Initial Seal Count Report - Oahu

Aloha Good People
The following link is to the Honolulu Advertisers Online Edition put out on Saturday... Please check your Sunday paper for an expanded story. 300 Volunteers state-wide how wonderful is that? I think the initial number on Oahu was 40'ish... It will be interesting to know the count statewide....

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081018/BREAKING01/81018065/-1/breakingnewsfront
* note: This link is to a post that allows comments... many times people tend to get into heated debates... I would recommend anyone representing "the volunteers" and our efforts to please take a deep breath and be respectful. It is more important for us to educate rather than respond to negativity.
Also check out KGMB News that aired Saturday evening:
http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/10582/40/

Thanks ~donna~

Star of the Day... Who Could it be ???

Aloha Good People!
What a day! What a day! What a day! The following is a part of an E-Mail I received from Robert and Barb on their wonderful news ! I wanted to share this with everyone for a couple of reasons... One - this joy is genuine and why we do what we do.... & Two - given the loss we felt with Hoku, it sure feels great to know Kerby is alive and well at Ka'ena Point.
Donna,
It is with JOY, THRILLS, Relief that we have found Kerby W08/W09!!!
At 8:15 am we saw a single seal flying in quickly through the seal inlet at Kaena Pt. It was 040...Kaena. He was being harrassed by RE74 Benny all the way in to shore at Kiddie Pool. It was very exciting. And then we saw a little seal also heading in toward the ponds. He didn't seem to know which way to go.
Benny immediately shot back to the little seal who we guessed was the molokai pup. It seemed Benny was helping Kerby to follow him into the shore. Thats just what the little seal did. Benny also attacked Kaena as if to say, move it we have a new kid on the block. Both animals fought it out. Oh and Kaena is like 90% molted too. Ok next we tried getting an id of the little seal. It was tough to get it and finally the seal came ashore. Rob got a shot of the tags and tried to whisper to me who it was. I couldn't understand what ta hell he was saying. What? W048? Who is that?
Finally Rob came to me and showed me the shot he took. OH MY GOD ROBERT!!!!!!!!!! THATS KERBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kerby!!!!!!! He is alive!!!!! Oh God!!!!! I gotta call DB right now. I ran as fast as I could. It began raining hard. I didn't care. The phone couldnt get a good signal. I ran here and there to finally get DB. 'DB....you'll never guess who we just found!!!!! I'm having a Heart attack....We found W08 KERBY!!!!! DB was Shocked!!!!!!!

DB Post Saturday October 18th

R301&Mojo@RI, Irma@Irma's, Buster@SC, KC@Waialua,Benny,Ka'ena&KERBY@KP, 10-18-08
There are Good days, and then there are GOOOOOOOD DAYS !!!!!!!! I think you will all agree that it has definitely been the latter. First of all it was Seal Count Day. Though I have heard from only a few fellow counters, it has still been wonderful.

My day began by finding Irma at Irma's. She was waiting for me at 0607, and left of her own volition at 1030. I did not see her again today.

At 0748 I found R301 and Mojo at the left end of RI. They remained there all day.

At 0812 I found Buster doing 7 minute dives at Spitting Cave.

Somewhere along the line I got word that Joanna had found KC in the Waialua area.

Moose called late in the day to say thats a Zone 17 counter had found a large male at Kalaeloa, which in all probability would be Kermit, though I have no supporting evidence.

I'd be totally stoked to have that be the end of the day, but it gets better folks.

The real highlight of the day began with a call from Barbara Billand , from Ka'ena Point at 0839, reporting Benny, a 90% molted Ka'ena, and a small , red tagged animal just hauling out. At 0855 came an EXCITED call from Barbara with the two MOST WONDERFUL words I've heard in a very long time. "IT'S KERBY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" . It just CAN'T get any better than that .

I'll never be able to prove a thing, but I gotta' mean feeling Benny has got something to do with this. I last saw Kerby, at Rabbit Island on 8-27-08. Benny had been at RI on 8-26-08, and then returned to KP. Benny came back to RI on 10-15/16-08, and then again returned to KP. Whether he took Kerby with him on the initial visit, or picked him up along the way after his return from the second RI visit, somehow or another a little 5 month old weaner managed to get from Rabbit Island to Ka'ena Point, and there just ain't no way that can happen without help, in my humble opinion. Regardless of all that, the bottom line is that Kerby is alive and well, and in all honesty I'd rather have him out there at the end of the world, than at Rabbit Island, given recent events. Aloha, DB

Irma
Buster KERBY BABY ! ! !

Kerby, Benny, & Ka'ena

October 18, 2008 Semi-annual Seal Count

Good Luck with the Seal Count today.... Please feel free to let me know your stories....

I would love for people to be able to share their experiences... photos... comments!!

Happy Counting!

DB Post Friday October 17th

Mojo,Buster&Sadie@RI, Kermit@ Kalaeloa, 10-17-08
The cast of characters at Rabbit Island dwindled a bit today. Mojo, Buster and Sadie had the place all to themselves. Mojo and Sadie swam and played in the shallows for about an hour in the morning, but hauled out to separated locations. Buster came over to visit Sadie in the afternoon, but was barely acknowledged. He didn't push the issue. When I departed for the day, all were in snooze mode.

The Billands checked in at 1200 to report Kermit, once again by himself, at the Wind Sock on Kalaeloa Beach. Aloha, DB

DB Post Thursday October 16th

Benny,Mojo,R301,Buster&Sadie@RI, Kermit@Nimitz Beach, 10-16-08
It appears as though my Monachus gene may have had a slight hiccup, concerning the unknown , brown animal that I saw at HB yesterday. I left the house this morning braced to find Irma awaiting me this morning, but that was not to be the case.

It was not until 0728 when I got to the pier that I found critters, and the first thing I keyed on was the brown animal tucked into the base of the cliff at the left end of RI. When the animal moved down I found that it was Benny !!! Since all the other regulars in this quadrant have recently molted, his brown and green coat was a bit of an oddity. He is obviously on yet another of his routine runs between Ka'ena Point and Rabbit Island. I am reasonably sure that Benny was our mystery HB visitor yesterday, but of course my hardcore scientist buddies will never accept that. Benny moved down and entered the water at 1050. I did not see him again today.

The rest of the Rabbit Island cast was Sadie, who was along side Benny, Mojo who was also at the cliff, but 20 ft left of Benny and Sadie, and later arrivals R301, and Buster , also at the left end. Everyone except Benny was still there when I departed. Benny briefly interacted with Buster on his way to the water, but it was of no consequence.

Team Billand checked in at 1050 to report that they had found Kermit, alone, on Nimitz Beach. Irma has obviously given him the slip, and has been MIA 4 days now. I know she is out there just waiting to haul out at exactly the wrong time, in exactly the wrong place. We have been doing this little dance a long time.

By far the highlight of the day, was email from David Schofield, forwarding to me the results of Jennifer Shultzs' report on the finding on the remains found at Bellows, in the aftermath of the shark sightings in the Bellows and Kailua area several weeks ago. The C/C Medical Examiner had ruled out human , but Jenny ran tests and concluded that the remains ARE NOT Monk Seal !!!!!! As you all know Rabbit Island weaner Kerby has been MIA since that time, and I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Though I still have no idea where the boy is at, at least for this moment, and this incident, it is good news ! Aloha, DB

Aloha Good People;

Well I wanted to have some remembrance of Hoku in a string of photos.... At this time these are the photos I was able to pull up.... I think I took one of him being extremely fat on the beach. Karen Byran took the photo of 5AY and Hoku. I apologize to the other folks.... In the end I hope we can just enjoy the stages of his short little life..... Oh the photo of the clouds was taken the day Hoku was discovered. The photo was taken by Barb & Rob Billand.... Thank you all for sharing and than you for caring....

Look at the bottom cloud center left.....

DB Post Wednesday October 15th

RIP,Mojo,Buster,R301,U/JF@RI, U/U@HB, 10-15-08
My Rabbit Island time was somewhat limited due to an afternoon commitment, but the cast was RIP,little brother Mojo, Buster, R301, and one of the girlz, either RB08 or Sadie. Since the only way I can tell them apart is by their movements, and not seeing them move, it was impossible to make an ID.

The big question mark of the day, began at 0815 with Hanauma Bay , posse member Ann calling to say that a couple of the early morning regulars had seen an animal attempt two haul outs to the beach at the right end of the beach, but on both occasions a crowd had gathered around the animal and it had departed. I arrived at Hanauma Bamoy at 0827 and stood watch from up above. At 0842 I saw an animal surface just outside the reef at the "cable channel passage" . I could not get an ID, and the only facts I have to report are that it was a brown animal, of medium to large size. I went back to my car and got the scope, but despite the 1 hour I maintained the watch, I found nobody. I also did a Toilet Bowl check, but that too was negative. Obviously, I have no factual info to make a guess, but my Monachus gene is screaming Irrrrrrrrrrrma !! We Shall See

Young Molokai Seal seen on Oahu North Shore

From Volunteer Jennifer Maldonado
Today I received a call from Tracy with a seal sighting in Waialua. It was just minutes from my house near the Dole park. The call came from the caretaker there whom mistakingly thought the seal was dead. After arriving and smelling a horrible stench I thought I was in for a rough day but luckily I found RO30 in a deep sleep and the smell was from the nearby dumpsters. The caretaker is a cute 90 year old man (wow!) and has worked for the sugarmill for 78 years! He poked the seal with a stick and thought it was dead because she never moved. (I advised him not to that again) As soon as I got there it took a few minutes before she took a breath and then I took a breath! She was just super sleepy! Tracy tells me that she is a two year old juvenile born on Molokai and is quite a swimmer since she has been spotted on Kauai and now here in Oahu. Aloha, Jen

DB Post Tuesday October 14th

Mojo,RIP,Buster&R301@RI, Kermit@Kalaeloa Beach, 10-14-08
Visibility was nearly zero in the morning , but cleared up a tiny bit as the day wore on. I found nobody,nowhere until by 2nd trip to the pier to check Rabbit Island. Things immediately got interesting. There were 3 visible animals at 0930, and to my shock and awe, in addition to the usual R301, I found my long lost #2 son, Mojo, had returned, and later I confirmed the ID on his brother , and my #1 son RIP. I'd last seen Mojo on 8-29-08 (on RI). Since he has been documented at La'au Pt, on Molokai, my Monachus gene told me that he was probably there. RIP had also been MIA since 8-22-08. Since he too has been reported at La'au Pt in the past, the same gene makes me believe that the simultaneous return may not be a fluke. Data indicates that both were scheduled to molt in September, and sure enough , both are sporting brand new coats. Mojo is recognizeable by a natural bleach on the top , left side of his head, and I could clearly see that bleach all day, though photos leave alot to be desired. If you look closely you can see it. RIP is has a dorsal transmitter scar near his shoulder hump. That too was clearly visible, as were both their tags.

Buster joined the rest of the boyz at 1229.

Team Billand checked in at 1230 to report that they were watching Kermit hauling out at the Wind Sock on Kalaeloa Beach in the SW quadrant. He was alone. Irma ??????

Ka'ena & Benny from Joanna Tabor

Awesome Posse Person, Joanna Tabor made the KP trek on Sunday, and found Ka'ena and Benny at the end of the world. Ka'ena (Irma's #3 son) is probably the cutest critter ever, but you sure wouldn't know it in his Creature from the Green Lagoon state. Obviously, he will be molting soon. Thank You..............very much to Joanna

DB Post Monday October 13th

M&M,R301&Buster@RI, Rocky@HB, 10-13-08
Rain squalls and zero visibilty at times, made Rabbit Island observations a challenge, and caused an early end to the day. The Rabbit Island cast was initially R301 and Buster down near the 3rd Blue Sign (3BS), and M&M hauled out at the left end and spent the day by herself.

I found Rocky , once again on the left side rock flats, for a day #2 continuation of her Hanauma Bay stay. I reasonably sure that she overnighted. Aloha, DB

DB Post Sunday October 12th

M&M,R301@RI, Rocky@HB, Buster(?)@BH, 10-12-08
First thing I found Rocky on the left side flats at Hanauma Bay, in Ewa Girl's usual spot. Apparently Ewa Girl's 3 day , 2 night package ended.

At 0717 I found a medium sized, new coated , red tagged animal at Blowhole,doing 10 minute dives. At end of day the animal was still there, but doing 8 minute dives. I can't prove a thing, but my Monachus gene tells me that it was Buster. Perhaps by best argument is the fact that he was not on Rabbit Island today.

The Rabbit Island cast was M&M and R301 at the left end. The only action was moving up with the rising tide in the afternoon. There was no observed interaction.

The Billands covered every hectare of the W and SW quadrants and found nothing

DB Post Saturday October 11th

M&M,R301&Buster@RI, Ewa Girl@HB, Rocky@Kokee(Portlock)
M&M,R301 and Buster were once again at what has become their usual spot on the beach front incline at the left end of RI. Initially, it was just the boys, but at 1009 M&M hauled out to join them.

I found Ewa Girl, still at her usual spot on the left side flats at Hanauma Bay. This is her 3rd consecutive day there.

The highlight of the day began at 1055 with a call from Tracy, about an animal on the Kokee flats in Portlock. It was only then that I realized my phone had neglected to tell me I had voicemail, and when I checked I found that Portlock Posse Person , TJ, had called just moments before to advise me of an animal behind his house on Hanapepe Loop, Portlock. I went to his home, and sure enough I found Rocky, and Tracy down on the flats below me. Since it was a rising tide, and the flats were totally under water, Rocky had hauled up onto the bottom 3 steps of TJ's walkway to the water. I don't wanna' start rumors or anything, but........ Rocky is lookin' alittle chunky around the edges. Hmmmmmm?????? Aloha, DB

DB Post Friday October 10th

M&M,R301,Buster&RB08@RI, Ewa Girl@HB, Kermit&Irma@KCG, 10-10-8
It was an off and on rainy day, with difficult visibility, but the afternoon cleaned up a bit. The day began with Ewa Girl, still at Hanauma Bay. As is usually the case after trips, she overnighted for a 2nd day on her left side flats. She remained there all day.

The Rabbit Island cast was exactly the same as yesterday. M&M,R301,Buster and RB08 were all in a tightly packed little grouping at the left end of the island.

Team Billand had Whale Watch prep duties today, but did check in at 1526 to report that they had found Kermit and Irma at Kalaeloa Campgrounds (KCG), at yesterday's location. Aloha, DB