BRITISH kingfishers love to cool off by creating a splash. During the sizzling summer days these kings of the river enjoy hunting for fish AND indulge in a dip at the same time. Stunning pictures show how the charismatic kingfisher dive bombs at speeds of up to 25-miles-per hour to catch their little fish prey. Pre-press operator Mark Bridger, 44, from West Malling in Kent took to the pictures while he was out rambling in the countryside. There are between 5,000 to 8,000 breeding pairs of kingfishers living in Britain at any one time. They live in the whole of the British Isles except west Ireland, the Outer Hebrides and the edge of northwest Scotland
PERCHED on a branch, these two frogs hold hands as they look into the camera .
LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .
CONTRASTING settings reveal some of England’s most beautiful landscapes in all their glory .
SAILING peacefully across a river in the early morning light, a fisherman in China keeps a 1000 year old tradition alive .
A photographer has captured spellbinding images of stars swirling above the English countryside .
A brave praying mantis makes an unusual friend in an Oriental garden lizard .
THESE kingfishers prove no rod is needed as they go fishing for their dinner .
LYING flat out on his back, this little meerkat makes the most of the English sunshine .
ROLLING across a 65-metre-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings .
When couples talk about wanting a white wedding, few will be referring to getting hitched on a glacier sat on top of an active volcano .
GETTING behind the camera, this monkey practices his photography skills on his friends .
