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 23, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7486
Canada Goose	2	7428
American Robin	3	7350
Mallard	4	7203
American Black Duck	5	7194
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7061
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6976
Song Sparrow	8	6950
American Crow	9	6943
Northern Mockingbird	10	6764
Northern Cardinal	11	6460
European Starling	12	6298
Blue Jay	13	6287
Mourning Dove	14	6209
Northern Harrier	15	5989
Gadwall	16	5964
American Goldfinch	17	5733
Ring-billed Gull	18	5630
Green-winged Teal	19	5311
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5278
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5257
Common Loon	22	5200
Great Egret	23	4930
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4882
Rock Pigeon	25	4856
Downy Woodpecker	26	4696
Gray Catbird	27	4694
Common Eider	28	4688
Great Blue Heron	29	4639
Mute Swan	30	4603
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4508
White-winged Scoter	32	4494
House Finch	33	4478
Eastern Towhee	34	4300
Tree Swallow	35	3996
Killdeer	36	3983
Snowy Egret	37	3979
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3963
Common Grackle	39	3936
Osprey	40	3842
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3798
Black-bellied Plover	42	3767
White-throated Sparrow	43	3658
Long-tailed Duck	44	3580
Northern Pintail	45	3578
Black Scoter	46	3493
Sanderling	47	3469
Brown Thrasher	48	3413
Dunlin	49	3363
Savannah Sparrow	50	3362
Bufflehead	51	3339
Purple Finch	52	3275
Semipalmated Plover	53	3266
Semipalmated Sandpiper	54	3252
Marsh Wren	55	3229
Yellow-rumped Warbler	56	3125
Common Yellowthroat	57	3117
Red-tailed Hawk	58	3009
Peregrine Falcon	59	2999
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2991
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2961
American Tree Sparrow	62	2959
Northern Flicker	63	2943
Red-throated Loon	64	2905
Eastern Kingbird	65	2817
Horned Grebe	66	2790
Yellow Warbler	67	2758
Northern Gannet	68	2704
Wild Turkey	69	2689
Common Tern	70	2671
Red-breasted Nuthatch	71	2634
Turkey Vulture	72	2631
Least Sandpiper	73	2607
Swamp Sparrow	74	2590
Common Goldeneye	75	2578
Willet	76	2550
Bobolink	77	2518
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2489
Dark-eyed Junco	79	2483
Purple Martin	80	2481
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2460
Piping Plover	82	2451
Field Sparrow	83	2439
Short-billed Dowitcher	84	2422
Hooded Merganser	85	2402
Bald Eagle	86	2363
Least Tern	86	2363
Baltimore Oriole	88	2333
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2293
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2287
Eastern Phoebe	91	2280
Surf Scoter	92	2237
American Redstart	93	2226
Cooper's Hawk	94	2172
American Wigeon	95	2100
Hermit Thrush	96	1959
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1945
Black-crowned Night-Heron	98	1928
Horned Lark	99	1826
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1746
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	100	1746
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1743
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1722
Carolina Wren	104	1690
Red-necked Grebe	105	1679
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Northern Shoveler	108	1527
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1508
Bank Swallow	110	1440
Chipping Sparrow	111	1433
Snow Bunting	112	1374
Great Crested Flycatcher	113	1369
Blue-winged Teal	114	1363
Brant	115	1344
Common Raven	116	1335
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Sharp-shinned Hawk	118	1200
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1197
Glossy Ibis	120	1168
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1152
American Kestrel	122	1141
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1117
Belted Kingfisher	123	1117
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1073
Orchard Oriole	126	1070
Least Bittern	127	1051
Seaside Sparrow	128	1042
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1036
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1034
Northern Parula	131	1015
Ruddy Turnstone	132	1014
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1004
Palm Warbler	134	1000
Laughing Gull	135	998
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	986
Pied-billed Grebe	137	963
American Woodcock	138	930
Magnolia Warbler	139	913
Blue-headed Vireo	140	902
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	872
House Wren	142	858
Red Knot	143	849
Virginia Rail	144	825
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	823
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	820
Lesser Scaup	147	815
American Bittern	148	810
Brown Creeper	149	808
Hairy Woodpecker	150	798
Pine Warbler	151	796
Whimbrel	152	792
Northern Shrike	153	778
American Pipit	154	772
Tufted Titmouse	154	772
Short-eared Owl	156	745
American Golden-Plover	157	730
Northern Waterthrush	158	729
Chimney Swift	159	724
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	717
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	702
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	162	647
Ovenbird	162	647
Ruddy Duck	164	645
Eastern Meadowlark	165	641
Eastern Wood-Pewee	166	639
Roseate Tern	167	633
Wilson's Warbler	168	632
Nashville Warbler	169	625
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	561
Snow Goose	172	556
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	551
Sora	174	531
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Wilson's Snipe	177	496
Blackburnian Warbler	178	490
Wood Duck	179	487
Swainson's Thrush	180	486
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	181	450
Alder Flycatcher	181	450
Least Flycatcher	181	450
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	184	445
Canada Warbler	185	440
Veery	186	429
Green Heron	187	421
Scarlet Tanager	187	421
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Pine Siskin	190	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	191	407
Hudsonian Godwit	192	405
Lapland Longspur	193	400
Warbling Vireo	194	399
Black-billed Cuckoo	195	397
Great Horned Owl	196	393
Baird's Sandpiper	197	391
Eastern Whip-poor-will	198	389
Bay-breasted Warbler	198	389
Prairie Warbler	200	384
			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	332
Forster's Tern	205	325
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	313
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	305
Tricolored Heron	209	302
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	302
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	287
Barred Owl	211	287
Philadelphia Vireo	211	287
Solitary Sandpiper	214	280
Wilson's Phalarope	215	268
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	221
Red Crossbill	223	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	224	217
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	225	212
Tennessee Warbler	226	210
Caspian Tern	227	196
King Rail	228	188
Mourning Warbler	229	182
Indigo Bunting	229	182
Common Gallinule	231	181
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	172
Cliff Swallow	233	170
Dickcissel	233	170
Nelson's Sparrow	235	169
Clapper Rail	235	169
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	155
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	118
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	112
American Oystercatcher	249	106
Marbled Godwit	250	100
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	97/24
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	256	84/20
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	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	33/15
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Bohemian Waxwing	285	29/12
Ruff	286	28/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	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	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	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