THIRD WHEEL OWL

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.

Other great stories
WINKING SQUIRREL

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

THE WORLD'S MOST UNUSUAL HOTEL COMPLEX

AN underground HOBBIT motel inspired by JRR Tolkien is just one of the unique places to stay at the world's most unusual hotel complex .

SCHOOL BULLIES WON'T STOP BIRTHMARK TEEN'S HOLLYWOOD DREAM

A teenager bullied for having birthmarks all over her body now hopes to become a Hollywood actress to show girls that beauty comes from being unique .

WORLD'S MOST LIFELIKE DISNEY PRINCESS IS CALIFORNIAN MAN

Meet the world's most lifelike Disney princess - a 21-year-old man from California .

FISH FIGHT

FINALLY catching a meal, a pair of great white egrets fight over their dinner .

MIDDLE-AGED SOMERSET COUPLE TAKE UP WRITING TO DEATH ROW INMATES

A middle-aged couple from Somerset have developed a rather unusual hobby to occupy their time: writing to killers on death row .

LIFE ON THE LINE: SLUM LIES NEXT TO ACTIVE RAILWAY

Families in an Indian slum put their lives on the line by living on top of an ACTIVE railway track .

BOSTON MARATHON PICTURES

T least three people have been killed and more than 100 injured, some seriously, in two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon .

19ST WOMAN LOSES 9ST AFTER GIVING UP GREGGS ADDICTION

A woman who was addicted to GREGGS has lost 9st after giving up her favourite food .

PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES UNIQUE PATTERNS OF THE HUMAN EYE

A Romanian photographer has captured the unique patterns of hundreds of human eyes in a series of striking macro shots .

MY MUM DONATED HER KIDNEY TO MY HUBBY – HIS LIFE IS TRANSFORMED

In 2021, Anneka Watkinson, now 37, from Lancashire, met Chris, now 40 .

OSPREY FISHING IN SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

An osprey soars through the air at 30 miles per hour before swooping down to catch its prey from a lake .