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 April 27, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7460
Canada Goose	2	7402
American Robin	3	7324
Mallard	4	7177
American Black Duck	5	7169
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7035
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6950
Song Sparrow	8	6924
American Crow	9	6917
Northern Mockingbird	10	6738
Northern Cardinal	11	6434
European Starling	12	6272
Blue Jay	13	6261
Mourning Dove	14	6183
Northern Harrier	15	5963
Gadwall	16	5938
American Goldfinch	17	5707
Ring-billed Gull	18	5611
Green-winged Teal	19	5285
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5252
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5231
Common Loon	22	5177
Great Egret	23	4904
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4856
Rock Pigeon	25	4841
Downy Woodpecker	26	4671
Gray Catbird	27	4669
Common Eider	28	4666
Great Blue Heron	29	4621
Mute Swan	30	4577
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4482
White-winged Scoter	32	4473
House Finch	33	4452
Eastern Towhee	34	4274
Tree Swallow	35	3970
Killdeer	36	3957
Snowy Egret	37	3953
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3943
Common Grackle	39	3910
Osprey	40	3816
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3790
Black-bellied Plover	42	3744
White-throated Sparrow	43	3635
Northern Pintail	44	3578
Long-tailed Duck	45	3558
Black Scoter	46	3476
Sanderling	47	3462
Brown Thrasher	48	3387
Dunlin	49	3346
Savannah Sparrow	50	3338
Bufflehead	51	3321
Purple Finch	52	3249
Semipalmated Plover	53	3246
Semipalmated Sandpiper	54	3239
Marsh Wren	55	3203
Yellow-rumped Warbler	56	3102
Common Yellowthroat	57	3096
Red-tailed Hawk	58	2994
Peregrine Falcon	59	2992
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2968
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2959
Barn Swallow	62	2936
Northern Flicker	63	2930
Red-throated Loon	64	2889
Eastern Kingbird	65	2798
Horned Grebe	66	2790
Yellow Warbler	67	2732
Northern Gannet	68	2689
Wild Turkey	69	2663
Common Tern	70	2652
Red-breasted Nuthatch	71	2617
Turkey Vulture	72	2615
Least Sandpiper	73	2585
Common Goldeneye	74	2578
Swamp Sparrow	75	2564
Willet	76	2524
Bobolink	77	2499
Dark-eyed Junco	78	2481
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2463
Purple Martin	80	2455
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2441
Piping Plover	82	2432
Field Sparrow	83	2419
Short-billed Dowitcher	84	2412
Hooded Merganser	85	2402
Least Tern	86	2350
Bald Eagle	86	2350
Baltimore Oriole	88	2314
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2283
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2278
Eastern Phoebe	91	2271
Surf Scoter	92	2224
American Redstart	93	2207
Cooper's Hawk	94	2153
American Wigeon	95	2099
Hermit Thrush	96	1943
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1935
Black-crowned Night-Heron	98	1923
Horned Lark	99	1826
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1743
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1739
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1732
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1721
Red-necked Grebe	104	1679
Carolina Wren	105	1677
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Northern Shoveler	108	1524
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1488
Bank Swallow	110	1433
Chipping Sparrow	111	1411
Snow Bunting	112	1374
Great Crested Flycatcher	113	1351
Blue-winged Teal	114	1347
Common Raven	115	1327
Brant	116	1325
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Sharp-shinned Hawk	118	1189
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1173
Glossy Ibis	120	1156
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1152
American Kestrel	122	1126
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1117
Belted Kingfisher	124	1108
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1070
Orchard Oriole	126	1051
Seaside Sparrow	127	1041
Least Bittern	128	1039
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1036
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1025
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1006
White-breasted Nuthatch	132	1001
Laughing Gull	133	997
Northern Parula	134	994
Palm Warbler	135	988
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	967
Pied-billed Grebe	137	963
American Woodcock	138	917
Magnolia Warbler	139	896
Blue-headed Vireo	140	879
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	872
Red Knot	142	849
House Wren	143	838
Virginia Rail	144	822
Lesser Scaup	145	815
Brown Creeper	146	806
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	806
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	803
American Bittern	148	803
Whimbrel	150	792
Pine Warbler	151	788
Hairy Woodpecker	152	784
Northern Shrike	153	778
American Pipit	154	771
Short-eared Owl	155	745
Tufted Titmouse	155	745
American Golden-Plover	157	730
Chimney Swift	158	710
Northern Waterthrush	159	709
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	699
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	695
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	162	647
Ruddy Duck	163	645
Eastern Meadowlark	164	641
Eastern Wood-Pewee	165	631
Ovenbird	166	627
Roseate Tern	167	625
American Coot	168	623
Wilson's Warbler	169	616
Nashville Warbler	170	610
Snow Goose	171	555
Red-bellied Woodpecker	172	542
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	536
Sora	174	528
Common Merganser	174	528
Purple Sandpiper	176	511
Wilson's Snipe	177	486
Wood Duck	178	485
Swainson's Thrush	179	479
Blackburnian Warbler	180	475
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	446
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	182	435
Least Flycatcher	183	433
Canada Warbler	183	433
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	185	421
Green Heron	186	418
Veery	187	416
Scarlet Tanager	188	415
Ring-necked Duck	189	408
Pine Siskin	189	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	191	407
Hudsonian Godwit	192	405
Lapland Longspur	193	400
Great Horned Owl	194	393
Baird's Sandpiper	195	391
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	389
Eastern Whip-poor-will	197	385
Warbling Vireo	197	385
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	379
Western Sandpiper	200	368
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	366
Common Redpoll	202	354
Fox Sparrow	203	335
Forster's Tern	204	325
Fish Crow	205	321
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	310
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	302
Tricolored Heron	209	297
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	295
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	287
Barred Owl	211	287
Philadelphia Vireo	213	285
Solitary Sandpiper	214	276
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	215	261
Wilson's Phalarope	216	260
Winter Wren	217	256
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	253
American Avocet	219	252
Black Guillemot	220	245
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	233
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	217
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	211
Wood Thrush	225	207
Tennessee Warbler	226	205
Caspian Tern	227	195
King Rail	228	188
Mourning Warbler	229	182
Common Gallinule	230	181
Indigo Bunting	231	174
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	172
Dickcissel	233	170
Nelson's Sparrow	234	168
Cliff Swallow	235	166
Iceland Gull	236	165
Black Tern	237	155
Redhead	238	153
Clapper Rail	239	152
White-winged Crossbill	240	148
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	140
White-eyed Vireo	242	127
Little Gull	243	125
King Eider	244	122
Rusty Blackbird	245	121
Blue-winged Warbler	246	120
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	110
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	110
Marbled Godwit	249	100
Common Nighthawk	250	96/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	96/23
American Oystercatcher	252	94/22
Cory's Shearwater	253	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	85/15
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	83/20
Broad-winged Hawk	257	78/20
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
Parasitic Jaeger	264	62/21
Hooded Warbler	264	62/21
Vesper Sparrow	266	60/20
Great Shearwater	267	58/15
Dovekie	268	55/18
Glaucous Gull	269	52/17
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	52/20
Thick-billed Murre	271	50/21
Northern Goshawk	272	48/18
Summer Tanager	272	48/15
Red-necked Phalarope	274	45/15
Gull-billed Tern	275	44/8
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	34/15
Worm-eating Warbler	283	32/14
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Bohemian Waxwing	285	29/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	28/4
Ross's Goose	287	27/5
Cattle Egret	287	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	289	26/2
Ruff	289	26/11
Curlew Sandpiper	289	26/6
Sooty Shearwater	292	25/15
Grasshopper Sparrow	292	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	300	20/7
			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