03/02/2020 Monday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand.  I did not make it out to the pier today because of overcast skies and rain on the windward side.

Team Billand was out at 7:30 this morning and checking a couple of beaches on the west side they spotted a seal from afar and someone standing by it. When they walked down they saw it was RL42 Leia, sleeping on shore looking mighty large. They were able to ID her by her tag.  When they were leaving heading back to the car, they saw a man go by her and she let me know she wasn't happy about that.  Leia RL42 would enter the water and left the area.

Team Billand headed over to a west side beach and found RL20 Kalua to the left high rocks alone. He has a new marker on the left side of his head, a small gash. He seems okay, just a new marker.

Kekoa Alii RK72 was to the right with another seal. Kekoa is looking very healthy and is a big boy!

Nalu R3CX was here looking and good and a little tired. His tags were visible along with his natural bleach spot. He looks small next to Kekoa.

RG28 Lefty was mid upper rocks snoozing alone.

RW02 PvKauai was to the right of seal inlet sleeping. His tags were visible, looking healthy. Nice to have him back on site.

Just before noon Team Billand arrived at the outfall and spotted multiple seals one was stealing fish. Yes that would be Kaale RH32. There were a couple of new fishermen that were not happy with his antics.... oh well I hope the other guys fill them in.

Team Billand stayed at the outfall until 3 pm. Much to their delight they spotted one of the seals in the outfall had CC scar on its back, a left eye mark, no tags, and a NB on left side. They could not figure out who this could be so they called in the posse and gathering everyone's info and experience they ID'd R407 a male. 

( This male showed up not to long ago and was listed at Temp 306 first seen on Kauai. He arrived on Oahu mid February seen by Lesley and was given a permanent ID 407 by NOAA. He was given the nickname Kawika.)

If that wasn't enough to be excited about a huge female galumphed out of the water. Tags were visible and spotted her marker on mid shoulder and on head. It's Aukai RL12 looking enormous next to 407. She moved and he followed.

Some people were kind of close and Team Billand did their best to get them to move back. 

They called the hotline to report. The seals moved higher up on shore, with 407 mooing to Aukai. She really didn't react, just went to sleep. He was busy going up, then right, then left and finally settled. He was very alert, maybe a little skittish always looking around. 

A volunteer arrived spent about 5 minutes and then headed out. Team Billand stayed a whole longer.

They headed out just before 3 to check one more beach.

Team Billand spotted at a near by beach Kawena RH36 and RN14 Kalani hauled out.

Seems today was a couples day, all the females had company.

RL42 Leia

RL20 Kalua

 Kekoa RK72 

 R3CX  Nalu

RG28 Lefty

 RW02 Pvkauai

Ka'ale RH32

 R407 Kawika

Rl2 Aukai

 R407 Kawika

 Kawika & Aukai

Kawena RH36 

 RN14 Kalani

 Whales!

03/01/2020 Sunday Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Marilyn with a little input by me. 
I need to make a correction: I have been referring to the female juveniles from Rabbit Island as though they were born last year. Well truth be told they were born in 2018. So they will be TWO this year, time flies.!

Also in the yesterday news department Anissa K sent photos taken by posse pal Beth Ford of R3CX on MCBH.

Team Billand arrived at the outfall at 7 am and stayed for a couple of hours. They spotted Kaale RH32 up to his bad behavior stealing fish again. Thankfully today's fishermen were all very patient.
At one point he came very close to where they were standing and Kaale was diving into the rocks, tail up slapping the water. A few of the guys thought he might be going after a TACO. 
Team Billand left the outfall just before 9 am and Kaale was still there.

Team Billand stopped by White Plains around 11 am and found Buster RV08 with a nice zone set up by the lifeguards.  Team Billand called the hotline.
The lifeguards helped Team Billand keep people away from the seal. The lifeguards asked them what the best distance to keep, between the seals and people. They were very appreciative for Team Billand always showing up and educating the people.

Team Billand returned to the west side and stopped to check one of the sites where they found Kekoa RK72.  He was a lone today laying on his back basking in the sun. They stayed with him for an hour hoping there would be others, but Kekoa was on his own today.
Weather conditions were windy a little chilly and the waters were choppy.

Marilyn viewed Rabbit Island from Kaupo Beach park this morning for about half hour.  When she first viewed the island Mom and PO1 were joined by another adult/sub-adult seal very close. The UU rolled over and was directly looking at Mom & PO1, and Mom reacted challenging the UU and then moved away. 
Today Marilyn was able to observe and get a decent photo of Mom's ventral side, she appears to have a darker patch in her upper left side. She remains a mystery mom with another hint!  We also think PO1 may have a fairly large natural bleach inside its LFF. 

There was another UUU up in the morning glory by the 1BS. This appeared to be an adult but the vantage point did not allow for any other clues.

I met up with Marilyn this afternoon and we viewed the island from the pier.  Mom and PO1 were the only critters on island. The kid is getting brave and wandered away from Mom a few times but would always turn around and head back. A couple of times I could see its mouth open so it must have been vocalizing. 
At one point we couldn't see for sure but it appeared Mom had a hold on the kid, and we could see its hind side lift up and flap its rear flippers several times. It was pretty comical as if Mom was making the kid stay put, but it wanted to wiggle away.   It was fun watching this little one today.

R3CX @MCBH on Friday

Kaale RH32

 thief !!

gorgeous rainbow

Buster RV08

 Kekoa Alii RK72

Rabbit Island  Mom, PO1 and visitor UU

 Mom reacting

 All is calm with Mom and pup

UU resting in the morning glories 

 Afternoon session

 PO1