STAR-TI-LING: 40,000 STARLINGS MIMIC HITCHCOCK'S THE BIRDS- This could be the fearsome scene from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds as a flock of 40,000 starlings bask in the heat of a wonderful British sunset. The extraordinary light and shadows echoes the 1960s hit film as huge numbers of the birds appear ready to descend and attack earth below. Fortunately it was actually a far more peaceful setting on Brighton Pier as the amazing murmuration of the birds gathered around the coastline of the seaside resort. They swooped around in the winter sun in February this year, as captured by Hove based photographer Alan Mackenzie. He said despite the large numbers of birds, they have dramatically dwindled in recent decades.Alan, 32, said: "Moments like this make me proud to live on such a beautiful planet and appreciative of the fact that, as a human living in the modern world, I am privileged enough to observe it all
These photographs of extreme weather capture storms furiously rolling across the sky above America .
A brave leopard kicks back and relaxes in the sunshine - just inches from an enormous crocodile .
ROLLING around in the snow, these young brown bears take a break from their play fight to share a tender hug with one another .
A lazy otter finds the ideal spot to soak up the sun and sleep off his lunch .
A Little owl looks down the lens of a camera and gives the photographer a cheeky wink .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
SITTING on a burning sofa unable to move, one man turns his terrifying dreams into reality .
From a floating jelly fish to a relaxed seal, Britain’s unappreciated beach life is captured above and below the water .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
This starling and prairie dog will not back down an inch as they have a fearsome stand-off over who gets to eat a nut .
BREATHING life back into old photographs, these black and white images are transformed by colour .