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Syria
This country has an extremely high ornithological value and is gifted with rich biodiversity and important bird areas for both migrants and wintering bird populations. The previously tight political situation resulted in a very recent "discovery" of its bird richness and it is still a little explored and largely unknown country which adds to the excitement of going there.
The present situation of civil war will of course but most bird-related activities on hold for the foreseable future.
Birds and birdwatching is just being discovered by the local
communities on the Syrian countryside. Tea visit in the Jabbul mudhafa in April 2009.
See my trip reports with many photos:
September 2008 (some records from a Norwegian culture group that I lead)
April 2009 (the first Swedish birding group in the country)
April 2010 (leading a group for AviFauna)
September 2010 (PDF file, as part of an internship with BirdLife Middle East)
March 2011 (second group for AviFauna)
breeding White-tailed Plovers in the Euphrates Valley.
Some video clips from the field (link from YouTube): Greater Spotted Eagle Cream-coloured Cursor Dead Sea Sparrow
see these and more at www.youtube.com/user/Tomas06560656
Two websites with additional info on birds in Syria are:
http://www.gianlucaserra.com/ and
http://www.andrewsi.freeserve.co.uk/birding-in-syria.htm