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Sunday, January 3, 2016

1/3/2016 DB's Dailies: RM38, Kimo Kai,Buster,RK36,Kolohe@RG32@Rabbit Island, Pohaku@Paradise Cove, Benny@White Plains, Rocky@Ewa Beach, RI37@Laie, U/U@Turtle Bay

At 0743 I found RM38 & Kimo Kai (RT12) at the log, 40 ft left of 1BS on Rabbit Island. At 0744, another animal came into view from behind the Morning Glory back at the cliff. It would prove to be Buster (RV08) he would move down and into the water. I did not see him again today. The other two would also move down at 1056. I would see neither of them again today.

On a pan at 0757 I found RK36 on the water front rocks of Rocky Right Beach. He would remain there all day.

At 0810 Kolohe (RW22)&RG32 (L5 bleach) hauled out fronting Left Greenery. The would snooze away the rest of the day.

The Billands responded to a Dana call at 0900 about an animal at Paradise Cove. At 0922 they confirmed the Pohaku (RO28) ID. Mahalos to Nancy,Jean&Bev.

At 0922 they got a call about an animal at White Plains. At 1015 they confirmed the Benny (RE74) ID. He was at the fenceline. The Billands stayed until after dark, before departing. Benny remains. Mahalos to Rich,Larry&Jean.

While Barbara stayed with Benny , Robert responded to a call about an animal in Ewa Beach. At 1015 he confirmed Rocky (RH58) at access #185C, Ewa Beach.

Gina Walker did her morning shift at Turtle Bay, and came up zero. She responded to a call about an animal at Bathtub Beach, Laie, on her way home. She found the animal at 1354. Gina’s excellent shots confirm the RI37 ID by tag.

Evening mail from Dana brought shots of a late afternoon haul out at Turtle Bay. Unfortunately, no ID is possible due to lack of information in the shots.

Buster

Kolohe & RG32

RK36

RM38 and kimo kai

Benny

Pohaku

We're Watching YOU!

Pohaku

Miss Rocky visiting Ewa Beach

there she is

UU Turtle Bay

Kahuku Point Waves

RI37

Saturday, January 2, 2016

1/2/2016 DB's Dailies: Buster,RM38,Kimo Kai,Kolohe,RG32& an Unknown J/F & A/F @ Rabbit Island, RW02, Ka'ena&Aukai@ Ka'ena Point, Benny@White Plains, Pohaku@Guard Rails, and R5AY@ Laie

It was a bumper crop at Rabbit Island today. Seven critters ! At 0824 I found what would prove to be Buster (RV08) and RM38, on opposite sides of the log in the Morning Glory, 40 ft left of 1BS. At 0832 Kimo Kai (RT12) hauled out to the left end of the beach, and galumphed up to join the guys at the log. At 0845 I came back on a pan and found another animal coming out of the deep vegetation behind the log, to join the rest. This would prove to be an unknown, juvenile female. It is the same green animal that has been hauling out to the Rocky Right Beach area on widely separated occasions. I still can’t get an ID on her so J/F will have to do. She does have 2 red tags.

At 0941 I found Kolohe (RW22) just hauling out, 30 ft right of 1BS, and moving up into the Morning Glory. On another pan at 0949 I found what would turn out to be an adult female, with 2 red tags, hauling out 70 ft right of 1BS. She too would move up to the Morning Glory. I was never able to get an ID on this animal either, so A/F has to do.

My biggest surprise of the day began at 1002 when I just happened to find a very small little creature back at the base of the cliff at the left end of the beach. It was exploring the cliff area, but them returned to the water, only to haul out to the left end rock flats again, for a bit, then reenter the water and at 1042 haul out fronting the locations of Kolohe & the A/F.

About the time I was watching this little one, RM38 & Kimo Kai got in the water, and shortly thereafter they too hauled out to join the little one and the other two. Kimo Kai would stay there however RM38 galumphed back to the log. He, Buster & the J/F would wind up moving down to the far left end of the beach to cool off for the rest of the day.

It took some hours but small , red tagged male would turn out to RG32. His ID was by his right side L5 bleach mark. He has visited RI a couple of times before. He is a Molokai boy.

At 0758 Melanie, who was on Access Surf duty at White Plains, called to advise that there was an animal there, near the first cottage. Lifeguard Dennis jumped into action and put the cordon, while the Billands were in route. It would prove to be the Benny (RE74). Thanks to Jan,Willie, Warren & Paula for being there for him. Warren said Benny departed at 1821.

Team Billand would also find Pohaku (RO28) at Maili Guard Rails at 1425.

Marilyn & Lesley did the usual Saturday trek to the End of the World. They would find RW02 on the Main Beach, and Aukai (RL12) & Ka’ena (RO40) on the Back Beach.

A Dana text at 1253 advised of animal reported in Laie. Both Don Porter & Jon Gelman would document R5AY at Kokololio Beach, Laie

Juvenile female

Buster, RM38, J/F,

Kimo Kai, Koloje RG32, and J/F

Kimo Kai, RG32, and Kolohe

Kolohe, Kimo Kai, RG32 and J/F

RG32 and J/F

RM38 and J/F

RM38, J/F and Buster

Aukai and Ka'ena

Ka'ena

Aukai

RW02

R5AY aka Honey Girl

Momma Belly

5AZ.... 5AY = HONEY GIRL

Benny and the crowds at White Plains

surf's up....

Pohaku

Friday, January 1, 2016

1/1/2016 New Years Day !

For those who have been following the blog you know what this is about..... and for those who are new to the blog well this is a story about a lady who bumped into this critter on a beach in Kailua.... His name was Chester..... and that is where my love for monk seals began.... January 1st 2008. Thank you Chester.... you changed my life forever!

(and the new year on the blog always begins with Chester)

1/1/2016 DB's Dailies: Kolohe,Buster,RM38,Kimo Kai&2 U/U, Pohaku@Maili Guard Rails, Kekoa@Maili Point,

We did the Sunrise mission at Makai Pier at 0600. Everybody else in the state of Hawaii parked their cars along the road and hiked up to Makapuu Lighthouse. It was a Zoo !

Once it began to get light I could see animals on Rabbit Island. At 0645 I found what would turn out to be Kolohe (RW22) fronting 3BS. He would depart at 0712. At 0647 I became aware of what would prove to be RM38 just hauling out to Seal Rock Inlet, and at 0649 became aware of an animal tucked up against the log, left of 1BS, which would turn out to be Buster(RV08).

We departed the pier around 0730, and did the rest of the SE quadrant check. Marilyn , Gayle and later Melanie all combed the quadrant and found nobody.

I returned to Makai Pier at 0913, and found only RM38 & Buster visible, though it would be some time before I actually got the ID’s. Hanauma Bay was closed today, but I did a check and discovered that Buster was not there today. It was only after I got back to the pier that I realized the animal at the log, on RI was Buster. He does not seem to have started his molt, but he is ready to go any minute.

At 0957 Kolohe would haul out to the left end rock flats in the company of what would prove to be Kimo Kai (RT12). Kimo Kai would reenter the water at 0958, only to haul out again fronting 1BS at 1010, where he remained the rest of the day.

At 1246 on a pan I became aware that another animal had joined Kolohe out on the left end flats. The animal was never more than partially visible, and an ID was impossible. It may have been a juvenile sized animal but ???

On a pan at 1334 I found that an adult sized animal had haul out to join Kimo Kai fronting 1BS. Because of lack of movement and shake & bake sand cover a confirmed ID was not possible. Strong north winds and rain brought the RI day to an end not long thereafter. I did see a red tag, but don’t know which hind flipper it was, and never saw a belly. My guess would be RK36 by size & color but ????

At 1045 Team Billand checked in with the report of Pohaku (RO28) at Maili Guard Rails.

At 1100 the found Kekoa (RK72) by himself at Maili Point (D#9). Both he and Pohaku were still at the respective locations on the late afternoon checks, along with too many people !!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!!

Makapuu Sunrise