Summer season is the prime time for waders in south Alicante, with marsh sandpipers, godwits and curlew sandpipers in El Hondo and black tern, pratincoles and regular rarities as elegant terns in El Pinet.

Summer season brings an array of specialties to Helsinki, including broad-billed sandpiper and common rosefinch in Viikki, red-breasted flycatcher in Haltiala and stakeouts of Blyth’s reed warbler and river warbler.

Rainforest Discovery Center in Sepilok holds a large patch of lowland dipterocarp forest, home to many Borneo specialties. Orangutans and many other species call this vast tropical woodland home.

Bukit Fraser is a prime highland spot just 100 km away from Kuala Lumpur. A couple of foggy, rainy days offered terrific views of Atlas moth, red-headed trogon, fire-tufted barbet and other targets.

Tinença de Benifassà Natural Park provided red-backed shrikes, ortolan buntings, stock dove, rufous-tailed rock-thrush, tawny pipits — all localized breeders in the region — and a handful of picturesque villages.