MICROBES OR FLAMINGOS

FLAMINGOS from above look like the pink algae they eat. Aerial shots of some of the TWO-MILLION pink flying birds that gather to feed in the world's largest desert lake resemble the type of tiny pink microbes they eat and give them their distinctive pink colour. But if you look a little closer you'll see the fantastic feathered creatures skimming gently over the serene waters of Lake Turkana in Kenya's spectacular Rift Valley. Travel photographer Michael Poliza, 55, from Hamburg in Germany travelled to the great lakes of Kenya and Tanzania to take these extraordinary pictures of Africa from above. 'These lakes are each an absolute flamingo paradise,' he said.

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WINKING SQUIRREL

BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .

COLOURFUL FROGS PRACTICE THEIR FROG CRAWL

GLIDING through the water, these delightful frogs show off their vibrant colours as they practice their FROG crawl .

GOING BALLISTIC - 15 FOOT RED BALL ARTIST

This is the crazy art project that is going ballistic - placing a huge squishy 15ft red ball into tight spaces .

BIKINI SWIM WITH JELLYFISH

A BIKINI swim with jellyfish sounds like the most painful past-time on the planet .

CAMOUFLAGED NORTHERN POTOO BIRD IS A MASTER OF DISGUISE

A northern potoo shows it is a master of disguise as it perches on a tree stump and blends into the bark .

STUNNING WINTER PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HIGHEST RAILWAY IN THE ALPS

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 .

DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN?

Fetching a tiny carrot and a head-shaped snowball, a red squirrel builds the perfect snowman .

RAINBOW CAVES

WELCOME to the 750-foot deep rainbow cave that leaves visitors bewildered by its multi-coloured mood lighting .

TRANSGENDER WOMAN SPENDS £25K TO BECOME BEAUTY QUEEN

A transgender woman has beaten the bullies after spending £25K on surgery to become a beauty pageant queen .

PARTNERS IN GRIME

MASKED intruders look sinister but really they are a gang of urban exploring pranksters .

AN ABANDONED HOUSE IN THE WOODS

INTIMATELY showcasing personal artefacts from a family's life, this abandoned bungalow has been left to rot for almost a decade .

STUNNING ENGLISH COASTAL LANDSCAPES

WITH STUNNING colours and serene scenes, these photographs capture the otherworldly beauty of the English coast .