PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds. Clearly not bothered by their uncomfortable onlooker, the owls pucker up and put on a very public display of affection. This trio of Little Owls were photographed by Uzbek photographer Ilia Shalamaev, 36, after he spotted the scene on a trip to the town of Kiryat Gat, Israel. “Here you can see a family of owls playing and having fun on a branch, not far from their nesting place,” says Ilia, now of Beit Hashmonay, Israel.
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
LIFTING their heads high and bumping beaks, these aggressive pelicans clash over fish .
Peering curiously into a basket hanging off the arms of a snowman, this little squirrel appears fascinated by the snowy figure .
A striped marlin means business as it spots lunch and spears a small fish .
THIS is the EXPLOSIVE moment when a 50 metre high pylon came crashing down to earth in a rural field .
A SPECTACULAR array of stars fills the night sky as they soar over this active volcano .
It’s a role reversal in the Visayan Sea as HUNDREDS of tiny, glistening eggs are carried around inside the mouth of their cardinalfish father .
A mining town in Australia’s outback appears to be completely deserted, but its residents have escaped the scorching heat by living in underground caves .
SWIMMING next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea .
As sunlight cascades through its vibrant stained glass windows, every inch of the Nasir-ol-Mulk Mosque bursts with colour .
Swirling water and sand create amazing aerial images of river deltas across Iceland .