This is the first I've seen a spotted salamander in the wild and it was literally on our doorstep. Based on the stuff I found the Missouri Dept. of Conservation's page on them it was probably out looking to breed, since we saw it right before that storm front came through that caused all the damage south of us.
"An early spring breeder. In the first warm rains in late February to mid-March, they gather to breed in shallow, fishless woodland ponds."Maybe it was breeding down in the creek. I don't know what other fishless water sourch it could be using around here otherwise. It's an interesting looking critter that's for sure.
