Close encounters

I bought a beat up wicker chair at the thrift store today. I decided to spray paint it, so I spread out paper in our side yard. As I waited for the first coat to dry, a huge beetle landed on the arm of the chair. I was surprised I had never seen that type of beetle before, as I am well versed in the names of plants, animals and insects. Turns out, it was a click beetle.

I've seen smaller beetles in the same family, just not this one. I was actually a little startled. It was pretty as far as beetles go. Before I could grab my camera, he flew away.

About an hour later when I went to get the chair, I heard all sorts of commotion next door. I saw the resident red-tailed hawk causing some sort of ruckus with the sparrows next door. I think he took one of their babies from the nest. They were swooping and attacking him, which is what led me to that conclusion. I was sad for a minute, but hey-that's nature, right?