I was going to say, stick or sea cucumber... but I actually think this is a broken bottle. So what is it with these  weaners finding broken glass on the ocean floor?  

Last Week's News

These photos of RI37 and RO28 were sent into the NOAA office on Friday the 29th. The hiker "Nick" saw them on Thursday on his way to Ka'ena Point. He went back on Friday with his camera and they were both there. Looks like RO28's molt was just beginning.  Thank you Nick for submitting the photos.!

RI37

RO28 and RI37

 RO28

8-1-11 DB Dailies

At 0632 I found Kolohe (RW22) and Duke (RA12) snoozin' together, up in the Morning Glory, behind Seal Rock Inlet. When I got back to Makai Pier at 0840 they had moved down to the water line at Seal Rock Inlet, where they spent the rest of the day.

On a pan at 0912 I found Nani (RK60) newly hauled out to the rock flats at Left Middle Cliff, on RI. She remained there all day.  At 1105, Buster (RV08) hauled out 60 ft left of Seal Rock Inlet and immediately galumphed down to join Kolohe &Duke. There was minimal interaction, and all 3 remained there the rest of the day.

Marilyn (Mrs. Whisperer) stopped by Diamond Head on her way to work at 0812, and advised that both Rocky (RH58) and Max (R5EW) were gone. Dana was there also.

I called Rachel and asked her to check the Black Point end of the beach, and she did so, reporting nobody. At 0931 Rachel called to advise that Rocky was, once again at her usual spot near the showers at DH. No sign of Max.

At 1104 Team Billand checked in to advise that they were responding to a call from a posse member about an animal at Paradise Cove, KoOlina. At 1219 they confirmed the Irma (R010) ID.

At 1445 posse member Alice called to advise that she and hubby had spent the day with R5AY & Pup at Turtle Bay. Photos are on the way .

One of the great joys of my work here at the Monk Seal CIA is finding pieces of information like this YouTube find from today. Sometime within the last 19 hrs, a diver met Kermit , somewhere off shore of Niihau. Despite the idiocacy of the heading of "being kissed my a female monk seal", I can assure you that this is most definitely and very Male, Kermit (R4DG) doin' the kissin' . He was last seen on 6-4-11 at Kermit's Reef. He is known to make trips up that way, and I knew if I hung in there long enough, this moment would come. Kermit is happy and well, and kissin' dummies at Niihau ! (video posted below)

Buster, Kolohe and Nani 

 Irma @ Ko'Olina with a friend

 

 Oh Irma... you a big big momma

 I love the blue umbrella very clever! 

 There is a pretty momma

She is sooooo HUGE 

8-1-11 Diver Encounters Kermit

The Title is funny since this seal has been identified by the seal whisperer as Kermit.... The diver is lucky the GENTLEMAN didn't bestow his favor....   Kind of a cool encounter to see Kermit so gentle.... but still bothersome that people don't just keep their distance from them.