A DETERMINED great blue heron holds on tightly to its prey as the furry gopher attempts to wriggle free. With all its tiny might, the rodent manages to pull its paw free from the clutch of the huge heron's beak. This moment was caught by professional photographer Daniel Dietrich, 44, in Point Reyes, California. Daniel, originally of New York, says: “The blue heron first attempted to spear the gopher with its beak while the rodent retreated into its burrow.
HOTSPOT MEDIA - FUNKY BUMP: FROM MIRROR bellies to rainbow bumps these pregnancy casts of stone and bronze could be the funkiest way to preserve your bump for posterity .
DASHING through the snow, this little stoat is on the lookout for a Christmas feast .
Primed and ready for action, this collection of striking images from the battlefield could be mistaken for authentic photos taking during World War II .
CARRYING a fully grown goat on his back, this five-year-old boy is a child shepherd in the mountains of northern Ethiopia .
SKIPPING on the spot, an adorable little owl embraces the 'running man' challenge .
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
SITTING in the middle of a vast desert, an abandoned cinema is still waiting for its first movie to be screened .
FISTS fly as two gorillas take each other on in a dramatic battle .
SPURTING water 20ft into the air, this is one well you wouldn't want to dip your bucket into .
SWIMMING in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers .
FROM motorcycling to department store shopping these spookily faceless people are part of the Chinese-fad for wearing protective solar-visors in public .