mic #856, Striped Racer, (00)
@ 34.755517, -120.350819 & 2015.04.26 ; 16:45 ; <2h. St 55.
Ca 135, ~3.8 mi. W Bell Rd., Los Alamos. W bd lane. Riparian/ field. Witnessed. First seen alive on my W bd lane, as car approached, turned and bolted for the shoulder (I had to swerve a little). Still, stopped and walked back to check, but could not find it. Found a rd. killed Cal Quail instead (see mic #854). In making notes, saw a 2nd rd-kill from car: a kingsnake (mic#855). While photographing (16:46, nothing on rd.) and recording this one I looked back and saw the racer again on the road, coiled, so I ran back (30- 40 yds) to check, but it had already been badly hit, and was thrashing about helplessly, with mid body stuck to rd. (1st. photo 16:50!). Then took it to roadside where it stopped moving after some 10 minutes or so. Adult, SVL ~739 mm; Tail ~322 mm. Xt, fs.