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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

10-2-2013 DB's Dailies: Irma@MB, Kolohe,Duke&UF@RI, Kea@SB, Kaiwi@BF, M&M,Buster@WP, Kerby@Maili Pt, Makaiwi@Makaha, Kekoa@RR

At 0555 I found Irma (R010) right where I’d left her last night. This is D#3 of her Makapuu stay. Molting behavior is pretty much certain . I cordoned her off, and she remains. I picked up the stuff at 1900. Irma remains.

At 0910 I found Kolohe (RW22) at the left end of the beach, Duke (RA12) at Seal Rock Inlet and an U/F at Rocky Right Beach. It was definitely a juvenile female with 2 red tags, but I couldn’t ID her. Since I found out later that Kaiwi was at Buster Flats, and this animal was about her size, I’m hoping for Nani but ???????????

I’d been doing the Kea Kuest all morning, going back and forth between AD and Crappy Cove. Once again it was bull.... luck that I just happened to pull into Crappy Cove just as Kea (RN46) was swimming toward shore, at 1015. He would finally haul out to the water front rocks to the east side of the cove, at 1040. I cordoned him off. Gayle relieved me at 1300, and called at 1353 to advise that Kea was in the water. She and I monitored Kea as he foraged and lolled the entire frontage of the cove, until finally departing at 1613. I found him foraging in the tide pools behind "derelict row", where all the "permanent resident" van dwellers live between the cove and Irma’s, at 1623.

At 1136 Gayle called with the report of Kaiwi (RK96) at Buster Flats.

Cianna called at 0840 with the report of an animal at White Plains. The Billands would confirm the M&M ID and also advised that M&M relocated to Tower #2 at 1307.

At 0842 Team Billand found Kerby (RW08) at Maili Point.

At 0842 they also reported what they would confirm as Makaiwi (R4DF) at the Makaha Surfside Condos, at 0923.

At 1032 the Billands reported that Buster (RW08) had joined M&M at WP. Buster would depart at 1117.

The Billands called at 1312 to advise that they had heard from Eileen, reporting Kekoa (RK72) at the Reef Runway.

Irma at Dawn

Kaiwi - why don't you go visit your little brother ?

Kea cruising at Sandy's....

Kea has attracted quite and audience

unidentified female

KaiKaina - relieved to see your little self...

little sister

La'akea snoozong

big sister

and let the molt begin!

Kerby!

Maka'iwi gives you a good look at her back... still no clue what the hell was going on here... but is for sure going to leave her with a good size scar

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Important NOTICE !!

The Monk Seal Foundation has put the following bulletin on facebook and I thought it was equally as important to post here....
IMPORTANT ALERT: On all islands, people should continue to call the regular hotlines to report monk seal sightings. The response network will continue to operate to the best of it's ability thanks to a patchwork of NGOs, contractors, and volunteers. NOAA has been forced to shutdown portions of their website so please keep these numbers for reference. (Oahu: (808) 220-7802
Kauai: (808) 651-7668, Molokai: (808) 553-5555
Maui & Lanai: (808) 292-2372 Island of Hawaii: East: (808) 756-5961 West: (808) 987-0765 and for emergencies please call the 24Hr Toll-free Marine Mammal Emergency Hotline (1-888-256-9840)

10-1-2013 Diane and Kimo cover Luana Tuesday Shifts

Little munchkin rolling around in the rocks splish splash

and some rest

got something... is it organic or man-made?

cough cough... yuck!

10-1-2013 DB's Dailies: Irma@MB, Kea@AD, Kolohe&Duke@RI, M&M@WP, Kekoa,Rocky&Buster@RR

At 0545 I found an overnighted Irma (R010) at the right corner of Makapuu Beach. I cordoned her off and she has remained all day. I picked up the stuff at 1900. Irma remains.

I arrived at AD at 0645 and posse member Robert advised that he’d seen Kea (RN46) in a tide pool on the rock flats, 100 yds east of he AD wall, at 0430. He saw him again, foraging off the 200 yds flats at 0630. It would be 0716 before I spied the boy, foraging 200 ft off shore, land 100 ft west of the AD wall. I lost him almost immediately in the surf line.

Posse member Diane Tekai called at 0850 to advise that she was watching Kea haul out to the water front rocks, 75 yds east of the AD wall. When I arrived at 0856 I put up the SPZ. Diane would call again at 1100 to advise that Kea had relocated an addition 50 ft east, to his regular snooze rock. Diane relocated the SPZ. Tanx Eh, Diane !! Gayle checked on Kea after Diane’s departure. Brandi called to advise that Kea entered the water at 1810. She and Marilyn picked up the stuff at dark.

At 1014 I found Kolohe (RW22) and Duke (RA12) together at the far left end of the beach on Rabbit Island.

Team Billand reported M&M (R020) fronting #1707 White Plains, at 0700.

At 1025 they reported Kekoa (RK72) at the Reef Runway.

At 1051 they advise that 2 more animals were headed to the Reef Runway. At 1105 they confirmed the Rocky (RH58) ID, and at 1130 confirmed Buster (RV08) with her. I’d been looking for him all morning at Blowhole and of course Sandy Beach. He was nowhere to be found. Now I know why.

At 1424 I got a call from fisherman posse member Bob, advising that last Sunday he , and others had seen a small animal foraging in Kewalo Basin, with hind flipper tags RN36/37. A photo is said to be coming soon. Lesley was investigating a report of an animal in that area, but I don’t recall what day.

Irma in the morning