Pufflings

Iceland has lots of Puffins, and the Westman Islands has the biggest colony. The babys are born in the summer, and by the end of August the parents start to migrate, leaving the young puffins or "pufflings" to fend for themselves. Many get confused by the lights shining on pavement thinking it's the ocean, and fly into town instead of out to sea. The children (and some of the adults) have puffling hunts at night at this time of year to rescue them. Some nights as many as 50 are found! They keep them overnight, then the next day take them down to the sea to release them. Two of the people on our tour went out with some local people and found several pufflings. We had a chance to see them this mornings, and then they were allowed to release them from the back of the ferry today.