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 July 19, 2018

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4741
Canada Goose	2	4727
American Robin	3	4658
American Crow	4	4594
American Black Duck	5	4570
Mallard	6	4520
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4381
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4369
Song Sparrow	9	4327
Northern Mockingbird	10	4245
European Starling	11	3988
Northern Cardinal	12	3885
Northern Harrier	13	3851
Mourning Dove	14	3822
Blue Jay	15	3818
Gadwall	16	3794
Ring-billed Gull	17	3544
American Goldfinch	18	3473
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3366
Green-winged Teal	20	3303
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3173
Common Loon	22	3170
Great Egret	23	3125
House Sparrow	24	3057
Great Blue Heron	25	2955
Gray Catbird	26	2866
Rock Pigeon	27	2813
Mute Swan	28	2734
Common Eider	29	2729
Red-winged Blackbird	30	2706
Downy Woodpecker	31	2703
White-winged Scoter	32	2688
Eastern Towhee	33	2683
Snowy Egret	34	2627
Tree Swallow	35	2604
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2463
Black-bellied Plover	37	2459
Common Grackle	38	2452
Killdeer	39	2424
Osprey	40	2408
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2375
Brown Thrasher	42	2262
House Finch	43	2258
Savannah Sparrow	44	2251
Northern Pintail	45	2249
White-throated Sparrow	46	2159
Long-tailed Duck	47	2084
Purple Finch	48	2045
Semipalmated Sandpiper	49	2031
Semipalmated Plover	50	2026
Bufflehead	51	1999
Dunlin	52	1986
Sanderling	53	1983
Marsh Wren	54	1959
Common Yellowthroat	55	1949
Black Scoter	56	1914
Lesser Yellowlegs	57	1909
American Tree Sparrow	58	1896
Red-tailed Hawk	59	1876
Barn Swallow	60	1865
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Peregrine Falcon	61	1855
Eastern Kingbird	62	1848
Red-throated Loon	63	1826
Yellow Warbler	64	1786
Yellow-rumped Warbler	65	1777
Common Tern	66	1759
Northern Gannet	67	1749
Horned Grebe	68	1702
Bobolink	69	1657
Least Sandpiper	70	1645
Willet	71	1632
Northern Flicker	72	1605
Brown-headed Cowbird	73	1601
Turkey Vulture	74	1581
Merlin	75	1574
Purple Martin	76	1563
Short-billed Dowitcher	77	1541
Least Tern	78	1528
Wild Turkey	79	1503
Field Sparrow	80	1488
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Goldeneye	81	1484
Hooded Merganser	82	1482
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1471
Baltimore Oriole	84	1464
Red-breasted Nuthatch	84	1464
Piping Plover	86	1447
American Wigeon	87	1445
White-rumped Sandpiper	88	1412
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	1403
Bonaparte's Gull	90	1400
Eastern Phoebe	90	1400
American Redstart	92	1349
Swamp Sparrow	93	1260
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1227
Horned Lark	95	1202
Bald Eagle	96	1189
Red-necked Grebe	97	1171
Surf Scoter	98	1150
Snowy Owl	99	1146
Rough-legged Hawk	100	1145
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cooper's Hawk	101	1125
Willow Flycatcher	102	1111
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1079
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1057
Northern Shoveler	105	1046
Blue-winged Teal	106	1033
Red-eyed Vireo	107	1020
Hermit Thrush	108	1017
Bank Swallow	109	979
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	957
Snow Bunting	111	939
Glossy Ibis	112	852
Sharp-shinned Hawk	113	845
Brant	114	842
Chipping Sparrow	115	839
American Kestrel	116	803
Black-and-white Warbler	117	780
Greater Scaup	118	754
Blackpoll Warbler	119	682
Seaside Sparrow	120	675
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	669
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	663
Great Cormorant	122	663
Black-throated Green Warbler	124	659
Great Crested Flycatcher	125	657
Belted Kingfisher	126	654
American Woodcock	127	652
Ruddy Turnstone	128	647
Razorbill	129	646
Northern Shrike	130	645
Northern Parula	131	638
Palm Warbler	132	620
Magnolia Warbler	133	614
American Bittern	134	608
Laughing Gull	135	606
Pied-billed Grebe	136	603
Red Knot	137	601
Eastern Meadowlark	138	578
Blue-headed Vireo	139	574
Black-throated Blue Warbler	140	563
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Whimbrel	141	560
Virginia Rail	142	555
Carolina Wren	143	534
Lesser Scaup	144	511
American Pipit	145	504
Least Bittern	146	500
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	499
Snow Goose	148	493
Orchard Oriole	149	492
White-breasted Nuthatch	150	491
Northern Waterthrush	151	485
Brown Creeper	152	481
Ruddy Duck	153	478
Long-billed Dowitcher	154	477
Short-eared Owl	155	470
American Golden-Plover	156	469
Pine Warbler	157	462
White-crowned Sparrow	158	459
Sora	159	454
Chimney Swift	160	451
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	443
Nashville Warbler	162	409
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	400
House Wren	164	385
Ovenbird	164	385
Purple Sandpiper	166	366
Chestnut-sided Warbler	167	361
Black-legged Kittiwake	168	360
Tufted Titmouse	168	360
Roseate Tern	170	359
Wilson's Snipe	171	355
Hairy Woodpecker	172	343
Lapland Longspur	173	326
Blackburnian Warbler	174	322
Common Merganser	175	321
Wood Duck	176	315
Eastern Wood-Pewee	177	312
Canada Warbler	178	306
Black-billed Cuckoo	179	304
American Coot	179	304
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Green Heron	181	301
Great Horned Owl	182	288
Common Raven	183	287
Scarlet Tanager	184	286
Swainson's Thrush	185	283
Baird's Sandpiper	186	281
Hudsonian Godwit	187	275
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	188	273
Least Flycatcher	189	268
Ring-necked Duck	190	266
Veery	191	260
Eurasian Wigeon	192	259
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	258
Western Sandpiper	194	256
Forster's Tern	195	255
Common Redpoll	196	253
Alder Flycatcher	197	251
Warbling Vireo	198	248
Prairie Warbler	199	238
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	237
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-bellied Woodpecker	201	232
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	202	230
Pine Siskin	203	225
Wilson's Phalarope	204	208
Tricolored Heron	205	197
Fox Sparrow	206	193
Bay-breasted Warbler	207	191
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	177
Philadelphia Vireo	209	176
Winter Wren	209	176
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	209	176
Solitary Sandpiper	212	175
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	169
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	214	161
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	160
Little Blue Heron	216	158
Redhead	217	151
Wood Thrush	218	147
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	141
Cape May Warbler	220	135
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barred Owl	221	133
White-winged Crossbill	222	131
Cliff Swallow	223	129
Lesser Black-backed Gull	224	124
Little Gull	225	123
Mourning Warbler	225	123
American Avocet	227	119
Iceland Gull	228	118
King Rail	229	116
Caspian Tern	229	116
Indigo Bunting	229	116
Common Gallinule	232	109
Black Tern	233	105
Fish Crow	234	97/15
Tennessee Warbler	235	96/16
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	236	94/16
Clapper Rail	237	88/9
Blue-winged Warbler	237	88/16
Black Guillemot	239	86/14
Red Crossbill	240	83/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	82/15
Dickcissel	242	81/14
Marbled Godwit	243	80/15
White-eyed Vireo	244	79/15
Common Nighthawk	245	72/16
Rusty Blackbird	246	71/16
Western Grebe	247	70/6
Nelson's Sparrow	248	69/15
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	67/12
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	60/10
Manx Shearwater	250	60/16
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	59/16
Black Skimmer	253	57/9
Connecticut Warbler	254	54/17
Hooded Warbler	255	51/16
Lark Sparrow	256	50/13
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	48/12
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	48/14
Parasitic Jaeger	259	46/14
Great Shearwater	259	46/12
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Goshawk	261	44/17
Glaucous Gull	262	42/11
Vesper Sparrow	263	40/13
Black-headed Gull	264	38/11
Summer Tanager	264	38/10
Eastern Bluebird	266	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	267	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	268	34/7
Cory's Shearwater	268	34/9
Barrow's Goldeneye	270	33/6
Dovekie	270	33/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	33/14
American Oystercatcher	273	32/14
Northern Saw-whet Owl	274	31/12
King Eider	275	30/8
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
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Harlequin Duck	285	23/8
Red Phalarope	285	23/6
Western Kingbird	285	23/7
White-faced Ibis	288	19/6
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	19/7
Kentucky Warbler	288	19/8
Canvasback	291	18/6
Black Rail	291	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Ruff	295	16/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	16/4
Common Murre	297	14/8
Pacific Loon	297	14/5
Ross's Goose	299	13/3
Hoary Redpoll	300	12/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Green-tailed Towhee	300	12/1
Prothonotary Warbler	300	12/9
Blue Grosbeak	300	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	304	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	304	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	304	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	304	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	304	11/2
Bohemian Waxwing	304	11/6
Black-necked Stilt	310	10/2
Eastern Screech-Owl	310	10/6
Cave Swallow	310	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
Red-headed Woodpecker	317	7/4
Gyrfalcon	317	7/5
Golden-winged Warbler	317	7/4
Swainson's Warbler	317	7/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	317	7/5
Sandwich Tern	322	6/2
American White Pelican	322	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	324	5/1
Atlantic Puffin	324	5/3
Franklin's Gull	324	5/4
Thayer's Gull	324	5/1
Northern Fulmar	324	5/3
Brown Pelican	324	5/1
Say's Phoebe	324	5/3
Sandhill Crane	331	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	331	4/1
Golden Eagle	331	4/3
Evening Grosbeak	331	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