Quarter-Month Status
Birds of Plum Island, Essex County, Massachusetts
Ordered by Number of Sightings

Compiled by Tom Wetmore

This table shows the quarter-month status of the birds of Plum Island. It is based primarily on data I have collected over the past five years. The species are listed in the order of their numbers of sightings. The column labeled ‘n’ orders the species. The column labeled ‘N’ shows the number of different days that each species has been reported on the island over the period of data collection. Birds that have been seen between two and 99 times have a second number in their ‘N’ column. This is the number of years that the species has been seen recorded. Cells in these two columns may be colored. Red cells indicate species that just moved up in the ordering. Blue cells indicate species that just moved down. Yellow cells indicate species that were seen on the last day of sightings.

Quarter-Month Status of the Birds of Plum Island — updated January 20, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7015
Canada Goose	2	6961
American Robin	3	6885
Mallard	4	6754
American Black Duck	5	6740
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6601
American Crow	7	6552
Great Black-backed Gull	8	6540
Song Sparrow	9	6507
Northern Mockingbird	10	6334
Northern Cardinal	11	6006
European Starling	12	5885
Blue Jay	13	5855
Mourning Dove	14	5771
Gadwall	15	5603
Northern Harrier	16	5580
American Goldfinch	17	5349
Ring-billed Gull	18	5253
Green-winged Teal	19	4989
Double-crested Cormorant	20	4956
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4864
Common Loon	22	4822
Great Egret	23	4614
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4603
Rock Pigeon	25	4510
Gray Catbird	26	4422
Great Blue Heron	27	4368
Downy Woodpecker	28	4324
Common Eider	29	4315
Mute Swan	30	4306
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4188
White-winged Scoter	31	4188
House Finch	33	4062
Eastern Towhee	34	4014
Tree Swallow	35	3752
Snowy Egret	36	3739
Killdeer	37	3709
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3660
Common Grackle	39	3648
Osprey	40	3594
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3570
Cedar Waxwing	42	3534
White-throated Sparrow	43	3380
Northern Pintail	44	3378
Long-tailed Duck	45	3283
Sanderling	46	3219
Brown Thrasher	47	3209
Savannah Sparrow	48	3183
Black Scoter	49	3168
Dunlin	50	3101
Bufflehead	51	3078
Semipalmated Plover	52	3063
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	3059
Marsh Wren	54	3031
Purple Finch	55	3004
Common Yellowthroat	56	2935
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2871
Yellow-rumped Warbler	58	2866
Peregrine Falcon	59	2858
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2808
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2772
American Tree Sparrow	62	2754
Red-throated Loon	63	2706
Eastern Kingbird	64	2663
Northern Flicker	65	2657
Horned Grebe	66	2592
Yellow Warbler	67	2589
Northern Gannet	68	2556
Common Tern	69	2519
Least Sandpiper	70	2434
Turkey Vulture	71	2433
Wild Turkey	72	2427
Bobolink	73	2386
Willet	74	2378
Red-breasted Nuthatch	75	2368
Common Goldeneye	76	2365
Swamp Sparrow	77	2363
Purple Martin	78	2312
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2305
Short-billed Dowitcher	80	2293
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	2292
Merlin	82	2272
Hooded Merganser	83	2253
Piping Plover	84	2252
Dark-eyed Junco	85	2245
Least Tern	86	2239
Baltimore Oriole	87	2177
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2151
Bald Eagle	89	2145
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2137
Eastern Phoebe	91	2132
American Redstart	92	2068
Surf Scoter	93	2016
American Wigeon	94	2008
Cooper's Hawk	95	2000
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1827
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1809
Hermit Thrush	98	1788
Horned Lark	99	1702
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1672
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1651
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1648
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1611
Red-necked Grebe	104	1580
Rough-legged Hawk	105	1500
Carolina Wren	106	1497
Snowy Owl	107	1494
Northern Shoveler	108	1431
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1416
Bank Swallow	110	1380
Blue-winged Teal	111	1305
Snow Bunting	112	1299
Chipping Sparrow	113	1294
Great Crested Flycatcher	114	1245
Brant	115	1197
Greater Scaup	116	1180
Sharp-shinned Hawk	117	1116
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1110
Razorbill	119	1094
Glossy Ibis	120	1065
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Raven	121	1061
American Kestrel	122	1056
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1050
Belted Kingfisher	124	1023
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1013
Long-billed Dowitcher	126	975
Blackpoll Warbler	126	975
Seaside Sparrow	128	973
Least Bittern	129	967
Orchard Oriole	129	967
Ruddy Turnstone	131	960
Northern Parula	132	935
Pied-billed Grebe	133	925
Palm Warbler	134	922
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	916
Laughing Gull	136	912
White-breasted Nuthatch	137	900
American Woodcock	138	848
Magnolia Warbler	139	835
Great Cormorant	140	834
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	825
Red Knot	142	815
Virginia Rail	143	812
American Bittern	144	783
Northern Shrike	145	778
House Wren	146	763
Pine Warbler	147	761
Black-throated Blue Warbler	148	760
Whimbrel	149	755
Lesser Scaup	150	752
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	151	749
American Pipit	152	722
Brown Creeper	153	721
Short-eared Owl	154	675
Northern Waterthrush	155	674
White-crowned Sparrow	156	668
American Golden-Plover	157	667
Chimney Swift	158	662
Tufted Titmouse	159	653
Hairy Woodpecker	160	647
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	161	640
Eastern Meadowlark	162	627
Ruddy Duck	163	626
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	606
Wilson's Warbler	165	584
Eastern Wood-Pewee	166	571
Nashville Warbler	167	570
Roseate Tern	168	567
American Coot	169	560
Ovenbird	170	559
Sora	171	525
Snow Goose	172	518
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	500
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	497
Purple Sandpiper	175	481
Common Merganser	176	467
Wood Duck	177	455
Blackburnian Warbler	178	450
Swainson's Thrush	179	447
Wilson's Snipe	180	424
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	415
Alder Flycatcher	182	411
Green Heron	183	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	184	404
Least Flycatcher	185	401
Veery	186	396
Hudsonian Godwit	187	395
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	188	392
Scarlet Tanager	188	392
Pine Siskin	190	386
Baird's Sandpiper	191	384
Great Horned Owl	192	381
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	380
Ring-necked Duck	194	379
Lapland Longspur	195	378
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	365
Western Sandpiper	197	363
Warbling Vireo	198	359
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	358
Common Redpoll	200	353
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	346
Bay-breasted Warbler	202	344
Forster's Tern	203	316
Fox Sparrow	204	294
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	293
Eurasian Wigeon	206	284
Cape May Warbler	207	282
Barred Owl	208	273
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	270
Philadelphia Vireo	210	268
Solitary Sandpiper	211	264
Tricolored Heron	211	264
Lesser Black-backed Gull	213	253
Wilson's Phalarope	214	248
Black Guillemot	215	244
Fish Crow	216	242
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	242
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	239
Winter Wren	219	235
American Avocet	220	234
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	221
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	215
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	198
Wood Thrush	225	192
Tennessee Warbler	226	189
Caspian Tern	227	187
King Rail	228	182
Common Gallinule	229	176
Mourning Warbler	230	169
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	231	162
Cliff Swallow	232	161
Indigo Bunting	232	161
Iceland Gull	234	156
Redhead	235	153
Dickcissel	235	153
Black Tern	237	152
White-winged Crossbill	238	148
Nelson's Sparrow	238	148
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Gull	241	124
King Eider	242	121
White-eyed Vireo	243	118
Blue-winged Warbler	244	116
Rusty Blackbird	245	115
Clapper Rail	246	110
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	106
Marbled Godwit	248	100
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	98/17
Common Nighthawk	250	91/22
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	91/22
Cory's Shearwater	252	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	253	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	83/14
Broad-winged Hawk	255	77/19
Lark Sparrow	256	76/20
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	75/18
Western Grebe	258	71/7
Manx Shearwater	259	70/21
Connecticut Warbler	260	67/24
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Oystercatcher	261	66/20
Eastern Bluebird	262	64/20
Hooded Warbler	263	61/20
Parasitic Jaeger	264	60/20
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	267	54/18
Dovekie	268	53/16
Glaucous Gull	269	51/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	50/19
Thick-billed Murre	271	45/20
Summer Tanager	271	45/14
Gull-billed Tern	273	44/8
Northern Goshawk	273	44/17
Northern Saw-whet Owl	275	43/14
Red-necked Phalarope	276	41/14
Black-headed Gull	277	40/13
Royal Tern	277	40/13
Western Kingbird	277	40/10
Barrow's Goldeneye	280	35/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	34/15
Long-eared Owl	282	33/14
Red Phalarope	283	30/9
Worm-eating Warbler	283	30/13
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	286	26/6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	26/3
Grasshopper Sparrow	289	25/9
Sooty Shearwater	290	23/14
White-faced Ibis	291	22/7
Canvasback	292	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	292	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	20/11
Common Murre	295	19/11
Black Rail	296	18/1
Ruff	296	18/10
Bohemian Waxwing	296	18/11
Pacific Loon	299	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	299	17/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	299	17/10
Acadian Flycatcher	302	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	302	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	302	16/7
Blue Grosbeak	302	16/6
Ross's Goose	306	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	307	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	308	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	311	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	311	11/7
Cave Swallow	311	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	314	10/2
Louisiana Waterthrush	314	10/10
Yellow-throated Warbler	314	10/5
Black Vulture	317	9/7
Cackling Goose	318	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	318	8/3
American White Pelican	318	8/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Golden Eagle	318	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	318	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	318	8/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	324	7/4
Gyrfalcon	324	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	324	7/1
Sandhill Crane	327	6/6
Wilson's Plover	327	6/3
Red-necked Stint	327	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	327	6/4
Sandwich Tern	327	6/2
Northern Fulmar	327	6/4
Say's Phoebe	327	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	327	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	335	5/1
Franklin's Gull	335	5/4
Brown Pelican	335	5/1
Swainson's Hawk	335	5/3
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Chuck-will's-widow	341	3/3
Mississippi Kite	341	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	341	3/1
Western Tanager	341	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	345	2/2
Tundra Swan	345	2/1
Eared Grebe	345	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	345	2/1
Northern Lapwing	345	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	345	2/2
Sabine's Gull	345	2/2
Little Egret	345	2/2
Pileated Woodpecker	345	2/2
Western Meadowlark	345	2/1
White-winged Dove	355	1
Elegant Tern	355	1
Neotropic Cormorant	355	1
White Ibis	355	1
Prairie Falcon	355	1
Monk Parakeet	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	355	1
Yellow-green Vireo	355	1
Sage Thrasher	355	1
Townsend's Solitaire	355	1
Bicknell's Thrush	355	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	355	1
Lark Bunting	355	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	355	1