South/Aldercroft side - 2/12/2020

Coverage: Aldercroft Heights Road intersection to stop sign.
Time: 9:54am - 11:46am

Weather: Warm, clear, dry, has been dry for quite a while now.
Rainfall: MTD 0.02 in, YTD 15.21 in (per http://www.weathercat.net/wxraindetail.php)

Vehicles: 21 (including one MidPen truck and several trucks working on Soda Springs Road)
Bikes: 2
Pedestrians: 0

One of the Soda Springs workers asked what I was doing and was sympathetic.

88 dead newts, none fresh, most very dry
1 dead Jerusalem cricket
1 dead squirrel (I think western grey)
1 dead young ring-necked snake

While both the squirrel and snake were found on the road, neither were obviously run over, so I won't label them as roadkill, since I'm not sure what got them.

Publicado el febrero 13, 2020 05:21 MAÑANA por newtpatrol newtpatrol

Comentarios

So many snakes! I found one on Tuesday, and two last week.
I think that not all roadkills are flat. An animal could get hit by a car, and still look pretty intact. If they don't move out of the way, they will eventually get also run over. Many of the fresh newts we find on the road are still in good shape, sometimes they look like they're alive, but they have been hit by a car. Also, I can't see another reason for a dead animal to be on the road. If at all, this is a place where they can't last very long.

Publicado por merav hace alrededor de 4 años

@merav, would predators leave something like a snake or squirrel on the road if interrupted in their dinner by a vehicle?
Good point about some roadkill looking almost alive. I saw many cases like that.

Publicado por truthseqr hace alrededor de 4 años

I think they might. But I would also think the animal won't be intact, or at least have some blood on it?

Publicado por merav hace alrededor de 4 años

Agregar un comentario

Acceder o Crear una cuenta para agregar comentarios.