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Monday, July 2, 2018

7/02/2018 Monk Seal Dailies ( part 1 )

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley and Marilyn. I also have a brief update of my day. As you know Lesley's complete update is part 2 of the dailies.

Team Billand went to visit RH32 Ka'ale at the all you can eat buffet. He was there foraging back and forth not catching quite as many fish today. Even the fishermen weren't getting lucky, the fish weren't biting. Ka'ale was after something between the rocks, he darted off and the out to sea, they never saw him again for the rest of the day.

Ka'ale was Team Billand's only update so seems they had a very quiet day.

Marilyn sent word that on her way home from work she stopped by to check in on Weaner RK24, who was in the tide pool not far from the Koloko Inlet. Marilyn also got to spend time with our posse pal Gayle. RK24 left the tide pool after a while and got into some pretty rough water, but as you can see he also found a tasty morsel to eat.

Well my day started at 8 am when I arrived at Makai Pier to observe Rabbit Island. I was told that a NOAA crew was heading out this morning to tag PO6 especially where today wind and surf conditions were decent. While I was waiting for their arrival I got a text that NOAA team was being diverted to check out a seal of concern. So I headed over to one of the east side beaches. I spoke with volunteer on site and did get a chance to chat with Gayle. Turns out Right Spot has been displaying some unusual behavior that NOAA would like to continue to monitor.

The NOAA Team was on site shortly after I arrived, personally it felt good like the old days.... but we had to check out what was happening. It took several hours to ID Right Spot RO16, because she spent all of her time in the water. I had to leave the site at 11:30 am and the NOAA team remained and will reschedule their Rabbit Island excursion.

In behalf of NOAA and all monk seal posse, if you are on the east side and see Right Spot RO16, ( she has no tags, a notch on her hind flipper, a natural bleach on her right rear side, and 3 inch vertical scar on the left side of her face.) Please call into the hotline 808-220-7802 as NOAA would like to keep their eye on her.

Ka'ale RH32

RK24 24 Karat Gold :-)

Right Spot R016

RK24 snoozing in the tide pool

07/02/2018 Monk Seal Dailies (part 2 ) Lesley's Ka'ena Point Update

Went down early and found RO40 "Ka'ena" in front of our beach path. He has been hauling out there for the last 3 to 4 days. Today I noticed some new scars on his back. They look like nail or teeth scratches superficial, there's no open wounds.

At the Play Pen RK88 "Puna" (M) D65 playing in the water mid boulders, it took me while but I found RK40 "Napua" (F) D59 in one of the Keiki Coves rolling in the waves.

On my late afternoon check "Puna" was hauled up high on the beach playing with things (sticks and seeds). "Napua" was hauled out mid reefs on waterline.

Ka'ena was no longer in front of the house.

Jaime let me know in the morning that 2 seals were hauled out at 10 Mnts Beach and later were joined by a third one. No ID's were possible.

I went out there at sunset but alas only found wallows. Posses Denis & Sandra said they saw a big seal swim by them at 5 Mnts just before I arrived.

I include a collage of a cool observation this morning. A fisherman walked up to the fence, stopped read the sign and turned back. Not before waving at me. Later I saw him and thanked him for doing so. He's a frequent diver in the area but had been away for a while. He was glad to see the pup. Coexistence !!

07/01/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 1)

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Marilyn and Lesley. Lesley's complete update is part two of the dailies.

Team Billand out at the crack of dawn and found Ka'ale at the all you can eat buffet. There were fourteen fishermen today, most of them were off on the left side. A new guy shows up and set up his ulua pole for the KawaKawa. He tossed the lead in first then slid the hooked fish down his line into the water, just above the surface. Team Billand knew this was not going to go well.

Sure enough within a minute, Kaale was coming full speed with his head above water going straight for the line. The fisherman pulled the pole lifting the fish in mid air. Ka'ale spotted it and came up above the water to his waste, and then tries to go for it. Finally he pulled the line and and removed the fish. This critter is just goes for whatever he can get a hold of, let's just hope he doesn't take any with hook. Team Billand lost site of Kaale and they left to check out other sites.

Later in the day they went back to check on Kaale they found him at a near by beach on the rocks. He is looking fat, tuckered out, and big belly. They saw no signs of hook or lines, just a really content full little seal.

Team Billand checked the Ka'ena West trail and at the 20 minute mark there was seal resting below the cliff on the rocks. They ID'd RW02 PvKauai by his W14 tag and ding on his back.
RW02 began to move and bark like there was another seal around, but they never spotted another critter after watching for 30 minutes.

Marilyn was at Makai Pier from about 12:45 to 3:00 observing Rabbit Island. I joined her for the last hour of viewing and it was fun to see some action on the Island.

Marilyn's first viewing of the island, she spotted a couple (human) on the island who had arrived by stand up paddle-boards that they left near the 1BS. They were on the island for the entire time, and Marilyn did call DOCARE, but doesn't know if they were able to apprehend the folks. ( It's upsetting to have people there as you're not suppose to be there at all, but they did not bother the seals.)

First critter Marilyn spotted was on the waterfront rocks about 40 feet to the left of the SRI. This seal is being referred to as UJ unknown juvenile. He stayed on the waterfront rocks for most of the time.
At 1:00 Weaner PO6 hauled out at the left point beach where it stayed until about 2:45 when it entered the water and was seen near the couple on the beach. Never got a good view of the belly so PO6 is still an "it".

At 1:05 Marilyn noticed two seals playing in the water near the 1BS, and adult seal and a small seal. A short time later the adult hauled out to visit PO6, but did not stay long. He reentered the water and continued to play with the small seal in the water. Marilyn believes the adult seal was RK72 Kekoa who was later seen hauled out right of the SRI.
Then about 1:25 pm, a small seal hauled out right in front of the couple sitting the beach. Marilyn thinks this is wearner RK38 Hali'a, but cannot be sure. The seal did not stay long.

At 1:30 the adult seal had hauled out right of the SRI, and was ID'd as RK72 Kekoa by his male belly and applied N2 bleach.
Sometime later, Marilyn realized the unknown juvenile who had been on the waterfront rocks had gone in the water and was playing with a small seal. After playing for a while the two seal finally hauled out. The small seal is possibly the same seal playing and hauling out near the couple. The UJ appears to have an applied bleach on his right shoulder and this may be RG32 who has an applied N32 bleach.
It was a good day!

Ka'ale RH32 chowing down