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 23, 2020

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5252
Canada Goose	2	5218
American Robin	3	5157
American Black Duck	4	5060
Mallard	5	5015
American Crow	6	4987
Black-capped Chickadee	7	4862
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4842
Song Sparrow	9	4782
Northern Mockingbird	10	4675
European Starling	11	4398
Northern Cardinal	12	4324
Blue Jay	13	4259
Northern Harrier	14	4217
Mourning Dove	15	4215
Gadwall	16	4132
Ring-billed Gull	17	3896
American Goldfinch	18	3891
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3712
Green-winged Teal	20	3608
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3502
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3500
Great Egret	23	3450
House Sparrow	24	3416
Great Blue Heron	25	3256
Gray Catbird	26	3201
Rock Pigeon	27	3159
Common Eider	28	3078
Downy Woodpecker	29	3020
Eastern Towhee	30	2970
White-winged Scoter	31	2969
Mute Swan	32	2966
Red-winged Blackbird	33	2965
Snowy Egret	34	2874
Tree Swallow	35	2871
Black-bellied Plover	36	2735
Red-breasted Merganser	37	2698
Killdeer	38	2665
Common Grackle	39	2664
Osprey	40	2659
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2640
House Finch	42	2591
Northern Pintail	43	2454
Brown Thrasher	44	2452
Savannah Sparrow	45	2449
White-throated Sparrow	46	2405
Long-tailed Duck	47	2302
Semipalmated Plover	48	2274
Semipalmated Sandpiper	49	2272
Sanderling	50	2253
Purple Finch	51	2224
Bufflehead	52	2221
Dunlin	53	2219
Black Scoter	54	2190
Marsh Wren	55	2161
Common Yellowthroat	55	2161
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2142
Peregrine Falcon	58	2101
Lesser Yellowlegs	59	2099
American Tree Sparrow	60	2071
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2043
Eastern Kingbird	62	2028
Yellow-rumped Warbler	63	2005
Red-throated Loon	64	1967
Yellow Warbler	65	1949
Northern Gannet	66	1930
Common Tern	67	1902
Horned Grebe	68	1854
Least Sandpiper	69	1826
Bobolink	70	1816
Northern Flicker	71	1799
Willet	72	1772
Turkey Vulture	73	1765
Wild Turkey	74	1720
Short-billed Dowitcher	75	1719
Brown-headed Cowbird	76	1717
Purple Martin	77	1714
Merlin	78	1704
Common Goldeneye	79	1691
Least Tern	80	1680
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-breasted Nuthatch	81	1667
Field Sparrow	82	1637
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1627
Hooded Merganser	84	1613
Baltimore Oriole	85	1607
Piping Plover	86	1602
American Wigeon	87	1593
Eastern Phoebe	88	1575
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	1563
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1561
American Redstart	91	1494
Swamp Sparrow	92	1470
Bonaparte's Gull	93	1454
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1349
Bald Eagle	95	1345
Cooper's Hawk	96	1297
Rough-legged Hawk	97	1281
Surf Scoter	98	1279
Horned Lark	99	1276
Snowy Owl	100	1242
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Grebe	101	1239
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1225
Willow Flycatcher	103	1214
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1173
Red-eyed Vireo	105	1168
Hermit Thrush	106	1163
Northern Shoveler	107	1145
Blue-winged Teal	108	1082
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1059
Bank Swallow	110	1041
Snow Bunting	111	1032
Chipping Sparrow	112	939
Brant	113	902
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	894
Glossy Ibis	115	881
American Kestrel	116	855
Black-and-white Warbler	117	835
Greater Scaup	118	830
Carolina Wren	119	772
Great Crested Flycatcher	120	768
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blackpoll Warbler	121	754
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	751
Stilt Sandpiper	123	740
Seaside Sparrow	124	731
Ruddy Turnstone	125	730
Belted Kingfisher	126	726
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	716
Razorbill	128	714
Northern Shrike	129	709
Great Cormorant	130	684
American Woodcock	131	683
Northern Parula	132	681
Palm Warbler	133	674
Laughing Gull	134	659
Magnolia Warbler	135	656
Red Knot	136	654
American Bittern	137	648
Pied-billed Grebe	138	645
Blue-headed Vireo	139	619
Whimbrel	140	613
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	606
Eastern Meadowlark	142	589
Long-billed Dowitcher	143	585
Orchard Oriole	144	572
Virginia Rail	145	568
White-breasted Nuthatch	146	556
American Pipit	147	553
Lesser Scaup	148	542
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	149	541
Least Bittern	150	535
Pine Warbler	151	533
Northern Waterthrush	152	531
American Golden-Plover	153	518
White-crowned Sparrow	153	518
Brown Creeper	155	516
Short-eared Owl	156	515
Ruddy Duck	157	513
Hairy Woodpecker	158	489
Chimney Swift	159	479
Sora	160	473
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	469
Snow Goose	162	463
Nashville Warbler	163	443
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	432
Ovenbird	165	418
Tufted Titmouse	166	412
House Wren	167	399
Common Raven	168	393
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	389
Roseate Tern	170	387
Purple Sandpiper	171	378
Wilson's Snipe	172	364
Wood Duck	173	363
Black-legged Kittiwake	174	361
Eastern Wood-Pewee	175	349
American Coot	176	344
Blackburnian Warbler	177	342
Common Merganser	178	339
Lapland Longspur	179	338
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	180	329
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	324
Baird's Sandpiper	182	323
Swainson's Thrush	183	322
Black-billed Cuckoo	184	313
Hudsonian Godwit	185	310
Green Heron	185	310
Ring-necked Duck	187	307
Western Sandpiper	187	307
Great Horned Owl	189	306
Scarlet Tanager	190	302
Least Flycatcher	191	293
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	192	287
Alder Flycatcher	193	283
Veery	193	283
Common Redpoll	195	276
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	275
Eurasian Wigeon	197	274
Warbling Vireo	198	266
Forster's Tern	199	262
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	261
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	256
Pine Siskin	202	249
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	242
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	228
Wilson's Phalarope	205	222
Fox Sparrow	206	208
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	207	201
Philadelphia Vireo	208	200
Tricolored Heron	209	199
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	196
Winter Wren	211	191
Solitary Sandpiper	212	189
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	188
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	186
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	181
Little Blue Heron	216	170
Cape May Warbler	217	168
Barred Owl	218	161
Lesser Black-backed Gull	219	160
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	156
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Thrush	221	153
Redhead	222	152
Cliff Swallow	223	140
American Avocet	224	135
Caspian Tern	225	134
Mourning Warbler	226	133
White-winged Crossbill	227	131
Iceland Gull	228	124
Little Gull	229	123
Indigo Bunting	229	123
King Rail	231	116
Tennessee Warbler	231	116
Black Tern	233	114
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	114
Common Gallinule	235	111
Fish Crow	236	107
Dickcissel	237	97/16
Marbled Godwit	238	93/17
Blue-winged Warbler	239	92/17
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	91/17
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Clapper Rail	241	90/10
King Eider	242	89/9
White-eyed Vireo	243	88/16
Black Guillemot	244	87/15
Nelson's Sparrow	245	86/17
Red Crossbill	246	85/10
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	83/14
Rusty Blackbird	248	81/16
Common Nighthawk	249	75/17
Western Grebe	250	70/6
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	67/17
Black Skimmer	252	66/10
Manx Shearwater	253	64/17
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	59/13
Connecticut Warbler	256	58/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	55/15
Lark Sparrow	257	55/15
Hooded Warbler	259	51/16
Parasitic Jaeger	260	49/15
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Shearwater	261	48/12
Glaucous Gull	262	47/13
Vesper Sparrow	262	47/15
Gull-billed Tern	264	44/8
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	266	42/11
American Oystercatcher	267	39/15
Eastern Bluebird	267	39/15
Black-headed Gull	269	38/11
Broad-winged Hawk	269	38/14
Dovekie	271	37/13
Cory's Shearwater	271	37/10
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	36/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	274	35/15
Barrow's Goldeneye	275	33/6
Royal Tern	276	32/10
Long-eared Owl	277	31/13
Thick-billed Murre	278	30/15
Worm-eating Warbler	279	29/12
Arctic Tern	280	28/10
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Kingbird	281	27/9
Red-necked Phalarope	282	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	282	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	284	24/5
Red Phalarope	284	24/7
Cattle Egret	284	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	284	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
Canvasback	289	20/7
Kentucky Warbler	289	20/9
White-faced Ibis	291	19/6
Black Rail	292	18/1
Sooty Shearwater	292	18/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	294	17/5
Ruff	296	16/8
Common Murre	297	15/8
Pacific Loon	297	15/6
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Ross's Goose	300	14/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ash-throated Flycatcher	301	13/3
Bohemian Waxwing	301	13/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	303	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	303	12/10
Hoary Redpoll	303	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	303	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	303	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	308	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	308	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	308	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	311	10/5
Black Vulture	314	9/7
Cackling Goose	315	8/3
Evening Grosbeak	315	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	315	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	315	8/5
Common Ringed Plover	319	7/2
American White Pelican	319	7/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-headed Woodpecker	319	7/4
Gyrfalcon	319	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	319	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	319	7/5
Red-necked Stint	325	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	325	6/4
Sandwich Tern	325	6/2
Northern Fulmar	325	6/4
Sandhill Crane	329	5/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	329	5/1
Wilson's Plover	329	5/2
Franklin's Gull	329	5/4
Brown Pelican	329	5/1
Golden Eagle	329	5/4
Say's Phoebe	329	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	336	4/3
Chuck-will's-widow	337	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	337	3/1
Sedge Wren	337	3/3
Western Tanager	337	3/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater White-fronted Goose	341	2/1
Tundra Swan	341	2/1
Eared Grebe	341	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	341	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	341	2/2
Sabine's Gull	341	2/2
Little Egret	341	2/2
Northern Wheatear	341	2/1
Western Meadowlark	341	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	350	1
Northern Lapwing	350	1
Elegant Tern	350	1
Neotropic Cormorant	350	1
White Ibis	350	1
Mississippi Kite	350	1
Swainson's Hawk	350	1
Pileated Woodpecker	350	1
Prairie Falcon	350	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	350	1
Yellow-green Vireo	350	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Townsend's Solitaire	350	1
Bicknell's Thrush	350	1
Sage Thrasher	350	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	350	1