Records and photographs for Around the Region should be sent as soon as possible after the event to Around the Region, OSME, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, U.K.  You can also email records using the form below.

The following assisted in the compilation of this review: Alexander Abuladze, Mohammad Al-Shamlih, Marc Almécija, Vasil Ananian, Ian Andrews, Sherif & Mindy Baha El Din, Thierry Bara, Jamie Buchan, Tom Coles, Judy Dawes, Barbaros Demirci, Hugues Dufourny, Marc Duquet, Peter Flint, Benoît Gauquie, George Gregory, Andrew Grieve, Richard Hoath, Abolghasem Khaleghizadeh, Fares Khoury, Graham Lobley, Mark Moore, Hilary Nash, Yoav Perlman, Ian Philip, Ghassan & Mona Ramadan-Jaradi, Colin Richardson (on behalf of the Emirates Bird Records Committee), James P. Smith, Guilhem Tightens, Andreas & Maria Wenger, David Whaley and Sadegh Sadeghi Zadegan. Records were also taken from the BirdLife Cyprus Newsletter and North Cyprus Birds website.

A Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea was regular off Kyrenia in mid-October with a maximum of 210 on 16 October 2003. Twenty-five Yelkouan Shearwaters Puffinus yelkouan flew west past Koruçam Burnu (Cape Kormakiti) on 9 November 2003. A Gannet Morus bassanus passed close by Zafer Burnu (Cape Andreas). At least three nests of Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax with ten juveniles (eight certainly fledged) at Polmidhia Dam is the second confirmed breeding record (the first was in 1982). A Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia at Asprokremnos Dam on 3 July was unusually early and a flock of 20 at Larnaca sewage works on 13 October 2003 was rather late. Around 250 Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber were attracted to the presence of early water at Larnaca sewage works on 8 August, with c. 110 at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 5 August 2003. Three adult Lesser White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons were at Akhna Dam on 1 and 23 November 2003, the first record. 2003 was probably the best breeding season for Mallard Anas platyrhynchos with hundreds of fledged young at reservoirs in North Cyprus in summer and autumn. At Larnaca sewage works five Scaup Aythya marila were present on 15 November, the sixth record. A late Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus was over Asprokremnos Dam on 15 November and another at Mandria on 30 November 2003. An early Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus was at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 20 September 2003. A pair of Lanners Falco biarmicus was reported displaying at Akamas on 30 April 2003. Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus continues to spread west along the northern coastal plain and slopes of the Kyrenia Mountains. Spur-winged Plovers Hoplopterus spinosus were present in some numbers, with 35 at Nicosia sewage farm on 22 November and 60 at Haspolat sewage farm on 11 December 2003. On 26 August 2003 the first Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus in North Cyprus for more than 30 years was at Akova.

An Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus flew west at Koruçam Burnu on 21 November 2003. At least ten European Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus were near Paphos on 4 and 15 July, including some juveniles. An exceptional count of seven Lesser Short-toed Larks Calandrella rufescens was made at Mandria on 5 November (with three there on 3 November), and a late Sand Martin Riparia riparia was at Larnaca sewage works on 15 November 2003. A juvenile Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola was at Akova on 11 and 13 September 2003, the third North Cyprus record. A very late Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe was at Koruçam Burnu on 29 November and an exceptional count of 43 Finsch’s Wheatears Oenanthe finschii was made along the Kaynakköy–Lachin track on 27 November 2003. Two Pale Rock Sparrows Carpospiza brachydactyla were reported near Agros (Troodos) on 1 May 2003. Three Rock Buntings Emberiza cia were at Lachin Valley on 27 November 2003, which is a regular wintering site in the Kyrenia Mountains.