Little owls on top wall print

In spring, the deserted quarry near the town of Kiryat Gat in Israel becomes a bird metropolis. Nest holes pepper the 20-metre-high (66-foot) walls, home to families of breeding bee-eaters, rollers and kestrels. This is where Ilia stationed his hide.

Among the residents were a pair of little owls and their chicks. Ilia photographed the owls’ domestic life to his heart’s content, including tender moments such as this interaction between the three youngsters.