Derek Neary
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 22/98) - An injured raven chick should be back in its nest shortly, says the Department of Wildlife.

Yellowknifer Kathy Sputek noticed the little raven on the side of the road in Kam Lake industrial park Wednesday morning. It had fallen from a nest in a dormant crane in a scrapyard. "It was trying to fly and didn't quite make it," Sputek said.

The bird had injured its wing and its eye. Consequently, there was no way it could rejoin its two nestmates. Despite the adversity, the bird was dubbed "Lucky."

Sputek put on a pair of gloves and moved the bird inside the fencing so it wouldn't wander onto the road and get hit by a car. The bird's parents threatened to attack, cawing and swooping nearby.

She called the Department of Wildlife who took Lucky away that afternoon and concluded that the bird had bounced off one of the scrapped cars.

Department specialist Brett Elkin said Thursday that Lucky is suffering only a minor eye infection and will be released as soon as possible.

"Hopefully we'll put him back where he belongs ... back in the nest, because he's too young to fly," Elkin said.