Tom’s Birding Page

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 September 15, 2025

 Species n N  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Herring Gull  1  7247 
Canada Goose  2  7192 
American Robin  3  7118 
Mallard  4  6982 
American Black Duck  5  6958 
Black-capped Chickadee  6  6828 
Great Black-backed Gull  7  6757 
Song Sparrow  8  6730 
American Crow  9  6721 
Northern Mockingbird  10  6548 
Northern Cardinal  11  6230 
European Starling  12  6093 
Blue Jay  13  6065 
Mourning Dove  14  5987 
Gadwall  15  5797 
Northern Harrier  16  5749 
American Goldfinch  17  5536 
Ring-billed Gull  18  5437 
Green-winged Teal  19  5156 
Double-crested Cormorant  20  5133 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
House Sparrow  21  5075 
Common Loon  22  5001 
Great Egret  23  4791 
Greater Yellowlegs  24  4766 
Rock Pigeon  25  4657 
Gray Catbird  26  4582 
Great Blue Heron  27  4522 
Common Eider  28  4506 
Downy Woodpecker  29  4480 
Mute Swan  30  4479 
Red-winged Blackbird  31  4388 
White-winged Scoter  32  4297 
House Finch  33  4264 
Eastern Towhee  34  4169 
Tree Swallow  35  3916 
Snowy Egret  36  3897 
Killdeer  37  3890 
Common Grackle  38  3844 
Red-breasted Merganser  39  3779 
Osprey  40  3767 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Black-bellied Plover  41  3670 
Cedar Waxwing  42  3664 
White-throated Sparrow  43  3448 
Northern Pintail  44  3433 
Long-tailed Duck  45  3401 
Brown Thrasher  46  3349 
Sanderling  47  3338 
Black Scoter  48  3314 
Savannah Sparrow  49  3244 
Dunlin  50  3200 
Semipalmated Plover  51  3184 
Semipalmated Sandpiper  52  3180 
Marsh Wren  53  3172 
Bufflehead  54  3171 
Purple Finch  55  3129 
Common Yellowthroat  56  3071 
Lesser Yellowlegs  57  2931 
Peregrine Falcon  57  2931 
Red-tailed Hawk  59  2922 
Barn Swallow  60  2916 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Yellow-rumped Warbler  61  2909 
American Tree Sparrow  62  2820 
Northern Flicker  63  2809 
Eastern Kingbird  64  2798 
Red-throated Loon  65  2768 
Yellow Warbler  66  2722 
Horned Grebe  67  2654 
Common Tern  68  2650 
Northern Gannet  69  2611 
Wild Turkey  70  2576 
Least Sandpiper  71  2554 
Turkey Vulture  72  2547 
Willet  73  2516 
Bobolink  74  2492 
Swamp Sparrow  75  2491 
Common Goldeneye  76  2448 
Purple Martin  77  2440 
Red-breasted Nuthatch  78  2438 
Brown-headed Cowbird  79  2421 
Short-billed Dowitcher  80  2396 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Piping Plover  81  2388 
Merlin  82  2372 
Field Sparrow  83  2365 
Least Tern  84  2350 
Hooded Merganser  85  2313 
Dark-eyed Junco  86  2307 
Baltimore Oriole  87  2302 
Saltmarsh Sparrow  88  2261 
Bald Eagle  89  2240 
White-rumped Sandpiper  90  2221 
Eastern Phoebe  91  2207 
American Redstart  92  2194 
Surf Scoter  93  2085 
Cooper's Hawk  94  2044 
American Wigeon  95  2031 
Black-crowned Night-Heron  96  1915 
Red-eyed Vireo  97  1909 
Hermit Thrush  98  1858 
Willow Flycatcher  99  1739 
Horned Lark  100  1728 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Spotted Sandpiper  101  1726 
Bonaparte's Gull  101  1726 
Golden-crowned Kinglet  103  1639 
Red-necked Grebe  104  1615 
Carolina Wren  105  1593 
Snowy Owl  106  1524 
Rough-legged Hawk  107  1511 
Northern Shoveler  108  1468 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  109  1447 
Bank Swallow  110  1433 
Chipping Sparrow  111  1359 
Great Crested Flycatcher  112  1348 
Blue-winged Teal  113  1339 
Snow Bunting  114  1313 
Brant  115  1262 
Greater Scaup  116  1218 
Common Raven  117  1172 
Black-and-white Warbler  118  1158 
Sharp-shinned Hawk  119  1144 
Glossy Ibis  120  1137 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Razorbill  121  1114 
Stilt Sandpiper  122  1097 
American Kestrel  122  1097 
Belted Kingfisher  124  1068 
Orchard Oriole  125  1051 
Pectoral Sandpiper  126  1045 
Least Bittern  127  1039 
Seaside Sparrow  127  1039 
Long-billed Dowitcher  129  1012 
Blackpoll Warbler  130  1008 
Ruddy Turnstone  131  1005 
Laughing Gull  132  988 
Northern Parula  133  976 
White-breasted Nuthatch  134  955 
Black-throated Green Warbler  135  949 
Palm Warbler  136  948 
Pied-billed Grebe  137  936 
American Woodcock  138  878 
Magnolia Warbler  139  877 
Great Cormorant  140  851 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Blue-headed Vireo  140  851 
Red Knot  142  840 
House Wren  143  829 
Virginia Rail  144  816 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  145  801 
Black-throated Blue Warbler  146  788 
American Bittern  147  787 
Whimbrel  148  783 
Northern Shrike  149  778 
Lesser Scaup  150  776 
Pine Warbler  151  772 
Brown Creeper  152  741 
American Pipit  153  725 
Chimney Swift  154  710 
Northern Waterthrush  155  709 
American Golden-Plover  156  705 
Short-eared Owl  157  702 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  158  698 
Tufted Titmouse  159  690 
Hairy Woodpecker  160  682 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
White-crowned Sparrow  161  676 
Ruddy Duck  162  645 
Eastern Meadowlark  163  634 
Eastern Wood-Pewee  164  630 
Ovenbird  165  626 
Roseate Tern  166  625 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  167  620 
Wilson's Warbler  168  608 
American Coot  169  599 
Nashville Warbler  170  595 
Snow Goose  171  551 
Chestnut-sided Warbler  172  532 
Sora  173  526 
Red-bellied Woodpecker  174  513 
Purple Sandpiper  175  491 
Common Merganser  176  484 
Swainson's Thrush  177  472 
Blackburnian Warbler  178  470 
Wood Duck  179  468 
Wilson's Snipe  180  451 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Alder Flycatcher  181  446 
Canada Warbler  182  431 
Least Flycatcher  182  431 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  184  424 
Green Heron  185  418 
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  186  417 
Veery  187  414 
Scarlet Tanager  188  411 
Black-legged Kittiwake  189  405 
Hudsonian Godwit  190  399 
Baird's Sandpiper  191  390 
Black-billed Cuckoo  192  389 
Great Horned Owl  193  386 
Pine Siskin  193  386 
Ring-necked Duck  195  385 
Eastern Whip-poor-will  196  384 
Warbling Vireo  197  381 
Lapland Longspur  198  380 
Western Sandpiper  199  368 
Bay-breasted Warbler  199  368 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Prairie Warbler  201  363 
Common Redpoll  202  353 
Forster's Tern  203  323 
Fox Sparrow  204  312 
Fish Crow  205  303 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  206  302 
Cape May Warbler  207  297 
Eurasian Wigeon  208  296 
Tricolored Heron  209  293 
Barred Owl  210  286 
Lincoln's Sparrow  211  279 
Lesser Black-backed Gull  212  278 
Solitary Sandpiper  213  275 
Philadelphia Vireo  214  273 
Wilson's Phalarope  215  258 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  215  258 
Winter Wren  217  245 
Black Guillemot  218  244 
Clay-colored Sparrow  219  241 
American Avocet  220  234 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Little Blue Heron  221  225 
Red Crossbill  222  218 
Buff-breasted Sandpiper  223  217 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  224  211 
Wood Thrush  225  207 
Tennessee Warbler  226  197 
Caspian Tern  227  192 
King Rail  228  188 
Common Gallinule  229  181 
Mourning Warbler  230  180 
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  231  172 
Indigo Bunting  232  170 
Cliff Swallow  233  166 
Nelson's Sparrow  234  163 
Dickcissel  235  160 
Iceland Gull  236  158 
Black Tern  237  155 
Redhead  238  153 
Clapper Rail  239  150 
White-winged Crossbill  240  148 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler  241  131 
White-eyed Vireo  242  126 
Little Gull  243  125 
King Eider  244  122 
Blue-winged Warbler  245  120 
Rusty Blackbird  246  115 
Yellow-throated Vireo  247  110 
Yellow-breasted Chat  248  108 
Marbled Godwit  249  100 
Common Nighthawk  250  96/23 
Olive-sided Flycatcher  250  96/23 
American Oystercatcher  252  91/21 
Cory's Shearwater  253  86/13 
Ring-necked Pheasant  254  85/13 
Black Skimmer  254  85/15 
Red-shouldered Hawk  256  80/19 
Broad-winged Hawk  257  78/20 
Manx Shearwater  258  76/22 
Lark Sparrow  258  76/20 
Western Grebe  260  71/7 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Connecticut Warbler  261  69/25 
Eastern Bluebird  262  67/21 
Parasitic Jaeger  263  62/21 
Hooded Warbler  263  62/21 
Harlequin Duck  265  59/13 
Great Shearwater  266  58/15 
Vesper Sparrow  267  57/19 
Dovekie  268  54/17 
Glaucous Gull  269  52/17 
Gray-cheeked Thrush  269  52/20 
Summer Tanager  271  46/15 
Thick-billed Murre  272  45/20 
Red-necked Phalarope  273  44/15 
Gull-billed Tern  273  44/8 
Northern Goshawk  273  44/17 
Northern Saw-whet Owl  276  43/14 
Western Kingbird  276  43/11 
Black-headed Gull  278  40/13 
Arctic Tern  278  40/16 
Royal Tern  278  40/13 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Barrow's Goldeneye  281  35/7 
Long-eared Owl  282  33/14 
Worm-eating Warbler  283  32/14 
Red Phalarope  284  30/9 
Cattle Egret  285  27/9 
Greater White-fronted Goose  286  26/2 
Ruff  286  26/11 
Curlew Sandpiper  286  26/6 
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  286  26/3 
Sooty Shearwater  290  25/15 
Grasshopper Sparrow  290  25/9 
White-faced Ibis  292  23/8 
Upland Sandpiper  293  22/12 
Canvasback  294  21/8 
Black-necked Stilt  294  21/3 
Kentucky Warbler  294  21/10 
Common Murre  297  19/11 
Black Rail  298  18/1 
Bohemian Waxwing  298  18/11 
Pacific Loon  300  17/8 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Pine Grosbeak  300  17/5 
Prothonotary Warbler  300  17/10 
Acadian Flycatcher  303  16/12 
Evening Grosbeak  303  16/6 
Hoary Redpoll  303  16/7 
Blue Grosbeak  303  16/6 
Ross's Goose  307  14/4 
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 
Yellow-throated Warbler  312  11/6 
Louisiana Waterthrush  317  10/10 
Black Vulture  318  9/7 
Cackling Goose  319  8/3 
Common Ringed Plover  319  8/3 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
American White Pelican  319  8/7 
Golden Eagle  319  8/7 
Golden-winged Warbler  319  8/5 
Cerulean Warbler  319  8/6 
Sandhill Crane  325  7/7 
Red-headed Woodpecker  325  7/4 
Gyrfalcon  325  7/5 
Swainson's Warbler  325  7/1 
Wilson's Plover  329  6/3 
Red-necked Stint  329  6/2 
Atlantic Puffin  329  6/4 
Sandwich Tern  329  6/2 
Northern Fulmar  329  6/4 
Say's Phoebe  329  6/4 
Yellow-headed Blackbird  329  6/5 
Pacific Golden-Plover  336  5/1 
Franklin's Gull  336  5/4 
Brown Pelican  336  5/1 
Sedge Wren  339  4/4 
Northern Wheatear  339  4/2 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Chuck-will's-widow  341  3/3 
Mississippi Kite  341  3/3 
Pileated Woodpecker  341  3/3 
Loggerhead Shrike  341  3/1 
Western Tanager  341  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 
Purple Gallinule  355 
Elegant Tern  355 
Neotropic Cormorant  355 
White Ibis  355 
Prairie Falcon  355 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Monk Parakeet  355 
Fork-tailed Flycatcher  355 
Yellow-green Vireo  355 
Sage Thrasher  355 
Townsend's Solitaire  355 
Bicknell's Thrush  355 
Chestnut-collared Longspur  355 
Lark Bunting  355 
Black-throated Gray Warbler  355 

Total reports are 1,111,907. Total sightings are 468,605.

September 15, 2025, Tom Wetmore