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
Vikki Jose, 26 loves nothing more than lavishing gifts on her loved ones at Christmas time .
LIFTING their heads high and bumping beaks, these aggressive pelicans clash over fish .
HEARTWARMING belongings lie abandoned in this eerie former dairy farm which has been left to crumble away for decades .
A mischievous fox cub demonstrates his playful side by biting his sibling’s tail .
Bathers on a New Zealand beach stripped naked and took to the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to shatter the record for the world's largest skinny dip .
This frozen lighthouse in Michigan could easily be mistaken for a still from the snow swept disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow .
A floating market in Indonesia is bursting with vibrant colours as wooden rowing boats loaded with fruit and vegetables crowd the river .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
SAT ON top of a Brazilian turtle’s head, this little ladybird looks content as he studies his environment from a new height .
STARING open-mouthed into the camera, this shocked fish looks out of place in the middle of its angry friends .
A little caterpillar fearlessly scampers down a branch and confronts a praying mantis .