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 trip to Kazbegi five years ago marked my first experience watching birds abroad. Highlights include wallcreeper, Caucasian snowcock, and flocks of migrating kites, buzzards, sparrowhawks, chiffchaffs, and wheatears

September brought the opportunity to look for long-awaited species: dotterel and northern bald ibis. Bee-eaters, wheatears, flycatchers, honey-buzzards, and whinchats showed up everywhere.

We visit the photographic hides at Cat Tien National Park. Nearly-endemic Germain’s peacock-pheasant is readily seen, along with other specialties such as Siamese fireback or green-legged partridge.

A visit to La Mesa Eco Park fits in a one-day stopover in Manila to connect with Luzon and Philippine specialties without leaving town: ashy thrush, western hooded pitta and stripe-sided rhabdornis.

Palawan island is a paradise of dreamy beaches and rainforest endemics. Despite several inconveniences, we connect with great specialties of the island. I reached my 1000th lifer in Palawan with an unexpected species.

On a quest during a trip through Sabah (Malaysia), we contacted seven of the eight hornbills of Borneo: oriental pied, black, rhinoceros, bushy-crested, wreathed, wrinkled, and the mythical helmeted hornbill.

The first stop of a long backpacking trip allowed us to get the hang on Southeast Asian birds. Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Botanic Gardens are mandatory stops in the Lion City.

A full-day stopover in Dubai provided good time to explore the city despite extreme heat. We connect with Indian rollers, purple sunbirds, shikras, and white-cheeked terns within urban Dubai.

A long drought is especially evident by June. Rufous-tailed rock-thrush, tawny pipit, pin-tailed sandgrouse, stone martens, and Lataste’s vipers are some specialties found with friends and family.

My last days in Helsinki are coincident with the arrival of thousands of migrant birds and the vegetation green-up. Scenic walks with friends result in European otter, red-breasted flycatcher, corn crake, and much more.

While birding in Norwegian Lapland with friends, a recent oil spill has affecting numerous seabirds. We notice its impact on common and thick-billed murres, Atlantic puffins, and black-legged kittiwakes.

I finally managed to spot all nine owl species in Helsinki after two years, from the large and rare great gray owl to the minute Eurasian pygmy-owl. Here, I gather the stories of all these finds.

Within Ankarafantsika National Park, Lake Ravelobe holds an enchanting, mysterious beauty. Highly endangered Coquerel’s sifaka, Madagascar fish-eagle, and Madagascar jacana are some specialties.

Anja Community Reserve stands as a capacity building project to conserve biodiversity in a dry forest of south Madagascar. Ring-tailed lemurs are the highlight of this tiny but biodiverse park.