The winter has not been harsh during the second half of 2017, pushing limited number of waterbirds southward to the Black Sea from the unfrozen waters in the north. A single Red-throated Loon Gavia stellate was at Kızılırmak Delta on 17 Dec, singles of Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus were off Anadolufeneri, İstanbul on 16 Dec and off Trabzon on 19 Oct. Four Greater Scaup Aythya marila were off Ordu on 25 Nov. Most probably the same single Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor might bewintering at Gediz Delta and has been discovered among thousands of flamingos on 4 Dec. More than 15 European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus were seen on a pelagic trip off Didim, Aydın on 26 Aug. A single Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva stayed from 13 Sep until the end of the year at the same spot at Kızılırmak Delta. Another bird was near Konya on 4 Sep. The big highlight on the Black Sea coast is a Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius that has been discovered by photographers at Abana, Kastamonu on 8 Dec. An odd juvenile Vanellus gregarius Sociable Lapwing was on the beach near Trabzon on 14 Oct. A single Great Snipe Gallinago media was recorded at Aras Ringing Station in Iğdır on 20 Sep and a single Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus was at Kızılırmak Delta on 3 Sep.
A short sea-watch at Rumelifeneri İstanbul revealed two Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla on 6 Nov. Towards the end of the year, two Herring Gull Larus argentatus showed up at Samsun on 23 Dec. The second ever Namaqua Dove Oena capensis at the Black Sea coast was recorded at Rize on 25 May, a record missing from the previous report.
This autumn, only a single Red-tailed Shrike Lanius phoenicuroides was reported from Birecik on29 Oct. A single Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus showed up at Kızılırmak Delta this year on 15 Oct, but two birds were recorded in Ankara province, one at the city of Ankara on 30 Nov and another near Beypazarı on 8 Oct. Despite being poor in yellow-brows, Kızılırmak Delta produced two Pallas`s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus on 16 Oct, of which one was ringed. At Aras Ringing Station a single Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus was ringed on 2 Oct. Two Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia were ringed,one at Aras on 13 Sep and one at Kızılırmak on 26 Sep. An off-range Menetries`s Warbler Sylvia mystacea was also ringed on 19 Sep. Mild autumn kept an Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina at Riva, Istanbul on 23 Nov, making a late sighting. Hatay continued being the capital of pipits; 3 Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewski were photographed at Milleyha on 3 Dec, and 3 Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni at Subaşı village on 12 Dec. Finally a single Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica was photographed at Tayakadın, Istanbul, on the grounds of the third airport on 12 Oct.