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 June 5, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7499
Canada Goose	2	7441
American Robin	3	7363
Mallard	4	7216
American Black Duck	5	7205
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7073
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6988
Song Sparrow	8	6963
American Crow	9	6956
Northern Mockingbird	10	6777
Northern Cardinal	11	6472
European Starling	12	6311
Blue Jay	13	6299
Mourning Dove	14	6222
Northern Harrier	15	6001
Gadwall	16	5977
American Goldfinch	17	5746
Ring-billed Gull	18	5641
Green-winged Teal	19	5324
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5291
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5269
Common Loon	22	5211
Great Egret	23	4943
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4894
Rock Pigeon	25	4863
Gray Catbird	26	4707
Downy Woodpecker	27	4703
Common Eider	28	4699
Great Blue Heron	29	4650
Mute Swan	30	4616
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4521
White-winged Scoter	32	4502
House Finch	33	4491
Eastern Towhee	34	4313
Tree Swallow	35	4009
Killdeer	36	3996
Snowy Egret	37	3992
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3974
Common Grackle	39	3949
Osprey	40	3855
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3811
Black-bellied Plover	42	3779
White-throated Sparrow	43	3670
Long-tailed Duck	44	3586
Northern Pintail	45	3578
Black Scoter	46	3503
Sanderling	47	3477
Brown Thrasher	48	3426
Dunlin	49	3375
Savannah Sparrow	50	3369
Bufflehead	51	3339
Purple Finch	52	3288
Semipalmated Plover	53	3279
Semipalmated Sandpiper	54	3265
Marsh Wren	55	3241
Common Yellowthroat	56	3130
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3129
Red-tailed Hawk	58	3017
Peregrine Falcon	59	2999
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2998
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2973
American Tree Sparrow	62	2959
Northern Flicker	63	2948
Red-throated Loon	64	2911
Eastern Kingbird	65	2830
Horned Grebe	66	2790
Yellow Warbler	67	2771
Northern Gannet	68	2705
Wild Turkey	69	2697
Common Tern	70	2684
Turkey Vulture	71	2642
Red-breasted Nuthatch	72	2637
Least Sandpiper	73	2618
Swamp Sparrow	74	2602
Common Goldeneye	75	2578
Willet	76	2563
Bobolink	77	2530
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2502
Purple Martin	79	2494
Dark-eyed Junco	80	2483
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2467
Piping Plover	82	2464
Field Sparrow	83	2444
Short-billed Dowitcher	84	2431
Hooded Merganser	85	2402
Least Tern	86	2376
Bald Eagle	87	2368
Baltimore Oriole	88	2345
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2305
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2299
Eastern Phoebe	91	2282
American Redstart	92	2239
Surf Scoter	93	2237
Cooper's Hawk	94	2179
American Wigeon	95	2100
Hermit Thrush	96	1959
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1957
Black-crowned Night-Heron	98	1932
Horned Lark	99	1826
Willow Flycatcher	100	1758
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bonaparte's Gull	101	1756
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1753
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1722
Carolina Wren	104	1699
Red-necked Grebe	105	1679
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Northern Shoveler	108	1527
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1508
Chipping Sparrow	110	1445
Bank Swallow	111	1444
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1382
Snow Bunting	113	1374
Blue-winged Teal	114	1372
Brant	115	1344
Common Raven	116	1340
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1205
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1200
Glossy Ibis	120	1175
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1152
American Kestrel	122	1142
Belted Kingfisher	123	1118
Stilt Sandpiper	124	1117
Orchard Oriole	125	1082
Pectoral Sandpiper	126	1075
Least Bittern	127	1060
Blackpoll Warbler	128	1044
Seaside Sparrow	129	1043
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	1037
Northern Parula	131	1025
Ruddy Turnstone	132	1022
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1004
Laughing Gull	134	1001
Palm Warbler	135	1000
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	996
Pied-billed Grebe	137	963
American Woodcock	138	934
Magnolia Warbler	139	923
Blue-headed Vireo	140	903
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	872
House Wren	142	870
Red Knot	143	854
Black-throated Blue Warbler	144	829
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	829
Virginia Rail	146	826
Lesser Scaup	147	815
American Bittern	148	810
Brown Creeper	149	808
Hairy Woodpecker	150	800
Pine Warbler	151	798
Whimbrel	152	793
Tufted Titmouse	153	783
Northern Shrike	154	778
American Pipit	155	772
Short-eared Owl	156	745
Northern Waterthrush	157	736
Chimney Swift	158	730
American Golden-Plover	158	730
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	725
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	702
Ovenbird	162	660
Eastern Wood-Pewee	163	648
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	647
Ruddy Duck	165	645
Roseate Tern	166	644
Eastern Meadowlark	167	641
Wilson's Warbler	168	639
Nashville Warbler	169	625
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	568
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	561
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	531
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Blackburnian Warbler	177	497
Wilson's Snipe	178	496
Swainson's Thrush	179	492
Wood Duck	180	488
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	458
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	182	457
Least Flycatcher	183	454
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	450
Canada Warbler	185	447
Veery	186	433
Scarlet Tanager	187	427
Green Heron	188	423
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Pine Siskin	190	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	191	407
Hudsonian Godwit	192	405
Warbling Vireo	193	403
Black-billed Cuckoo	194	400
Lapland Longspur	194	400
Eastern Whip-poor-will	196	393
Great Horned Owl	196	393
Bay-breasted Warbler	198	392
Baird's Sandpiper	199	391
Prairie Warbler	200	385
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	368
Common Redpoll	202	354
Fox Sparrow	203	335
Fish Crow	204	333
Forster's Tern	205	326
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	314
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	307
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	304
Tricolored Heron	210	303
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	288
Barred Owl	212	287
Philadelphia Vireo	212	287
Solitary Sandpiper	214	280
Wilson's Phalarope	215	269
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	264
Winter Wren	217	257
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	254
American Avocet	219	252
Black Guillemot	220	245
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	234
Wood Thrush	222	232
Red Crossbill	223	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	224	217
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	225	215
Tennessee Warbler	225	215
Caspian Tern	227	196
King Rail	227	196
Mourning Warbler	229	187
Indigo Bunting	230	183
Common Gallinule	231	181
Clapper Rail	231	181
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	172
Cliff Swallow	234	170
Dickcissel	234	170
Nelson's Sparrow	236	169
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	157
Redhead	239	153
White-winged Crossbill	240	148
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	141
White-eyed Vireo	242	137
Little Gull	243	125
King Eider	244	122
Rusty Blackbird	245	121
Blue-winged Warbler	245	121
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	119
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	112
American Oystercatcher	249	111
Marbled Godwit	250	100
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	98/24
Common Nighthawk	252	96/23
Cory's Shearwater	253	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	85/15
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	85/20
Broad-winged Hawk	257	79/21
Lark Sparrow	258	77/21
Manx Shearwater	259	76/22
Connecticut Warbler	260	73/25
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Bluebird	261	72/22
Western Grebe	262	71/7
Harlequin Duck	263	63/14
Hooded Warbler	263	63/22
Parasitic Jaeger	265	62/21
Vesper Sparrow	266	60/20
Great Shearwater	267	58/15
Dovekie	268	55/18
Glaucous Gull	269	53/18
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	52/20
Thick-billed Murre	271	50/21
Northern Goshawk	272	48/18
Summer Tanager	272	48/15
Red-necked Phalarope	274	46/16
Gull-billed Tern	275	44/8
Northern Saw-whet Owl	276	43/14
Western Kingbird	276	43/11
Arctic Tern	278	41/17
Black-headed Gull	279	40/13
Royal Tern	279	40/13
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barrow's Goldeneye	281	35/7
Long-eared Owl	282	34/15
Worm-eating Warbler	283	33/15
Ruff	284	30/12
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Bohemian Waxwing	286	29/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	287	28/4
Ross's Goose	288	27/5
Cattle Egret	288	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	290	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	290	26/6
Sooty Shearwater	290	26/16
Grasshopper Sparrow	293	25/9
White-faced Ibis	294	24/9
Canvasback	295	22/9
Upland Sandpiper	295	22/12
Black-necked Stilt	297	21/3
Prothonotary Warbler	297	21/11
Kentucky Warbler	297	21/10
Blue Grosbeak	297	21/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Murre	301	19/11
Black Rail	302	18/1
Pacific Loon	303	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	303	17/5
Acadian Flycatcher	305	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	305	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	305	16/7
Ash-throated Flycatcher	308	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	309	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	309	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	309	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	312	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	312	11/7
Swainson's Hawk	312	11/3
Cave Swallow	312	11/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	312	11/11
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	11/6
Black Vulture	318	10/8
Golden Eagle	319	9/8
Cackling Goose	320	8/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	320	8/3
American White Pelican	320	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	320	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	320	8/6
Sandhill Crane	325	7/7
Northern Fulmar	325	7/5
Red-headed Woodpecker	325	7/4
Gyrfalcon	325	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	325	7/1
Wilson's Plover	330	6/3
Red-necked Stint	330	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	330	6/4
Sandwich Tern	330	6/2
Say's Phoebe	330	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	330	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	336	5/1
Franklin's Gull	336	5/4
Brown Pelican	336	5/1
Pileated Woodpecker	339	4/4
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	342	3/3
Mississippi Kite	342	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	342	3/1
Western Tanager	342	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	346	2/2
Tundra Swan	346	2/1
Eared Grebe	346	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	346	2/1
Northern Lapwing	346	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	346	2/2
Sabine's Gull	346	2/2
Little Egret	346	2/2
Western Meadowlark	346	2/1
White-winged Dove	355	1
Purple Gallinule	355	1
Elegant Tern	355	1
Neotropic Cormorant	355	1
White Ibis	355	1
Prairie Falcon	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monk Parakeet	355	1
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