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 28, 2022

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	6184
Canada Goose	2	6134
American Robin	3	6071
American Black Duck	4	5935
Mallard	5	5927
American Crow	6	5778
Black-capped Chickadee	6	5778
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5730
Song Sparrow	9	5690
Northern Mockingbird	10	5553
Northern Cardinal	11	5207
European Starling	12	5180
Blue Jay	13	5080
Mourning Dove	14	5031
Northern Harrier	15	4889
Gadwall	16	4868
American Goldfinch	17	4644
Ring-billed Gull	18	4567
Double-crested Cormorant	19	4367
Green-winged Teal	20	4295
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4180
Great Egret	22	4103
Common Loon	23	4094
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4089
Gray Catbird	25	3910
Rock Pigeon	26	3848
Great Blue Heron	27	3835
Downy Woodpecker	28	3712
Common Eider	29	3672
Mute Swan	30	3648
Red-winged Blackbird	31	3647
White-winged Scoter	32	3612
Eastern Towhee	33	3526
Tree Swallow	34	3379
Snowy Egret	35	3363
House Finch	36	3338
Killdeer	37	3258
Common Grackle	38	3214
Osprey	39	3188
Black-bellied Plover	40	3183
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3168
Red-breasted Merganser	42	3164
Brown Thrasher	43	2875
White-throated Sparrow	44	2873
Northern Pintail	45	2859
Savannah Sparrow	46	2823
Long-tailed Duck	47	2764
Sanderling	48	2743
Semipalmated Plover	49	2701
Semipalmated Sandpiper	50	2695
Black Scoter	51	2655
Purple Finch	52	2652
Marsh Wren	53	2644
Dunlin	54	2642
Bufflehead	55	2633
Common Yellowthroat	56	2592
Peregrine Falcon	57	2509
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	2493
Red-tailed Hawk	59	2477
Barn Swallow	60	2469
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-rumped Warbler	61	2448
Eastern Kingbird	62	2408
American Tree Sparrow	63	2393
Yellow Warbler	64	2310
Red-throated Loon	65	2278
Common Tern	66	2253
Northern Flicker	67	2225
Northern Gannet	68	2216
Least Sandpiper	69	2180
Horned Grebe	70	2176
Wild Turkey	71	2164
Bobolink	72	2155
Turkey Vulture	73	2135
Willet	74	2123
Brown-headed Cowbird	75	2065
Short-billed Dowitcher	76	2059
Purple Martin	77	2055
Red-breasted Nuthatch	78	2050
Common Goldeneye	79	2034
Least Tern	80	2010
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Piping Plover	81	1973
Merlin	82	1965
Field Sparrow	82	1965
Baltimore Oriole	84	1934
Saltmarsh Sparrow	85	1903
Dark-eyed Junco	86	1894
Swamp Sparrow	87	1892
Hooded Merganser	88	1883
Eastern Phoebe	89	1879
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1864
American Redstart	91	1806
American Wigeon	92	1779
Bald Eagle	93	1754
Cooper's Hawk	94	1638
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1625
Surf Scoter	96	1585
Bonaparte's Gull	97	1556
Red-eyed Vireo	98	1520
Spotted Sandpiper	99	1484
Hermit Thrush	100	1476
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Horned Lark	101	1473
Snowy Owl	102	1472
Willow Flycatcher	103	1468
Rough-legged Hawk	104	1401
Red-necked Grebe	105	1378
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1341
Northern Shoveler	107	1277
Bank Swallow	108	1252
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1216
Blue-winged Teal	110	1207
Snow Bunting	111	1168
Chipping Sparrow	112	1122
Carolina Wren	113	1086
Brant	114	1060
Great Crested Flycatcher	115	1029
Sharp-shinned Hawk	116	989
Glossy Ibis	117	988
Black-and-white Warbler	118	971
American Kestrel	119	963
Greater Scaup	120	945
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	894
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	892
Razorbill	123	879
Ruddy Turnstone	124	871
Seaside Sparrow	124	871
Belted Kingfisher	126	869
Blackpoll Warbler	127	868
Northern Parula	128	826
Black-throated Green Warbler	129	822
Palm Warbler	130	799
Laughing Gull	131	785
American Woodcock	132	783
Orchard Oriole	132	783
Great Cormorant	134	781
Least Bittern	135	773
Long-billed Dowitcher	136	767
Northern Shrike	137	763
Red Knot	138	753
Pied-billed Grebe	139	750
Magnolia Warbler	140	744
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	724
Pine Warbler	142	711
American Bittern	143	699
Whimbrel	144	695
Virginia Rail	145	689
Common Raven	146	680
White-breasted Nuthatch	147	678
Black-throated Blue Warbler	148	673
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	149	651
American Pipit	150	612
Northern Waterthrush	151	611
Brown Creeper	152	607
Eastern Meadowlark	153	600
White-crowned Sparrow	154	596
American Golden-Plover	155	594
Lesser Scaup	156	580
Hairy Woodpecker	157	575
Chimney Swift	158	574
Short-eared Owl	159	571
House Wren	160	541
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ruddy Duck	161	535
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	162	532
Wilson's Warbler	163	529
Tufted Titmouse	164	516
Snow Goose	165	510
Sora	166	498
Nashville Warbler	166	498
Ovenbird	168	487
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	169	484
American Coot	170	480
Roseate Tern	171	459
Eastern Wood-Pewee	172	447
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	447
Wood Duck	174	421
Purple Sandpiper	175	418
Blackburnian Warbler	176	401
Swainson's Thrush	177	400
Wilson's Snipe	178	388
Common Merganser	179	383
Alder Flycatcher	179	383
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-legged Kittiwake	181	376
Canada Warbler	182	368
Great Horned Owl	183	366
Green Heron	184	363
Hudsonian Godwit	185	361
Ring-necked Duck	186	358
Red-bellied Woodpecker	186	358
Baird's Sandpiper	188	354
Lapland Longspur	189	353
Least Flycatcher	190	352
Scarlet Tanager	190	352
Common Redpoll	192	348
Western Sandpiper	193	345
Veery	194	340
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	195	337
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	332
Warbling Vireo	197	325
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	198	322
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	305
Pine Siskin	200	304
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	200	304
Forster's Tern	202	281
Eurasian Wigeon	203	279
Bay-breasted Warbler	203	279
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	272
Fox Sparrow	206	271
Tricolored Heron	207	247
Philadelphia Vireo	208	244
Solitary Sandpiper	209	234
Wilson's Phalarope	210	233
Lincoln's Sparrow	211	228
American Avocet	212	227
Cape May Warbler	213	216
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	214
Winter Wren	215	213
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	216	208
Little Blue Heron	217	206
Clay-colored Sparrow	217	206
Lesser Black-backed Gull	219	204
Fish Crow	220	184
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	221	174
Wood Thrush	222	172
Caspian Tern	223	169
Barred Owl	224	162
King Rail	225	160
Redhead	226	153
Red Crossbill	227	151
Cliff Swallow	228	150
Tennessee Warbler	228	150
Mourning Warbler	230	149
Black Tern	231	145
Iceland Gull	232	144
Black Guillemot	233	143
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	234	140
White-winged Crossbill	235	139
Indigo Bunting	235	139
Dickcissel	237	131
Little Gull	238	124
Nelson's Sparrow	239	120
Common Gallinule	240	118
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-winged Warbler	241	107
King Eider	242	103
Yellow-throated Vireo	242	103
Clapper Rail	244	101
White-eyed Vireo	245	100
Marbled Godwit	246	99/19
Orange-crowned Warbler	246	99/20
Rusty Blackbird	248	94/19
Common Nighthawk	249	87/20
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	84/12
Yellow-breasted Chat	250	84/15
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	82/20
Black Skimmer	253	80/13
Western Grebe	254	71/7
Lark Sparrow	255	69/18
Manx Shearwater	256	66/19
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	64/16
Connecticut Warbler	257	64/22
Parasitic Jaeger	259	58/18
Harlequin Duck	260	57/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Shearwater	261	54/14
Hooded Warbler	261	54/18
American Oystercatcher	263	51/18
Vesper Sparrow	263	51/17
Glaucous Gull	265	48/14
Eastern Bluebird	266	47/18
Cory's Shearwater	267	45/12
Gray-cheeked Thrush	267	45/18
Gull-billed Tern	269	44/8
Northern Goshawk	269	44/17
Summer Tanager	269	44/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	272	43/14
Dovekie	273	42/14
Thick-billed Murre	273	42/17
Broad-winged Hawk	273	42/17
Western Kingbird	276	40/10
Black-headed Gull	277	39/12
Royal Tern	278	37/12
Barrow's Goldeneye	279	35/7
Long-eared Owl	280	33/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	32/13
Red-necked Phalarope	282	29/12
Worm-eating Warbler	282	29/12
Red Phalarope	284	28/8
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	287	25/2
Grasshopper Sparrow	287	25/9
Curlew Sandpiper	289	24/5
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Canvasback	291	21/8
Sooty Shearwater	291	21/13
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	19/10
Black Rail	295	18/1
Ruff	296	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	296	17/5
Prothonotary Warbler	296	17/10
Common Murre	299	16/9
Hoary Redpoll	299	16/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pacific Loon	301	15/6
Ross's Goose	302	14/4
Acadian Flycatcher	302	14/11
Bohemian Waxwing	302	14/8
Evening Grosbeak	302	14/5
Ash-throated Flycatcher	306	13/3
Blue Grosbeak	306	13/5
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	310	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	310	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	310	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	313	10/2
Cave Swallow	313	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	10/5
Black Vulture	316	9/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	9/9
Cackling Goose	318	8/3
American White Pelican	318	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	318	8/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	321	7/2
Golden Eagle	321	7/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	321	7/4
Gyrfalcon	321	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	321	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	321	7/5
Sandhill Crane	327	6/6
Wilson's Plover	327	6/3
Red-necked Stint	327	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	327	6/4
Sandwich Tern	327	6/2
Northern Fulmar	327	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	333	5/1
Franklin's Gull	333	5/4
Brown Pelican	333	5/1
Say's Phoebe	333	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	333	5/4
Sedge Wren	338	4/4
Northern Wheatear	338	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	340	3/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Loggerhead Shrike	340	3/1
Western Tanager	340	3/1
Tundra Swan	343	2/1
Eared Grebe	343	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	343	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	343	2/2
Sabine's Gull	343	2/2
Little Egret	343	2/2
Western Meadowlark	343	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
Monk Parakeet	350	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	350	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-green Vireo	350	1
Sage Thrasher	350	1
Townsend's Solitaire	350	1
Bicknell's Thrush	350	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	350	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	350	1