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
A cheeky chipmunk offers some of his spare food, before deciding against the idea and shoving the extra peanut into his already crammed mouth .
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
A kingfisher’s bright blue and orange feathers glisten in the sunlight as the bird dives into a lake .
A luxury caravan with a price tag of ONE MILLION DOLLARS is due to hit the road later this year .
Beautiful turquoise waves rise and fall in a series of stunning images taken along the coastline of south-eastern Australia .
Marina Afonina, now 51, from Northampton, met Ioan Budea in 2006 .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
SAILING over crystal clear waters, the Bajau people of Malaysia live their lives almost entirely at SEA .
A six-year-old boy has been left almost blind after a one-in-a-million allergic reaction to antibiotics .
A restaurant famed for creating the 3lb cheeseburger has unveiled its latest culinary challenge – the largest chilli cheese hotdog in Europe .
A pair of adorable polar bear cubs play-fight with each other in the Alaskan snow .
A soldier who lost both legs and an arm in Afghanistan has found love with a blonde bombshell he met through his newfound passion for rally driving .