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 November 13, 2018

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4853
Canada Goose	2	4824
American Robin	3	4766
American Crow	4	4695
American Black Duck	5	4673
Mallard	6	4630
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4488
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4477
Song Sparrow	9	4439
Northern Mockingbird	10	4352
European Starling	11	4088
Northern Cardinal	12	3979
Northern Harrier	13	3928
Blue Jay	14	3923
Mourning Dove	15	3911
Gadwall	16	3867
Ring-billed Gull	17	3643
American Goldfinch	18	3577
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3476
Green-winged Teal	20	3395
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3285
Common Loon	22	3229
Great Egret	23	3223
House Sparrow	24	3137
Great Blue Heron	25	3061
Gray Catbird	26	2964
Rock Pigeon	27	2898
Downy Woodpecker	28	2786
Common Eider	29	2785
Eastern Towhee	30	2775
Mute Swan	31	2768
Red-winged Blackbird	32	2760
White-winged Scoter	33	2734
Snowy Egret	34	2705
Tree Swallow	35	2679
Black-bellied Plover	36	2564
Common Grackle	37	2497
Red-breasted Merganser	38	2484
Osprey	39	2481
Killdeer	40	2479
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2464
House Finch	42	2350
Brown Thrasher	43	2313
Savannah Sparrow	44	2305
Northern Pintail	45	2292
White-throated Sparrow	46	2202
Semipalmated Plover	47	2130
Semipalmated Sandpiper	48	2125
Long-tailed Duck	49	2104
Purple Finch	50	2095
Sanderling	51	2072
Dunlin	52	2039
Marsh Wren	53	2020
Bufflehead	54	2014
Common Yellowthroat	55	2012
Lesser Yellowlegs	56	1979
Black Scoter	57	1949
Red-tailed Hawk	58	1946
Peregrine Falcon	59	1939
Barn Swallow	60	1920
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	1906
Eastern Kingbird	62	1897
Red-throated Loon	63	1853
Yellow-rumped Warbler	64	1833
Yellow Warbler	65	1826
Northern Gannet	66	1814
Common Tern	67	1794
Horned Grebe	68	1717
Least Sandpiper	69	1715
Bobolink	70	1700
Northern Flicker	71	1666
Willet	72	1660
Turkey Vulture	73	1636
Brown-headed Cowbird	74	1610
Merlin	75	1608
Short-billed Dowitcher	76	1605
Purple Martin	77	1597
Least Tern	78	1567
Wild Turkey	79	1557
Red-breasted Nuthatch	80	1548
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	1521
Dark-eyed Junco	82	1512
Baltimore Oriole	83	1510
Hooded Merganser	84	1505
Common Goldeneye	85	1487
American Wigeon	86	1486
Piping Plover	87	1484
White-rumped Sandpiper	88	1476
Eastern Phoebe	89	1475
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1449
Bonaparte's Gull	91	1429
American Redstart	92	1388
Swamp Sparrow	93	1305
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1276
Bald Eagle	95	1208
Horned Lark	96	1206
Cooper's Hawk	97	1187
Red-necked Grebe	98	1176
Surf Scoter	99	1170
Snowy Owl	100	1149
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rough-legged Hawk	101	1148
Willow Flycatcher	102	1133
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1126
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1093
Red-eyed Vireo	105	1077
Northern Shoveler	106	1065
Hermit Thrush	107	1044
Blue-winged Teal	108	1038
Bank Swallow	109	999
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	992
Snow Bunting	111	948
Chipping Sparrow	112	877
Glossy Ibis	113	868
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	854
Brant	115	848
American Kestrel	116	806
Black-and-white Warbler	117	795
Greater Scaup	118	760
Blackpoll Warbler	119	708
Stilt Sandpiper	120	707
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pectoral Sandpiper	121	702
Belted Kingfisher	122	689
Great Crested Flycatcher	123	686
Ruddy Turnstone	124	682
Seaside Sparrow	125	679
Black-throated Green Warbler	126	672
Great Cormorant	127	670
Razorbill	128	655
American Woodcock	129	653
Northern Shrike	130	647
Northern Parula	131	643
Palm Warbler	132	630
Red Knot	133	623
Laughing Gull	133	623
Magnolia Warbler	135	619
American Bittern	135	619
Pied-billed Grebe	137	617
Blue-headed Vireo	138	586
Whimbrel	139	583
Eastern Meadowlark	140	580
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	573
Carolina Wren	142	572
Virginia Rail	143	556
American Pipit	144	530
Lesser Scaup	145	517
Long-billed Dowitcher	146	516
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	513
Least Bittern	148	506
White-breasted Nuthatch	149	502
Brown Creeper	150	500
Orchard Oriole	151	498
Northern Waterthrush	152	495
Ruddy Duck	152	495
Snow Goose	154	493
White-crowned Sparrow	155	490
American Golden-Plover	156	481
Short-eared Owl	157	472
Pine Warbler	158	469
Chimney Swift	159	460
Sora	160	456
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	447
Nashville Warbler	162	422
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	414
Tufted Titmouse	164	391
Ovenbird	165	390
House Wren	166	388
Purple Sandpiper	167	366
Roseate Tern	167	366
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	364
Hairy Woodpecker	170	361
Black-legged Kittiwake	171	360
Wilson's Snipe	172	359
Lapland Longspur	173	332
Wood Duck	174	328
Blackburnian Warbler	175	322
Common Merganser	176	321
Common Raven	177	319
Eastern Wood-Pewee	178	317
American Coot	179	314
Canada Warbler	180	307
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-billed Cuckoo	181	304
Green Heron	182	303
Baird's Sandpiper	183	299
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	184	295
Great Horned Owl	185	292
Swainson's Thrush	186	289
Scarlet Tanager	187	288
Hudsonian Godwit	188	284
Eurasian Wigeon	189	270
Least Flycatcher	189	270
Ring-necked Duck	191	269
Western Sandpiper	192	265
Veery	193	263
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	194	259
Forster's Tern	195	256
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	254
Warbling Vireo	196	254
Common Redpoll	198	253
Alder Flycatcher	199	251
Prairie Warbler	200	241
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	201	239
Eastern Whip-poor-will	202	238
Pine Siskin	202	238
Wilson's Phalarope	204	210
Bay-breasted Warbler	205	200
Tricolored Heron	206	197
Fox Sparrow	207	193
Philadelphia Vireo	208	191
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	183
Solitary Sandpiper	210	182
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	211	180
Clay-colored Sparrow	212	179
Winter Wren	213	178
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	176
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	215	173
Little Blue Heron	216	167
Redhead	217	151
Wood Thrush	218	147
Cape May Warbler	218	147
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	144
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lesser Black-backed Gull	221	142
Barred Owl	222	136
Cliff Swallow	223	135
White-winged Crossbill	224	131
Little Gull	225	123
Mourning Warbler	225	123
Caspian Tern	227	121
American Avocet	228	119
Indigo Bunting	228	119
Iceland Gull	230	118
King Rail	231	116
Common Gallinule	232	111
Black Tern	232	111
Tennessee Warbler	234	100
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	235	98/16
Fish Crow	236	97/15
Dickcissel	237	93/15
Blue-winged Warbler	238	90/16
Clapper Rail	239	88/9
Marbled Godwit	239	88/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	239	88/16
Black Guillemot	242	87/15
Red Crossbill	243	83/8
White-eyed Vireo	244	79/15
Rusty Blackbird	245	78/16
Nelson's Sparrow	246	77/16
Common Nighthawk	247	73/16
Western Grebe	248	70/6
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	69/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	60/10
Manx Shearwater	250	60/16
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	60/16
Black Skimmer	253	57/9
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	56/12
Connecticut Warbler	254	56/18
Lark Sparrow	256	51/14
Hooded Warbler	256	51/16
Great Shearwater	258	48/12
Yellow-throated Vireo	258	48/14
Parasitic Jaeger	260	46/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Goshawk	261	44/17
Vesper Sparrow	261	44/14
Glaucous Gull	263	42/11
Black-headed Gull	264	38/11
Summer Tanager	264	38/10
Cory's Shearwater	266	37/10
Eastern Bluebird	267	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	268	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	269	34/7
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	34/14
Barrow's Goldeneye	271	33/6
Dovekie	271	33/13
American Oystercatcher	273	32/14
King Eider	274	31/8
Northern Saw-whet Owl	274	31/12
Thick-billed Murre	276	29/14
Arctic Tern	277	28/10
Long-eared Owl	277	28/12
Royal Tern	279	27/9
Worm-eating Warbler	279	27/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Phalarope	281	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	281	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	283	24/5
Red Phalarope	283	24/7
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Western Kingbird	283	24/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	283	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
White-faced Ibis	289	19/6
Kentucky Warbler	289	19/8
Canvasback	291	18/6
Black Rail	291	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	293	17/5
Ruff	296	16/8
Common Murre	297	15/8
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Pacific Loon	299	14/5
Ross's Goose	300	13/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hoary Redpoll	301	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	301	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	301	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	304	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	304	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	304	11/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	304	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	304	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	304	11/2
Bohemian Waxwing	304	11/6
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	313	8/5
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
Red-headed Woodpecker	318	7/4
Gyrfalcon	318	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	318	7/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	318	7/5
Atlantic Puffin	322	6/4
Sandwich Tern	322	6/2
Northern Fulmar	322	6/4
American White Pelican	322	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	326	5/1
Franklin's Gull	326	5/4
Thayer's Gull	326	5/1
Brown Pelican	326	5/1
Say's Phoebe	326	5/3
Evening Grosbeak	326	5/4
Sandhill Crane	332	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	332	4/1
Golden Eagle	332	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	335	3/1
Western Tanager	335	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	337	2/1
Eared Grebe	337	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	337	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	337	2/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Stint	337	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	337	2/2
Sabine's Gull	337	2/2
Sedge Wren	337	2/2
Northern Wheatear	337	2/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	2/2
Western Meadowlark	337	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	348	1
Northern Lapwing	348	1
Wilson's Plover	348	1
Elegant Tern	348	1
Little Egret	348	1
White Ibis	348	1
Mississippi Kite	348	1
Swainson's Hawk	348	1
Pileated Woodpecker	348	1
Prairie Falcon	348	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	348	1
Yellow-green Vireo	348	1
Townsend's Solitaire	348	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bicknell's Thrush	348	1
Sage Thrasher	348	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	348	1