OK, hands up, I confess! Events overtook me again and the month, nay the season changed before my clicking finger retrieved the list for May. But all is not lost. Most…., but not all. Ebird still allows me the facility to collate the year list and feature the birds that were added to it during May. This may not be the high standard that you might expect from 10,000 Birds, but it’s what you are getting.

The joy is that you get to read a completely random list of birds and try to guess where they are from. The only common factors are that they were all seen by the beats (11 of them) during May. They have boosted the year list to 1396 after 860 checklists.

Red-backed Kingfisher – Todiramphus pyrrhopygius
Yellow Chat – Epthianura crocea
Wood Warbler – Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Common Nightingale – Luscinia megarhynchos
Common Redstart – Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Bobolink – Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Pheasant-tailed Jacana – Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Black Drongo – Dicrurus macrocercus
Cape May Warbler – Setophaga tigrina
Gray-collared Becard – Pachyramphus major
Cerulean Warbler – Setophaga cerulea
Magnolia Warbler – Setophaga magnolia
European Turtle-Dove – Streptopelia turtur
Great Reed Warbler – Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Least Tern – Sternula antillarum
Hair-crested Drongo – Dicrurus hottentottus
Amur Paradise-Flycatcher – Terpsiphone incei
Black-billed Cuckoo – Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Clapper Rail – Rallus crepitans
Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher – Terpsiphone atrocaudata
Gray-streaked Flycatcher – Muscicapa griseisticta
Spot-fronted Swift – Cypseloides cherriei
Indian Cuckoo – Cuculus micropterus
Green-backed Flycatcher – Ficedula elisae
Gray-fronted Honeyeater – Ptilotula plumula
Sandstone Shrikethrush – Colluricincla woodwardi
Alder Flycatcher – Empidonax alnorum
Eastern Whip-poor-will – Antrostomus vociferus
Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher – Poecilotriccus sylvia
Squacco Heron – Ardeola ralloides
European Bee-eater – Merops apiaster
Eurasian Golden Oriole – Oriolus oriolus
Spotted Flycatcher – Muscicapa striata
Scrub Greenlet – Hylophilus flavipes
Black-eared Cuckoo – Chrysococcyx osculans
Black Bittern – Ixobrychus flavicollis
Budgerigar – Melopsittacus undulatus
Purple-crowned Fairywren – Malurus coronatus
Leaden Flycatcher – Myiagra rubecula
Spinifexbird – Poodytes carteri
Paint-billed Crake – Mustelirallus erythrops
Black Skimmer – Rynchops niger
Ashy Drongo – Dicrurus leucophaeus
Common Bronzewing – Phaps chalcoptera
Bar-breasted Honeyeater – Ramsayornis fasciatus
Little Crow – Corvus bennetti
Rusty Sparrow – Aimophila rufescens
West Mexican Chachalaca – Ortalis poliocephala
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Coccyzus americanus
Yellow-billed Magpie – Pica nuttalli
Eurasian Scops-Owl – Otus scops
Black-capped Kingfisher – Halcyon pileata
Tiger Shrike – Lanius tigrinus
Brown Shrike – Lanius cristatus
Mugimaki Flycatcher – Ficedula mugimaki
Canada Warbler – Cardellina canadensis
Common Quail – Coturnix coturnix
Gray Partridge – Perdix perdix
Long-legged Buzzard – Buteo rufinus
European Roller – Coracias garrulus
Red-footed Falcon – Falco vespertinus
Red-backed Shrike – Lanius collurio
Lesser Gray Shrike – Lanius minor
Whinchat – Saxicola rubetra
Corn Bunting – Emberiza calandra
Pectoral Sandpiper – Calidris melanotos
Slaty Antwren – Myrmotherula schisticolor
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner – Automolus ochrolaemus
Rufous Motmot – Baryphthengus martii
Black-naped Oriole – Oriolus chinensis
Kamchatka Leaf Warbler – Phylloscopus examinandus
White-throated Rock-Thrush – Monticola gularis
White-ringed Flycatcher – Conopias albovittatus
Snowy Plover – Charadrius nivosus
Baird’s Sandpiper – Calidris bairdii
Wilson’s Phalarope – Phalaropus tricolor
Brown Violetear – Colibri delphinae
Black-bellied Hummingbird – Eupherusa nigriventris
Golden-bellied Flycatcher – Myiodynastes hemichrysus
Black-winged Cuckooshrike – Lalage melaschistos
Gray Treepie – Dendrocitta formosae
Arctic Warbler – Phylloscopus borealis
Brown-chested Jungle-Flycatcher – Cyornis brunneatus
Forest Wagtail – Dendronanthus indicus
Seaside Sparrow – Ammospiza maritima
Saltmarsh Sparrow – Ammospiza caudacuta
Red-necked Avocet – Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
Black-shouldered Kite – Elanus axillaris
White-winged Fairywren – Malurus leucopterus
White-plumed Honeyeater – Ptilotula penicillata
Gray Fantail – Rhipidura albiscapa
Spinifex Pigeon – Geophaps plumifera
Australian Ringneck – Barnardius zonarius
Stubble Quail – Coturnix pectoralis
Western Bowerbird – Chlamydera guttata
Gray-headed Honeyeater – Ptilotula keartlandi
Painted Firetail – Emblema pictum
Spotted Wren – Campylorhynchus gularis
Acadian Flycatcher – Empidonax virescens
Gray-cheeked Thrush – Catharus minimus
Happy Wren – Pheugopedius felix
Little Buttonquail – Turnix velox
Sooty Shearwater – Ardenna grisea
Golden Eagle – Aquila chrysaetos
White-headed Woodpecker – Dryobates albolarvatus
Mountain Chickadee – Poecile gambeli
Cassin’s Finch – Haemorhous cassinii
Eurasian Nightjar – Caprimulgus europaeus
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill – Acanthiza uropygialis
Crested Bellbird – Oreoica gutturalis
Lesser Whitethroat – Sylvia curruca
Australian Shelduck – Tadorna tadornoides
Yellow-billed Spoonbill – Platalea flavipes
Eurasian Penduline-Tit – Remiz pendulinus
Elegant Trogon – Trogon elegans
Rufous-crowned Sparrow – Aimophila ruficeps
Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella
Ortolan Bunting – Emberiza hortulana

Welcome back. Did you enjoy that list? You are one of a select group that read this rubbish and an even more select cadre that reach the bottom. Thanks for sticking with me.

Written by Redgannet
Redgannet worked for more than 35 years as a flight attendant for an international airline. He came to birding late in his career but, considering the distractions, doesn't regret the missed opportunities. He was paid to visit six continents and took full advantage of the chance to bird the world. He adopted the nom de blog, Redgannet, to avoid remonstrations from his overbearing employer, but secretly hoped that the air of mystery would make him more attractive to women. Now grounded, he is looking forward to seeing the seasons turn from a fixed point.