There is probably not other more nobler sport than that
practiced by
the youngsters of the Westmann Islands during the month of August.That is the time at wich the juvenile puffins appear on the scene.
There is probably not other more nobler sport than that
practiced by
the youngsters of the Westmann Islands during
the month of August.That is the time at wich the juvenile puffins appear
on the scene.
The parent of the birds have stopped bringing the youngsters
food, and hunger forces them out of their holes in the sides of the cliffs.
At night, the lights of the town attract the young birds so they spread
their wings and glide down from the mountains in their hundreds. But as
many a
human being has learned, the glitter of the city is not
all that it seems. Landings on pavements and asphalt can be quite rough,
and gardens can be dark and dangerous with lurking cats. Nonetheless, the
"baby puffins" have allies in this asphalt jungle.
The local children, who are allowed to stay out late on
these August nights,are everywhere with helping hands. They roam the streets
of the town with cardboard boxes, and collect the small birds that have
taken the wrong route in hope of food and freedom.
It's not unusual for a single youngster to catch ten
or more puffins in one
evening.
The juvenile puffins spend the night as guests in the
homes of their rescuers and early the next morning, the children set out
with their boxes full of puffins to return them to the wild. The children
choose good site where the birds have easy access to the sea,and then the
birds are taken out of their boxes one by one, and thrown high into the
air. They can then glide towards the sea and their freedom.
There these adept little swimmers are able to fend for
themselves until they are strong enough to fly.
More informations about puffins: