WHALES HO!!!

GRAY WHALE BLOW

marrowstone island april 27 2011

This may not be the most exciting whale photo you have seen.........but then,

it might be one of the most amazing in that I took this photo while standing on the beach

no more than 100 feet from this Gray Whale as it fed in the shallows

off East Beach County Park, Marrowstone Island........

This has been an incredible week for whale watching here, taking my mind

in new directions as I walk the beach and pick up trash that may be killing

these amazing creatures.........

First, there was a Humpback last Wednesday, cruising up the east shore in the early

morning.......then there was a Gray Whale and several Harbor Porpoises three days ago.

Then, this Gray Whale decided to root around in the sand flats where I often walk at

lower tides..........Can't wait to see what the whale created in the flat as it continually

rolled, and dug into the sand, tossing up shrimp and, no doubt, the many sandlance

that burrow here as if these fish thought they were clams?

I took several photos of its flippers and tail that was heavily scarred and had a chunk

torn away..........Cascadia Research is now checking those photos to try to identify

this individual.........Will keep you posted if any news on where this Gray Whale

might have traveled in recent months and years.

In the meantime, there are orcas in the vicinity, but I keep missing them!

Friends watched them kill a sea lion recently, down on Marrowstone Point and

I found a harbor seal washed ashore shortly after the whales had been

on the prowl..........The whales had apparently tossed it around too.......

See the Orca Network Website and Facebook images for

spectacular images of what was likely the Humpback we saw

last week here on Marrowstone.

The Humpbacks are returning from Hawaii

and returning in numbers as their population recovers from

whaling days not all that long ago........

It is so good to see these whales, to watch them spray their breath into 

the same air we breathe........ 

REPORPOISING PLASTICS PUTS US ON A PLAYFUL PATH.....

"REPORPOISED PLASTIC"

and

REAL FISH PARTS

Kids at Breidablik have taught me a great deal about staying with a project.

They've been collecting bottle caps now for two years,

waiting for just the right way to use them.

They are now collecting plastic bags

because we have settled on our Playful Project on their Playground Fence.

The "Queen Fish" on the right is made from fused plastic bags.

The Sawfish body part is from an actual Sawfish, Thanks to my Cousin Tom!

The stingray tail, far left is also from Tom's vast sealife collection.

The lumpy looking plastic is a fused RePorpoised art piece

in its early stages.....

See an earlier post for instructions and ingredients of some of our first

Reporpoised Fish made from beach plastics and other

recyclables.

Keep checking back to see our project as it continues to grow

as we discover new ways of RePorpoising.

Remember Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle..........?

I much prefer RePorpoise, Restore, and Remember the Ocean!

Thanks to all the Breidablik staff, parents, and students for

helping our area and the more distant ocean world

where Albatrosses Soar......

Every piece of plastic you RePorpoise

helps saves the seas!

NENE...........OR, WHY KAUAI MATTERS SO MUCH

Nene with two chicks.

Kauai. November 2010.

Not all that long ago, Nene, the State Bird of Hawaii,

were thought to be in danger of extinction.

Thanks to captive breeding in England and on the mainland,

as well as to forward thinking biologists like Paul Banko,

The Nene is surviving, especially on Kauai.........

WHY KAUAI?

 Little by Little, the main Hawaiian Islands

are becoming carbon copies of the mainland.

IZ sang about this and anyone with a sense of place in the islands

knows full well that freeways and stop lights

along with Walmarts, Costcos, and Timeshare Condos

spell doom for native plants and animals as well as 

the island way of life........

Nene have survived on Kauai because of land use restrictions

and because of the lack of serious predation by mongoose and because

native vegetation still thrives in places where the geese need habitat for

raising their young.

Dogs, Cats, Mongoose.......all these are threats on other islands.

When these predators are kept away

 AND

 good quality NATIVE PLANT HABITAT is present, Nene thrive.

Ironically, Nene also inhabit golf courses and some urbanizing areas

where people actually feed them.........not to be widely publicized for sure,

but these little geese can live in our presence if we pay attention to basic needs.

But just like golf courses anywhere on earth, careful consideration needs to be

aimed at maintaining native plantings and healthy riparian vegetation (streamside,

pondside, and oceanside plants that include nene food sources such as

ohelo and pukiawe). 

I photographed the Nene above at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.

But, I saw my first Nene down at what eventually became the

Poipu Bay Golf Course.........I see them now along the

bluffs and open dry lowlands

above Moloa'a Bay and Larsen's Beach

where Laysan Albatross also nest.........

If you visit Kauai, make sure you stop at the Kilauea Point NWR.

Take a look at the banding of the Nene.

Just like Monk Seals, these bands help researchers and

curious naturalists

learn more about these animals.

While on Kauai, chances are good you will see

Whales, Dolphins, Nene, Albatross (winter only), and

Monk Seals.........You might be surprised when and where

you encounter these birds and mammals, often at very crowded shores.

This is because habitat is present and, so far, human disturbances

have not reached levels beyond which that habitat value is lost to wild creatures.

No matter where you stand on earth, some creature is missing or much

reduced in numbers. Their presence or absence is what makes for the beauty

of all life.........Bringing back a single plant or animal, or protecting those

holding on in fragile ways........This is what we can do with and for our children.

Just last night, I watched a pair of Canada Geese working on their nesting area.

Not all that long ago, they were like the Nene, gone from much of our mainland.

Now, many of you will probably say Canada Geese are TOO abundant.

Wouldn't it be nice to say that about more animals!

MONK SEAL.........UPDATE WITH GOOD NEWS!!!

This is Monk Seal T12, photographed last fall at the very northern end of

Aliomanu Bay, just as it bumps into a point of rocks.

I'd posted this photo and remember so well that morning.

The seal was bothered by a buoy, free floating along with much more trash.....

This morning, I got word of a sighting of T12 on Kauai down on

Waipouli Beach!!!!!

THIS IS GOOD NEWS

for many reasons.

Thanks to Brenda Becker and other scientists,

Monk Seals are tagged, identifying them so that we can all help with research.

Monk Seals are among the rarest mammals on the planet

and some believe they have no chance to survive...........

LET'S PROVE THIS TO BE WRONG!!!

While the overall population of monk seals is declining

(at 4% per year in the NW Hawaiian Islands),

many more people are out there, cleaning beaches,

helping the survival rate increase, especially in the main Hawaiian Islands.

Entanglement in nets, fishing gear, and other debris is a killer,

so any time you remove plastics from a beach, anywhere leading to the Pacific,

YOU ARE HELPING MONK SEALS SURVIVE!!!

In 2009 two pups were born on Kauai, 1 on Oahu, 4 on Molokai, and 1 on Maui.

I will give you an update soon and share other photos of T12 and other

Monk Seals you might also get to know and to help!

Thanks for any comments, especially if you see a Monk Seal

or

Begin or Continue a Pacific Ocean Beach Cleanup!

As for me.........I think I will make a seal from the plastic stash

collected over the weekend......Thanks to Ray Lowrie for bringing by

a bag full of plastic bags his newpaper comes in each morning.....and to

Central Market Staff for the great plastic film

they tear from pallets of frozen food.

There is a lot of quite beautiful plastic waiting to be repurposed and in so doing,

to save a seal.........or albatross.........or who knows, someone

sitting right next to you.........