December 29, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand.  
Also I managed down load a few of my photos from yesterdays' Rabbit Island observation.

Team Billand started there day at 7:15 am this morning at a west side location. They spotted a seal coming in to rocks to the right and the tide was still high. It was RW02 PvKauai coming in and settling down, his tags were visible. Team Billand left this site to check other locations.

At 7:45 they were at the outfall and spotted a seal coming in and doing dome foraging, not stealing fish. The seal did not stay long and they were unable to make an ID. The critter had two tags, clean and they didn't see any scars on it's back. 

At 11 am they were surprised when they cam across Kekoa Alii RK72 at a westside location. He is a big clean critter, and hanging out in the waterhole sleeping. They spotted the scar on the right of his face, confirming his ID and so happy to have him back on Oahu.  

Now they see Kawena RH36 to the right of Kekoa, sleeping on her side. She is looking peaceful, her tags were showing and she barely moved while the watched over her.

RW02 PvKauai was still there all the to the right, inland resting.

Team Billand spotted another seal hauling in and up on the rocks to the right. It's RH76 Kala, she lands and turns to rest on her side. The rising tide was getting to her, but she hung in there and spent the day.

Team Billand got a call from one of the folks at Paradise Cove to let them know a seal had hauled up. The woman wanted to help and wanted to know where she could find the signs and rope for put up for the seal. It's always nice when people from the community step up and sincerely want to help.
Building community relationships, outreach and respecting people are key to helping the Hawaiian monk seals.
When Team Billand arrived there was Kolohe RW22 resting near the waters edge. There were signs out and volunteer Brit was onsite trying to keep folks from entering the zone. But without ropes people just don't view the signs as a barrier. 
Team Billand recognized Brit was working extra hard to keep folks back so they gave her some rope from their car.  This made it easier for Brit and safer for Kolohe. win!win!

Team Billand headed back to the westside to check on the gang and

now there were six critters. RN14 Kalani had joined the others. He was way out on the rocks, in the glare it was hard to see his natural bleach or tags. He finally moved a bit and they got to read his N15 tag, see his natural bleach.
While observing Kalani here comes another.

Here comes no other than Ka'ale RH32 bosom buddy of RN14.  Meantime volunteer Melina arrives. Ka'ale hauled up on lower rocks with Kawena, and surprisingly no interaction. 
Seems this was the place to be if you were a seal today. 

Four seals at 3BS (Sat 12/28/19)

 U/J - U/M

 UU x2

RW02 PvKauai

 UU @outfall 

Kekoa Alii RK72

 Kawena

 Kala RH76 

RN14 Kalani

 Kolohe at Paradise Cove

Ka'ale RH32

December 28, 2019 Monk Seal Dailies

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand, Lesley and a brief update from me. Lesley's Ka'ena update is part two of the dailies.

I managed to get out to Waimanalo today and Makai Pier was locked up and appears it will not be accessible to the public until further notice. So I went a little way down the road and pulled over at the beach park. Although it was not windy, it was overcast. I spotted 4 seals all hauled out by the 3BS.  One seal was most likely one of 2019 kids, laying directly next to it was an unidentified male. The younger smaller seal was on its belly and both seals were very sandy. In face all four seals had a bad case of shake and bake. The other two seals U/Us both were larger, subadult to adult size, but unable to determine any markers or gender.  (I am still working on getting the pictures from the camera SD card to my computer). I did manage to get a couple of pics of the pier with my phone.

Team Billand was out with junior sealette Olivia when they spotted a seal on shore from afar. Grandpa and Olivia went to check and Grandma stayed with the other seals at a nearby location.
Grandpa Robert and Oliva found RW02 PvKauai resting on shore alone. There were lots of people out and about, and when Team Billand checked in again a couple hours later RW02 was gone.

Meantime Grandma was watching over RIP RR70 resting on lower rocks.  RN14 Kalani was to the right way out on the rocks alone.  Then Kala RH76 came in and went up to rest by RN14.

About 1 am Team Billand went over to KoOlina and found Kolohe RW22.  There were LOTS of people out today and fortunately someone had placed four signs.
Team Billand spent lots of time educating people about Kolohe who was resting on shore. AND then there were those people who just didn't get it or e care and walked right over to Kolohe.  Team Billand called the hotline and explained the situation.  
Team Billand had to leave to take Olivia home and they could see as soon as they left people were getting close.
Normally I don't make a big deal out of this, but here is a perfect example of a location where JUST signs do not work. A person needs to be on site, to keep people educated, informed and accountable.
Honestly, I sometimes wish the seals would just lunge or show their teeth, to scare the crap out of a few folks.   (okay enough ranting on my part)

Sign at Makai Pier 

 RW02 PvKauai

 RIP RR70 

RN14 Kalani

 RH76 Kala

Kalani & Kala

Kolohe @ KoOlina

 Kolohe - go back to Rabbit Island or Ka'ena Point 

December 28. 2019 (part 2 ) Lesley's Ka'ena Update

Hope everybody has had a wonderful X-mas with family and friends. It sure has been a crazy full week around here both at home and in the park.

On Thursday Team T&D and I went out with I went out with Lindsay and Eric to monitor the Albatrosses after the storm we had on X-Mas day. Team T&D met us out there. Eric found a non banded Albatross and brought him to be banded by Lindsay and also have some feathers plucked from it's chest for DNA purposes (that's also how we know if it's a male or female). They had family and friends join us by hiking and the kids were thrilled to see the banding. There were lots of Q&A

This morning I went out to do the roads assessment in the park - it will remain closed for the permitted vehicles. Puddles were gigantic and it's very slippery. That has not stopped hikers of coming out. Our kids had a blast in the puddles and checking on #289's nest, he swapped places and the female has been on the egg for the last couple of days

Out in the NARS the Albatrosses were still hunkered on their nests.

The big attraction was on Back Beach were RL74 Kami and RL98 Lina were hauled out. Both had definitely overnighted up on the Naupakas. Unfortunately to many visitors for them to go on resting peacefully so they made their way to the waterline. Much easier to do outreach by using the line between sand and corals to keep them back a good 50feet from the seals.

RL74 Kami's CC bite is healing fast and it was nice to h ave RL98 Lina back.

Little RL20 Kalua boy could follow her steps and come by to say hi.

We did not see the Snow Geese today.  More tomorrow