Salamander whisperer...Spencer and his infinite intrigue to the amphinbious life of water.

temporary holding fully equiped the a lily for shade and a few sticks.

waiting in the weeds....searching for the orange bellied salamanders.

Spencer has always had a profound interest in amphibians. He has them on his mind always. Wherever we are he asks and or searches for any trace of a salamander, frog, or toad. He has an amazing ability to spot them in the water and an even more amazing ability to catch them too. He is gentle, sweet, and just plain in love with these little creatures. He follows a strict capture, view, study, and release policy. He is sure to tell you all he knows about any creature he catches or looks for with a few embellishments a five year old boy will throw in his description of each little critter. It is such a sight to see him wading through weedy grassy areas of the water, where most people do not dare to go. All the other kids at the lake will watch from a distance and or keep playing only to stop when he returns with two hands full of the orange bellied newts. I found that I really can't stop him when he is 100 yards away from me and the roped of swimming area, I just trust and let him have his space to watch and wait looking for the "Sallys" in the weeds. It has made many parents concerned over the distance he covers and when other kids try to follow him their parents call them back or they turn back on their own account as soon as they feel the weeds at their feet. While he scours the edge of the lake his Ruben plays "marco"..."polo" in the background of this video.