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 23, 2019

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5141
Canada Goose	2	5109
American Robin	3	5046
American Black Duck	4	4944
American Crow	5	4906
Mallard	6	4903
Black-capped Chickadee	7	4752
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4744
Song Sparrow	9	4674
Northern Mockingbird	10	4582
European Starling	11	4317
Northern Cardinal	12	4226
Blue Jay	13	4164
Mourning Dove	14	4132
Northern Harrier	15	4109
Gadwall	16	4078
American Goldfinch	17	3811
Ring-billed Gull	18	3810
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3652
Green-winged Teal	20	3558
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3441
Common Loon	22	3408
Great Egret	23	3399
House Sparrow	24	3360
Great Blue Heron	25	3200
Gray Catbird	26	3130
Rock Pigeon	27	3073
Common Eider	28	2986
Downy Woodpecker	29	2940
Eastern Towhee	29	2940
Red-winged Blackbird	31	2938
Mute Swan	32	2920
White-winged Scoter	33	2870
Snowy Egret	34	2858
Tree Swallow	35	2851
Black-bellied Plover	36	2680
Common Grackle	37	2657
Killdeer	38	2656
Osprey	39	2654
Red-breasted Merganser	40	2628
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2601
House Finch	42	2539
Brown Thrasher	43	2439
Savannah Sparrow	44	2406
Northern Pintail	45	2367
White-throated Sparrow	46	2320
Semipalmated Sandpiper	47	2242
Long-tailed Duck	48	2240
Semipalmated Plover	49	2238
Purple Finch	50	2209
Sanderling	51	2186
Bufflehead	52	2147
Marsh Wren	53	2145
Common Yellowthroat	54	2139
Dunlin	55	2138
Black Scoter	56	2110
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2084
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	2080
Peregrine Falcon	59	2045
Barn Swallow	60	2041
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Kingbird	61	2027
American Tree Sparrow	62	2009
Yellow Warbler	63	1946
Red-throated Loon	64	1916
Common Tern	65	1902
Yellow-rumped Warbler	66	1899
Northern Gannet	67	1879
Least Sandpiper	68	1817
Bobolink	69	1813
Horned Grebe	70	1808
Willet	71	1772
Northern Flicker	72	1758
Turkey Vulture	73	1734
Brown-headed Cowbird	74	1716
Purple Martin	75	1714
Short-billed Dowitcher	76	1704
Wild Turkey	77	1702
Least Tern	78	1680
Merlin	79	1677
Red-breasted Nuthatch	80	1666
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Goldeneye	81	1629
Field Sparrow	82	1616
Baltimore Oriole	83	1606
Piping Plover	84	1601
Hooded Merganser	85	1581
Dark-eyed Junco	86	1574
Eastern Phoebe	87	1557
American Wigeon	88	1549
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	1544
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1541
American Redstart	91	1484
Bonaparte's Gull	92	1447
Swamp Sparrow	93	1426
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1345
Bald Eagle	95	1297
Cooper's Hawk	96	1252
Horned Lark	97	1240
Rough-legged Hawk	98	1235
Surf Scoter	99	1223
Spotted Sandpiper	100	1222
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1214
Red-necked Grebe	102	1212
Snowy Owl	103	1204
Red-eyed Vireo	104	1149
Golden-crowned Kinglet	105	1121
Hermit Thrush	106	1106
Northern Shoveler	107	1105
Blue-winged Teal	108	1073
Bank Swallow	109	1041
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	1027
Snow Bunting	111	1002
Chipping Sparrow	112	912
Brant	113	897
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	883
Glossy Ibis	115	881
American Kestrel	116	854
Black-and-white Warbler	117	826
Greater Scaup	118	785
Great Crested Flycatcher	119	768
Blackpoll Warbler	120	739
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	736
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	735
Seaside Sparrow	123	729
Ruddy Turnstone	124	728
Carolina Wren	125	722
Belted Kingfisher	126	714
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	702
Razorbill	128	696
Great Cormorant	129	680
American Woodcock	130	678
Northern Parula	131	677
Palm Warbler	132	662
Northern Shrike	133	656
Laughing Gull	133	656
Red Knot	135	649
Magnolia Warbler	136	644
Pied-billed Grebe	137	631
American Bittern	137	631
Blue-headed Vireo	139	608
Whimbrel	140	607
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	592
Eastern Meadowlark	142	587
Orchard Oriole	143	572
Virginia Rail	144	567
Long-billed Dowitcher	145	550
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	541
American Pipit	147	538
Least Bittern	148	535
Lesser Scaup	149	534
White-breasted Nuthatch	150	530
Pine Warbler	151	528
Northern Waterthrush	152	526
Brown Creeper	153	509
Ruddy Duck	154	506
White-crowned Sparrow	155	504
American Golden-Plover	156	498
Snow Goose	157	495
Hairy Woodpecker	158	488
Short-eared Owl	159	482
Chimney Swift	160	479
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	468
Sora	162	464
Nashville Warbler	163	435
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	430
Ovenbird	165	415
Tufted Titmouse	166	410
House Wren	167	398
Chestnut-sided Warbler	168	389
Roseate Tern	169	387
Purple Sandpiper	170	377
Wilson's Snipe	171	364
Black-legged Kittiwake	172	361
Common Raven	173	360
Wood Duck	174	354
Eastern Wood-Pewee	175	347
Blackburnian Warbler	176	342
Common Merganser	177	338
Lapland Longspur	178	332
American Coot	179	328
Canada Warbler	180	323
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Baird's Sandpiper	181	319
Swainson's Thrush	182	315
Black-billed Cuckoo	183	313
Green Heron	184	310
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	185	306
Ring-necked Duck	186	305
Great Horned Owl	187	302
Hudsonian Godwit	188	301
Western Sandpiper	188	301
Scarlet Tanager	190	300
Least Flycatcher	191	292
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	192	287
Alder Flycatcher	193	283
Veery	194	280
Common Redpoll	195	276
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	273
Eurasian Wigeon	197	270
Warbling Vireo	198	266
Forster's Tern	199	262
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	261
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	254
Pine Siskin	202	248
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	241
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	223
Wilson's Phalarope	205	222
Fox Sparrow	206	203
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	207	201
Tricolored Heron	208	199
Philadelphia Vireo	209	196
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	191
Solitary Sandpiper	211	189
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	212	186
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	186
Winter Wren	214	183
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	180
Little Blue Heron	216	170
Cape May Warbler	217	164
Barred Owl	218	161
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	155
Redhead	220	151
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lesser Black-backed Gull	220	151
Wood Thrush	220	151
Cliff Swallow	223	140
American Avocet	224	133
Mourning Warbler	224	133
Caspian Tern	226	132
White-winged Crossbill	227	131
Little Gull	228	123
Indigo Bunting	229	122
Iceland Gull	230	119
King Rail	231	116
Black Tern	232	114
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	114
Tennessee Warbler	234	113
Common Gallinule	235	111
Fish Crow	236	107
Dickcissel	237	94/16
Marbled Godwit	238	93/17
Blue-winged Warbler	239	92/17
Clapper Rail	240	90/10
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	88/16
Black Guillemot	242	87/15
White-eyed Vireo	242	87/16
King Eider	244	86/9
Red Crossbill	245	85/10
Rusty Blackbird	246	81/16
Nelson's Sparrow	247	79/17
Common Nighthawk	248	75/17
Western Grebe	249	70/6
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	70/14
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	67/17
Manx Shearwater	252	64/17
Black Skimmer	252	64/10
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	59/13
Connecticut Warbler	256	57/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	55/15
Lark Sparrow	258	54/15
Hooded Warbler	259	51/16
Parasitic Jaeger	260	49/15
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Shearwater	261	48/12
Glaucous Gull	262	47/13
Vesper Sparrow	263	46/15
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	265	42/11
American Oystercatcher	266	39/15
Gull-billed Tern	266	39/8
Eastern Bluebird	266	39/15
Black-headed Gull	269	38/11
Broad-winged Hawk	269	38/14
Cory's Shearwater	271	37/10
Dovekie	272	36/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	35/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	273	35/15
Barrow's Goldeneye	275	33/6
Royal Tern	276	32/10
Thick-billed Murre	277	30/15
Worm-eating Warbler	278	29/12
Arctic Tern	279	28/10
Long-eared Owl	279	28/12
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Phalarope	281	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	281	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	283	24/5
Red Phalarope	283	24/7
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Western Kingbird	283	24/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	283	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
Canvasback	289	20/7
Kentucky Warbler	289	20/9
White-faced Ibis	291	19/6
Black Rail	292	18/1
Sooty Shearwater	292	18/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	294	17/5
Ruff	296	16/8
Common Murre	297	15/8
Pacific Loon	297	15/6
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Ross's Goose	300	14/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bohemian Waxwing	301	13/7
Acadian Flycatcher	302	12/10
Hoary Redpoll	302	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	302	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	302	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	306	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	306	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	306	11/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	306	11/7
Ash-throated Flycatcher	306	11/2
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	311	10/5
Black Vulture	314	9/7
Cackling Goose	315	8/3
Evening Grosbeak	315	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	315	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	315	8/5
Common Ringed Plover	319	7/2
American White Pelican	319	7/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-headed Woodpecker	319	7/4
Gyrfalcon	319	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	319	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	319	7/5
Red-necked Stint	325	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	325	6/4
Sandwich Tern	325	6/2
Northern Fulmar	325	6/4
Sandhill Crane	329	5/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	329	5/1
Franklin's Gull	329	5/4
Thayer's Gull	329	5/1
Brown Pelican	329	5/1
Golden Eagle	329	5/4
Say's Phoebe	329	5/3
Wilson's Plover	329	5/2
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
Greater White-fronted Goose	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