We had the most amazing experience in Witless Bay , I was chatting with a visitor from B.C.who was staying at the same place we were in Witless Bay, (she needed a roll of toilet paper ) I was happy too oblige her ! Anyway she asked me if we seen the baby Puffins there---I said no ---she proceeded to tell me you have to see what these people do near the Ecology Centre at 9:00 - 9:30am . So we checked it out and it was so amazing to learn that this couple Juergen & Elfie Schau who are from Berlin and spend their summers in Witless Bay, had discovered that the baby Puffins were coming on shore at night and were going to die if not helped, so they started patrolling the shore line and street lights in Witless Bay, including the local children and anyone who could help collect them to be released , they have people coming in from outlying communities! As Friday morning was very rainy and foggy we went off too the Ecology Centre with our friends from New Brunswick, we thought as we waited that this must be a mistake of information I had been given , thinking no one would venture out in this weather.Well with a knock at our truck window and this gal says if we would like to see this happen to follow the group back to Juergen's garage. They had collected 11 Baby Puffins the previous night and had them in small cat like cages, while Juergen was explaining to all us "tourists" about the Plight of the baby puffin's that Fledge at night as they are a nocturnal bird , but depend on the Moon and Stars to find their "Burrow" and are confused when the weather turns bad . This attracts them to the Brighter Lights onshore of Witless Bay and can easily become cat food or hit by vehicles ! They also dehydrate by circling the lights and die! As Elfie Schau was weighing & measuring each bird someone else was Banding them , Leann Mahoney from CPAWS-Nl. who came on board and got involved 4yrs.ago does the Documentation of Statistics and helps with the process. These people are Angels for going out in any kind of weather to save these tiny birds ,throughout the night in Witless Bay , even the Mayor of Witless Bay Sebastien Despres is clearly concerned and is there through the night collecting these Puffins too ! Juergen and Elfie explain that To-day is such a special day for them all because they had number 800 here in the crate saved for this season alone and with these others they had surpassed 800 this morning ! Juergen said we should follow them because of the bad weather we will go down to the Fish Plant to release them by gently tossing them into the air 1 at a time and to be certain they take the first "dive", as this indicates they can avoid being Gull food ! I was able to release a baby Puffin back to the sea , and give it a name too, (Maya) "my Grandaughter's name "was my Puffin I released !!. If you gently toss it into the air and it lands on the water and dives under it is safe and will return to it's Burrow off shore.!Juergen explained that they have never had a banded bird return to the Witless Bay lights , once saved they spend most of the year far out at sea and are better swimmers than Flyers, the baby won't return for 5 years to mate lay 1 egg and the Process continues ! As a tourist from On.I knew little or none of this prior to my chat with another tourist over toilet paper where we were staying in Witless Bay. I Thank Juergen & Elfie Schau for such an Educating experience and Memories of Newfoundland I will always remember with a smile on my face and an eager anticipation of returning to Witless Bay and maybe being able to show our Grandchildren we all can make a difference for the Puffins . These people are" True Angels of Witless Bay " I have attached a picture of myself holding a puffin for the very first time with Elfie watching and guiding me on how to handle them and the second is a photo of the birds in their crates they had gathered the night before. Ruth & Earl Reist   Submitted By: Ruth Reist