The following assisted in the compilation of this review: Ahmed Abdallah, Mahmoud Abdallah, Alexander Abuladze, Marc Almecija, Mohammed Alshamlih, Vasil Ananian, lan Andrews, Simon Aspinall, Adib al-Assad, Imad Atrash, Sherif & Mindy Baha El Din, Thierry Bara, Ruud van Beusekom, BirdLife Cyprus Newsletter, Chris Bradshaw, Jamie Buchan, Eray Caglayan, David Callahan, Tom Coles, Judy Dawes, Adrian Drummond-Hill, Hugues Dufourny, E. & S. Durand, Peter Flint, Jeff Gordon, George Gregory, Andrew Grieve, Nader Hamidi, Chris Hewson, David Higgs, Erik Hirschfield, Remco Hofland, Süreyya Isfendiyaroglu, Justin Jansen, Mike Jennings, Abolghasem Khaleghizadeh, Fares Khoury, Guy M. Kirwan, Andrew Lassey, Susannah Lerman, James McCallum, Istvan Moldovan, David Murdoch, Seyed Babak Musavi, North Cyprus Birds website, Bill O'Brien, Rob Palmer, Yoav Perlman, Richard Porter, Alireza Rabiei, Colin Richardson, Magnus Robb, Tobias Roth, Omar Al-Saghier, Dave Sargeant, Derek A. Scott, Dave Sedgeley, Gianluca Serra, Roy Slaterus, James P. Smith, Jens Sogaard Hansen, Lars Svensson, Rene Vos, Colin Wells, David Whaley and Ignacio Yufera.

Weather in the Dhahran area was relatively mild throughout May 2004, which presumably led to spring passage extending to the month end, which is c. 15 days later than usual. Here, a pair of Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina was present on 16 January and two males on 9-19 February 2004. Black Kites Milvus migrans were seen on 22 April and 6 May, with six on 7 May 2004. A juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga was at Nadec Dairy Farm, Haradh, on 17 March 2004. There were six Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca west of Na'iriyah on 20 February 2004. Corncrakes Crex crex are infrequent on passage, thus 14 sightings of at least four birds on 6-28 May 2004 was surprising. A Spotted Crake Porzana porzana was present on 7 May 2004. A total of seven Lapwings Vanellus vanellus was seen on 16 February 2004, with three next day. A Striated Scops Owl Otus brucei was found on 4 March 2004. A European Roller Coracias garrulus was present on 2-6 May, with three on 12-18 May, after which singles were seen until 27 May 2004. A Black-crowned Finch Lark Eremopterix nigriceps was at the west spray fields on 13 May 2004. This is a common species inland but is rarely seen in Dhahran. A single Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia on 22 April was followed by two on 30 April, whilst a male and female White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis on 16 April were followed by a male on 19 April 2004. Single Red-tailed Wheatears Oenanthe xanthoprymna of the races xanthoprymna and chrysopygia were recorded on 19 March and 5 April 2004 respectively. A juvenile White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga at Dhahran Hills on 5 April 2004 was unusual as the species breeds on the Shedgum escarpment, over 100 km inland. Basra Reed Warblers Acrocephalus griseldis passed through between 22 April and 27 May, when five were present, while there were at least ten singing Clamorous Reed Warblers Acrocephalus stentoreus at Uyun Lake on 9 January 2004. Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus passage between 29 April and 20 May peaked with nine on 13-14 May 2004. Small numbers of Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor passed through from 26 April until 25 May, with a peak of four on 15 May 2004. Single Masked Shrikes Lanius nubicus were seen on 19 and 21 April and 7 May 2004.

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.