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.
The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .
SWIMMING in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers .
These are the faces of orphans suffering from the horrifying effects of chemical warfare .
This cheeky chappie is getting into all kinds of monkey business as he enjoys cooling off on a scorching hot day .
BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .
This frozen lighthouse in Michigan could easily be mistaken for a still from the snow swept disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow .
As sunlight cascades through its vibrant stained glass windows, every inch of the Nasir-ol-Mulk Mosque bursts with colour .
These are the amazing close up pictures of North Korea's mass games - after photographers were previously banned from taking shots so close to the dazzling formation dances .
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 .
SEA LIFE and greenery in one shot show nature at its very best .
BURSTING colours of reds, pinks and purples give the illusion of a collection of stunning flowers .
BREATHING life back into old photographs, these black and white images are transformed by colour .