Hard to believe this photo is six years old already, with one of our legendary Hawaiian monk seal mothers, Honey Girl. Here she is with her last pup in 2019, Makoa. Unfortunately, we lost him as a weaner and we lost Honey Girl the next year during the pandemic. 📷📸🦭🦊

It’s been a little muggy and rainy the last week here on Oahu, so sharing a rainbow for Aloha Friday in hopes of better weather over the next week! 📸📷

Another benefit of being home, I had the opportunity to make the rounds with one of our local @HIMarineAnimal volunteers and observe 21 of our Laysan albatross chicks, including this one sitting out in an open field. Their plumage is starting to shift to the adult feathers. 📸📷🪶

Pulling one out from the archives for Sunset Sunday… a beautiful sunset from Mokule’ia on Oahu’s North Shore! 📸📷

On a hike out at the end of the day, long after the monk seal count had finished, I found RL42 where I had seen her at 8 am that morning, snoozing away in a tide pool. In more recent years, I've been able to watch RL42 with her own pups... hopefully, I'll get that chance this summer too! 📷📸🦑🦭🦊

Another beautiful day in NYC and a good excuse to take the camera out to Central Park. This double-crested cormorant was fishing just off the view point where I stopped, which gave me a good chance for a quick portrait. 📸📷🪶

This Honu paused on the way back into the ocean to take a last look in my direction. 📷📸🐢🦑🦭

I heard rumors of a Hawaiian monk seal on the Big Island that weighed 1000 pounds. Most monk seals are between 450-600 pounds. 1000 pounds? I had to see this for myself, & as luck would have it, while I was exploring a beach on the Kona side in 2021, Waimanu hauled out for an afternoon snooze. 📷📸🦭🦑

Any time I visit the Big Island, I always make a stop in at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach to check out the Honu there... on the way to the eruption, we pulled into Punalu'u and that allowed me to capture these three Honu basking on the black sand. 🤙🏼📷📸🐢

Another great spot to watch the power a winter swell brings to the North Shore is Shark’s Cove… the waves hit the back of the reef with explosive results! 📷📸🌊

Wishing you a #MeleKalikimaka with #ShakaSanta. #Aloha! 📸📷

A Honu coming ashore on a remote beach on Oahu's North Shore. 📸📷🦑🐢🦎

Before and after his very first molt with Holokai (#MonkSealRG40)... you've seen the "before" as my annual Halloween green goblin photo, but I love the side by side of these two images, taken just a few weeks apart, where the "after" is his fresh coat. 📷📸🦑🦊

A remote and rocky beach in the Kipahulu area of Hana, Maui. 📷📸

A singing Honu at Ho’okipa Beach on Maui on Turtle Tuesday. 🤙🏼📷📷🦭🐢🐙

Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #26,178. Wow… very cool to see the growth here!

A dinosaur spotted in White Sands National Park, the Callisaurus… also known as a Western Zebra-tailed Lizard. 🤙🏼📷📸🦎🐢

A super rare photo from the archives... does this Honu look like she's enjoying a bath, or trying to get me to help her get out of this little hole on the reef? 📷📸🐢🦎🦑

Before my wife and I got married here in 2014 (ten years ago today), we made multiple planning trips and considered where to hold the ceremony. Shipwreck Beach was just as beautiful when we visited as it was on the day of our wedding.

Luana and her pup got separated and she was began vocalizing to get him to come back up the beach to where she was. While she looks a little wild eyed, she actually could see right where he was and like any mother does, was telling him to come back to her. 📷📸🦭🦊🐙

Happy #EarthDay! Here's a shot of one of Oahu's most famous Hawaiian monk seals, Honey Girl, snoozing to the sound of the crashing waves, without a footprint in the sand around her. Hoping we can continue to coexist with these amazing animals, and save the species from extinction. 🦭📸📷🦊

I feel a little sluggish today after an 19-hour day yesterday, including a brutal 10- or 11-hour drive back to NYC with half the city on the roads with us, but… … it was worth it. 📷📸

Hearing about baby monk seals born early in the season in Hawaii (pups can be born any time of year, but typically between May and September) reminds me of when my wife and I got to show her parents this March baby on the Big Island. #MonkSealMonday 📸📷🦭🦊

Just before the lockdown in 2020, my wife & I took a hike on Oahu’s North Shore, this little one - RL74, a weaner from Molokai who wasn’t quite a year old. She woke up from an afternoon snooze to spot me and my big lens across the tide pool... what do you think of her expression? 📷📸🦭🦊

While Hawaiian monk seals are often thought of as solitary animals, they do occasionally appear in groups, usually all males, like this one out on Oahu's west side. This is the most Hawaiian monk seals I've ever seen gathered together on one beach. 📷📸🦭🦊

Sometimes, it’s not what you go looking for, but what you find. At Laniakea Beach, I make the trip to photograph the beautiful Honu resting on the beach… but on the way back to the car, I spotted this beauty. Happy Aloha Flower Friday! 📸📷🌸

I finally have a shot appropriate for the 🦊 channel. Beat up my knees skiing at the beginning of the week (but the powder was so much fun), so took it easy today and went for a drive with Annie to see what we could find. Good idea! 📷📸🦊

Happy Monk Seal Monday. I do love the light in this image of La’akea on Oahu’s North Shore. 📷📸🦭🦑🦊

I’ve been looking forward to seeing this print for a while. Shipped it directly to my collector and planned to sign it on my next trip through Arizona. Took me longer than I expected, but now it’s signed… Aloha! 📸📷

I was leaning out to take a shot of Waimea Valley on Kauai, and looked to my left and found this guy staring at me. How could I resist taking his photo? 📸📷🦊

A flashback to February 2016, when I identified a new visitor to Oahu... while he wasn't seen on Oahu beyond a second sighting later that week, Kauai volunteers shared photos that helped me confirm he is now one of their regular resident seals.

One of my all-time favorite monk seal images, Sole had tucked himself into a little crevice in the reef, and I was trying to carefully find an angle to photograph him, without disturbing him. As I lined up my shot, he turned his head and looked right at me. 📸📷🦭🦑

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the ocean lovers out there. Aloha! 📸📷🌊

I Love Waikiki… just a little something for the holiday this week.

Beautifully warm day in NYC was a good excuse to go exploring Central Park today… found a beautiful hawk who cooperated for a portrait session too! 📸📷🪶

Last year, around this time, I was out on a rainy and windy beach, volunteering my time to watch over this mother and pup pair, and so outreach as people hiked out to this remote location.

A pair of juvenile Hawaiian monk seals getting to know each other for a little monk seal love, Kimo Kai (Monk Seal RT12) and Luana (Monk Seal RN58). 📸📷🦑🦊🦭

Nice to get out of the city for a drive sometimes… beautiful blue skies today!

When I lived near Hawaii, I would post my lava shots during the cold winter months to warm up my mainland friends… … after this morning’s commute in below freezing temperatures, I’m posting one to warm myself up. 📸📷

We've had a bit of snow in the city this week, and there is still the excitement and novelty of it all after almost 20 years in Hawaii. The subway stations looked beautiful tonight with a little white wrapping. 📸📷

A shot of Ipo snoozing peacefully at her favorite beach from one of the circle island tours I took with friends a few years ago.

I often share a snoozing shot of RIP (#MonkSealRR70), peacefully sleeping in a tidal pool. However, there is another side to this big alpha male. Take a look at the size of his head, and the muscles on display here, chasing the younger males out of a ride pool and away from a young female seal.

First Monk Seal Monday of 2024… how about this photo of Sadie (Monk Seal RB12) from January a few years ago. One of my favorites!

A New Year’s Eve tradition… wishing you all a fantastic 2024… Annie and I always liked to celebrate the ball dropping in NYC) from Honolulu, but now that we’re in NYC, I have to see if we’ll make it to the ball dropping in local time. Happy New Year! Aloha! 📷📸

Mele Kalikimaka! Hope you enjoy the holidays. #Aloha! 📸📷

How about a little Waterfall Wednesday? Wailua Falls on Kauai, with just a touch of a rainbow. Been seeing rainbows on Oahu this week… could maybe use a little less rain. Aloha! 📷📸

On today’s drive around Oahu, I came across a monk seal, tucked in the brush at the edge of a beach, and her tag identified her as Monk Seal RJ58, better known as Kaimana. It wasn't a great photo opp, since she was well tucked in among the brush, so here's a shot of her at just one week old. 📷📸🦑🦊🦭

I haven’t seen too many Hawaiian monk seals on my trips to Maui, so it was great to get a chance to photograph this 23-year-old female seal, RQ21, a few years ago. 📷📸🦊🦭🦑

I am reminded that today is World Wildlife Conservation Day! I continue to hope that my weekly Monk Seal Monday post will raise awareness for conserving this beautiful animal.

Happy Turkey Day to all who celebrate! 📷📸🪶