PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .

Lying angelically with a range of expressions etched on their tiny faces, little bundles of joy are innocently captured in their first few days in these adorable photographs .

While the various controversies rumble on regarding transport, security issues and overly-officious copyright enforcement, a couple of designers is saying what we're all thinking about the Olympics - and putting it on bags .

BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .

Some parents would gasp at the thought of their children playing with a toy gun, but these Russian children are actually encouraged to take up real arms .

AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .

THE CRAZE for mimicking the video game Streetfighter has spread to the streets of London .

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

LIKE A scene from A Bugs Life, these ants work on creating their own mini community .

THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .

Is your cat bored? Do his usual playthings simply not do it for him anymore? Not to worry - there's an app for that .

THIS LITTLE squirrel tries to keep himself snug as snow starts to fall around him .