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 May 31, 2020

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5353
Canada Goose	2	5321
American Robin	3	5251
American Black Duck	4	5160
Mallard	5	5110
American Crow	6	5064
Black-capped Chickadee	7	4958
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4930
Song Sparrow	9	4879
Northern Mockingbird	10	4761
European Starling	11	4457
Northern Cardinal	12	4405
Blue Jay	13	4333
Mourning Dove	14	4304
Northern Harrier	15	4299
Gadwall	16	4209
American Goldfinch	17	3957
Ring-billed Gull	18	3956
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3752
Green-winged Teal	20	3667
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3577
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3535
Great Egret	23	3494
House Sparrow	24	3486
Great Blue Heron	25	3288
Gray Catbird	26	3238
Rock Pigeon	27	3213
Common Eider	28	3151
Downy Woodpecker	29	3086
Mute Swan	30	3050
White-winged Scoter	31	3045
Red-winged Blackbird	32	3041
Eastern Towhee	33	2997
Tree Swallow	34	2908
Snowy Egret	35	2893
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2788
Black-bellied Plover	37	2752
Common Grackle	38	2735
Killdeer	39	2730
Osprey	40	2701
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Finch	41	2662
Cedar Waxwing	42	2658
Northern Pintail	43	2506
Savannah Sparrow	44	2479
Brown Thrasher	45	2474
White-throated Sparrow	46	2457
Long-tailed Duck	47	2384
Bufflehead	48	2298
Sanderling	49	2288
Semipalmated Plover	50	2287
Semipalmated Sandpiper	51	2284
Purple Finch	52	2261
Black Scoter	53	2253
Dunlin	54	2251
Red-tailed Hawk	55	2190
Common Yellowthroat	56	2183
Marsh Wren	57	2181
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	2130
Peregrine Falcon	59	2123
American Tree Sparrow	60	2122
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-rumped Warbler	61	2077
Barn Swallow	62	2068
Eastern Kingbird	63	2047
Red-throated Loon	64	2001
Yellow Warbler	65	1969
Northern Gannet	66	1944
Common Tern	67	1917
Horned Grebe	68	1909
Least Sandpiper	69	1841
Northern Flicker	70	1838
Bobolink	71	1835
Turkey Vulture	72	1805
Willet	73	1794
Wild Turkey	74	1765
Brown-headed Cowbird	75	1759
Common Goldeneye	76	1750
Purple Martin	77	1739
Short-billed Dowitcher	78	1727
Merlin	78	1727
Least Tern	80	1696
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-breasted Nuthatch	81	1668
Field Sparrow	82	1667
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1653
Hooded Merganser	84	1649
Piping Plover	85	1634
Baltimore Oriole	86	1625
American Wigeon	87	1612
Eastern Phoebe	88	1597
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	1574
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1569
American Redstart	91	1510
Swamp Sparrow	92	1498
Bonaparte's Gull	93	1459
Bald Eagle	94	1401
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1350
Surf Scoter	96	1329
Rough-legged Hawk	97	1313
Cooper's Hawk	98	1312
Horned Lark	99	1294
Snowy Owl	100	1278
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Grebe	101	1262
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1232
Willow Flycatcher	103	1226
Hermit Thrush	104	1196
Golden-crowned Kinglet	105	1185
Red-eyed Vireo	106	1178
Northern Shoveler	107	1175
Blue-winged Teal	108	1085
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1072
Bank Swallow	110	1052
Snow Bunting	111	1032
Chipping Sparrow	112	960
Brant	113	944
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	906
Glossy Ibis	115	888
American Kestrel	116	873
Black-and-white Warbler	117	854
Greater Scaup	118	851
Great Crested Flycatcher	119	782
Carolina Wren	120	778
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blackpoll Warbler	121	766
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	752
Seaside Sparrow	123	742
Ruddy Turnstone	124	741
Stilt Sandpiper	125	740
Belted Kingfisher	125	740
Razorbill	127	735
Black-throated Green Warbler	128	733
Northern Shrike	129	732
Great Cormorant	130	707
Northern Parula	131	698
American Woodcock	132	693
Palm Warbler	133	689
Magnolia Warbler	134	669
Laughing Gull	135	660
Red Knot	136	654
American Bittern	137	649
Pied-billed Grebe	138	645
Blue-headed Vireo	139	633
Black-throated Blue Warbler	140	621
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Whimbrel	141	613
Eastern Meadowlark	142	591
Orchard Oriole	143	589
Long-billed Dowitcher	144	585
Virginia Rail	145	573
White-breasted Nuthatch	146	570
American Pipit	147	557
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	553
Lesser Scaup	149	550
Pine Warbler	150	545
Northern Waterthrush	151	544
Least Bittern	152	540
Short-eared Owl	153	529
White-crowned Sparrow	154	528
American Golden-Plover	155	518
Brown Creeper	155	518
Ruddy Duck	157	513
Chimney Swift	158	492
Hairy Woodpecker	158	492
Wilson's Warbler	160	481
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sora	161	473
Snow Goose	162	466
Nashville Warbler	163	456
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	444
Common Raven	165	436
Ovenbird	166	430
Tufted Titmouse	167	414
House Wren	168	407
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	400
Roseate Tern	170	394
Purple Sandpiper	171	384
Wilson's Snipe	172	369
Wood Duck	173	366
Black-legged Kittiwake	174	363
Eastern Wood-Pewee	175	361
Blackburnian Warbler	176	352
Common Merganser	177	349
American Coot	178	344
Lapland Longspur	179	338
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	180	333
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Swainson's Thrush	181	329
Canada Warbler	181	329
Baird's Sandpiper	183	323
Black-billed Cuckoo	184	319
Green Heron	185	313
Scarlet Tanager	186	312
Hudsonian Godwit	187	311
Ring-necked Duck	188	309
Western Sandpiper	189	307
Great Horned Owl	190	306
Least Flycatcher	191	304
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	192	302
Veery	193	293
Alder Flycatcher	194	286
Red-bellied Woodpecker	195	279
Common Redpoll	196	276
Warbling Vireo	196	276
Eurasian Wigeon	198	274
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	267
Prairie Warbler	200	266
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Forster's Tern	201	262
Pine Siskin	202	249
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	244
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	240
Wilson's Phalarope	205	223
Fox Sparrow	206	210
Philadelphia Vireo	207	203
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	202
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	209	201
Tricolored Heron	210	199
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	211	193
Solitary Sandpiper	212	191
Winter Wren	212	191
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	214	188
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	181
Cape May Warbler	216	173
Little Blue Heron	217	170
Lesser Black-backed Gull	218	161
Barred Owl	218	161
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	158
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Thrush	220	158
Redhead	222	152
Cliff Swallow	223	140
Caspian Tern	224	136
American Avocet	225	135
Mourning Warbler	226	134
White-winged Crossbill	227	131
Indigo Bunting	228	126
Iceland Gull	229	124
Little Gull	230	123
Tennessee Warbler	230	123
Fish Crow	232	122
King Rail	233	116
Black Tern	233	116
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	235	114
Common Gallinule	236	111
Blue-winged Warbler	237	98/18
Dickcissel	238	97/16
Marbled Godwit	239	93/17
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	92/18
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-eyed Vireo	241	91/17
Clapper Rail	242	90/10
King Eider	243	89/9
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	76/18
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	72/18
Western Grebe	251	70/6
Black Skimmer	252	66/10
Manx Shearwater	253	65/18
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	60/14
Connecticut Warbler	256	58/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	57/16
Lark Sparrow	258	56/16
Hooded Warbler	259	51/16
Parasitic Jaeger	260	50/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Glaucous Gull	261	48/14
Great Shearwater	261	48/12
Vesper Sparrow	261	48/16
Gull-billed Tern	264	44/8
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	266	43/12
American Oystercatcher	267	40/16
Eastern Bluebird	267	40/16
Dovekie	269	39/13
Black-headed Gull	270	38/11
Broad-winged Hawk	270	38/14
Cory's Shearwater	272	37/10
Thick-billed Murre	273	36/16
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	36/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	275	35/15
Royal Tern	276	34/11
Barrow's Goldeneye	277	33/6
Long-eared Owl	278	31/13
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
Greater White-fronted Goose	282	26/2
Red-necked Phalarope	283	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	283	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	285	24/5
Red Phalarope	285	24/7
Cattle Egret	285	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	285	24/8
Harlequin Duck	289	23/8
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Canvasback	292	20/7
Black Rail	293	18/1
Sooty Shearwater	293	18/10
Upland Sandpiper	295	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	17/5
Ruff	297	16/8
Common Murre	297	16/9
Pacific Loon	299	15/6
Prothonotary Warbler	299	15/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ross's Goose	301	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	302	13/3
Bohemian Waxwing	302	13/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	304	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	304	12/10
Hoary Redpoll	304	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	304	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	304	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	309	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	309	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	309	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	312	10/2
Cave Swallow	312	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	10/5
Black Vulture	315	9/7
Cackling Goose	316	8/3
American White Pelican	316	8/7
Evening Grosbeak	316	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	316	8/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	321	7/2
Red-headed Woodpecker	321	7/4
Gyrfalcon	321	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	321	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	321	7/5
Sandhill Crane	326	6/6
Red-necked Stint	326	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	326	6/4
Sandwich Tern	326	6/2
Northern Fulmar	326	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	331	5/1
Wilson's Plover	331	5/2
Franklin's Gull	331	5/4
Brown Pelican	331	5/1
Golden Eagle	331	5/4
Say's Phoebe	331	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	4/3
Chuck-will's-widow	338	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	338	3/1
Sedge Wren	338	3/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Tanager	338	3/1
Tundra Swan	342	2/1
Eared Grebe	342	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	342	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	342	2/2
Sabine's Gull	342	2/2
Little Egret	342	2/2
Northern Wheatear	342	2/1
Western Meadowlark	342	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