A full day in Qatar with a rental car was the perfect scenario to look for the hypocolius, a mythical Persian Gulf wintering specialty. Namaqua doves, wheatears, desert warblers, sparrow-larks and more awaited.

The fieldwork of a new ornithological project in Cabo Cope y Puntas de Calnegre provided great views of trumpeter finches and rufous-tailed scrub-robins, as well as numerous migrants and other highlights.

A quick stopover in Kuwait provided WP specialties using public transport: white-tailed and spur-winged lapwings, isabelline and masked shrikes, white-throated kingfisher, clamorous reed warbler and more.

A morning visit to Lake Kerkini looking for lesser white-fronted geese and tundra swans resulted in three Greek rarities: a Siberian chiffchaff, three little bustards, and an Oriental turtle dove.

Firecrests are working hard to defend their territories during my morning walk in El Romeral urban park in Alcoi today. A female hawfinch returns to this wintering hub for the species.

An intense full day watching birds in Alicante delivers a great final count for our party of three. Different migrant birds seen include four different Eurasian hobbies, definitely the top species of the day.

A full-day stopover in Dubai can provide some goodies despite extreme heat. We connected with Indian rollers, purple sunbirds, shikras, white-cheeked terns, Socotra cormorants or sooty gull within the city.