The lists can be found here:
Jason Mann
Peter Kaestner
I believe everyone who's interested in world birding knows about Peter Kaestner. He posts regularly on Facebook and is present on eBird, IGoTerra, iNaturalist and surfbirds. I think everybody, including himself, was expecting for him to become the first birder to break 10.000 species. This prompted him to write
this piece a few months ago (June 2023), where he details his plans to reach 9.999 species and to get Tufted Puffin in Oregon as number 10.000, together "with [his] loved ones and others who helped [him] over the years.", "sometime in the second half of 2024" as he writes.
Apparently, these plans must have changed drastically, as he has now reached that milestone about half a year earlier than planned and not in Oregon with loved ones, but in the Philippines, where he's supposed to lead a tour in March. It seems that something prompted him to reconsider his lovely idea of sharing his 10.000th bird with family and friends. Although this is purely speculation, perhaps it was the surprising event of a guy called Jason Mann joining iGoTerra in January with a list very close to 10.000 species. It was apparent Jason Mann could edge him out of the record, when he was so incredibly close to it. And as it so happens, both birders claim their 10.000th bird species within a few hours of each other. For Peter Kaestner it was Orange-tufted Spiderhunter on February 9th in Mindanao/Philippines, for Jason it was either Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer or Dusky Starfrontlet on February 8th (?) in Colombia (depending on source).
Now here's the problem: Nobody seems to know who Jason Mann is. Everyone knows who Peter Kaestner is. Peter's credibility is as good as it gets, everyone likes him and everything he reports seems plausible. Jason Mann however reports several dozen extremely fishy species, that besides him, no-one has claimed to have seen for decades.
These include the following near-mythical species: Bornean Crestless Fireback, Malayan Crested Argus, Manipur Bush Quail, New Caledonian Nightjar, Bare-legged Swiftlet, Buff-breasted Sabrewing, Nubian Bustard, Purple-winged Ground-dove, Colombian Crake, Zapata Rail, Auckland Rail, Talaud Rail, Buff-breasted Buttonquail, Sulawesi Woodcock, Jerdon's Courser, Chestnut-shouldered Goshawk, Albertine Owlet, Shelley's Eagle-Owl, Manus Dwarf Kingfisher, New Ireland Dwarf Kingfisher, Niam-niam Parrot, Blue-fronted Lorikeet, Red-throated Lorikeet, White-naped Lory, Tachira Antpitta, Stresemann's Bristlefront, Taliabu Myzomela, Rotuma Myzomela, Papuan Whipbird, Western Wattled Cuckooshrike, Eastern Wattled Cuckooshrike, Sooty Shrikethrush, Taliabu Fantail, Vanikoro Monarch, Ogea Monarch, (Iranian Ground Jay), Kordofan Lark, Sassi's Olive Greenbul, (Nauru Reed Warbler), Taliabu Bush Warbler, Dusky Tetraka, Namuli Apalis, Kangean Tit-babbler, Naung Mung Scimitar Babbler, (Bahama Nuthatch), (White-browed Nuthatch), Cozumel Thrasher, Pohnpei Starling, (Javan Pied Myna), Rufous-breasted Blue Flycatcher, Spectacled Flowerpecker, Afghan Snowfinch, Zarudny's Sparrow, Bates's Weaver, Cinnamon Weaver, Yellow-capped Weaver, Ibadan Malimbe, Red Weaver, Shelley's Crimsonwing, Anambra Waxbill, Jambandu Indigobird, Guadalupe Junco, Grey-crowned Palm-Tanager, Selva Cacique, White-faced Whitestart, Guaiquinima Whitestart, Carrizal Seedeater, Duida Grass Finch, Scaled Flowerpiercer, Black Robin, Blackthroat.
All the above mentioned species are extremely rare, virtually no one in the world has seen them. Some haven't been recorded in decades or even centuries. Some occur only in war regions, on islands that can only be visited by scientist, on remote mountains that can only be accessed via helicopter.
Frankly, I don't believe a single one of these species was ever seen by Mr Mann.
