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, 2017

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4467
Canada Goose	2	4454
American Robin	3	4394
American Crow	4	4328
American Black Duck	5	4303
Mallard	6	4265
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4129
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4102
Song Sparrow	9	4087
Northern Mockingbird	10	3997
European Starling	11	3769
Northern Harrier	12	3655
Northern Cardinal	13	3642
Gadwall	14	3616
Mourning Dove	15	3611
Blue Jay	16	3584
Ring-billed Gull	17	3340
American Goldfinch	18	3266
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3193
Green-winged Teal	20	3124
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3015
Great Egret	22	2974
Common Loon	23	2968
House Sparrow	24	2863
Great Blue Heron	25	2834
Gray Catbird	26	2720
Rock Pigeon	27	2609
Mute Swan	28	2592
Eastern Towhee	29	2563
Red-winged Blackbird	30	2536
Common Eider	31	2535
Downy Woodpecker	32	2513
Snowy Egret	33	2508
White-winged Scoter	34	2503
Tree Swallow	35	2488
Black-bellied Plover	36	2324
Common Grackle	37	2312
Killdeer	38	2291
Osprey	39	2290
Red-breasted Merganser	40	2281
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2262
Brown Thrasher	42	2157
Northern Pintail	43	2138
Savannah Sparrow	44	2137
House Finch	45	2103
White-throated Sparrow	46	2029
Semipalmated Sandpiper	47	1940
Semipalmated Plover	48	1929
Long-tailed Duck	49	1916
Purple Finch	50	1912
Sanderling	51	1885
Bufflehead	52	1874
Dunlin	53	1861
Marsh Wren	54	1860
Common Yellowthroat	55	1851
Lesser Yellowlegs	56	1847
Barn Swallow	57	1780
Eastern Kingbird	58	1768
American Tree Sparrow	59	1766
Peregrine Falcon	60	1761
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	1760
Black Scoter	62	1743
Red-throated Loon	63	1710
Yellow Warbler	64	1701
Common Tern	65	1682
Northern Gannet	66	1668
Yellow-rumped Warbler	67	1601
Least Sandpiper	68	1600
Horned Grebe	69	1592
Bobolink	70	1579
Willet	71	1547
Northern Flicker	72	1511
Turkey Vulture	73	1492
Brown-headed Cowbird	73	1492
Short-billed Dowitcher	75	1486
Merlin	75	1486
Purple Martin	77	1478
Least Tern	78	1456
Hooded Merganser	79	1411
Field Sparrow	80	1390
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Baltimore Oriole	81	1386
Wild Turkey	81	1386
Common Goldeneye	83	1374
American Wigeon	84	1370
Dark-eyed Junco	85	1359
Piping Plover	86	1350
White-rumped Sandpiper	87	1343
Eastern Phoebe	88	1341
Bonaparte's Gull	89	1339
Red-breasted Nuthatch	90	1333
Saltmarsh Sparrow	91	1324
American Redstart	92	1265
Black-crowned Night-Heron	93	1177
Horned Lark	94	1150
Swamp Sparrow	95	1146
Red-necked Grebe	96	1104
Bald Eagle	97	1083
Rough-legged Hawk	98	1078
Surf Scoter	99	1059
Cooper's Hawk	100	1058
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1046
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1027
Blue-winged Teal	103	1020
Snowy Owl	104	1009
Northern Shoveler	105	991
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	970
Red-eyed Vireo	107	946
Bank Swallow	108	930
Hermit Thrush	109	918
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	895
Snow Bunting	111	879
Sharp-shinned Hawk	112	812
Glossy Ibis	113	808
Chipping Sparrow	114	782
American Kestrel	115	770
Brant	116	766
Black-and-white Warbler	117	741
Greater Scaup	118	728
Pectoral Sandpiper	119	652
Blackpoll Warbler	120	649
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Shrike	121	644
Stilt Sandpiper	122	642
Great Cormorant	123	634
Belted Kingfisher	124	625
Seaside Sparrow	124	625
Black-throated Green Warbler	126	624
Ruddy Turnstone	127	621
American Woodcock	127	621
Northern Parula	129	601
Great Crested Flycatcher	130	599
Razorbill	131	598
Pied-billed Grebe	132	596
American Bittern	132	596
Red Knot	134	591
Laughing Gull	135	589
Palm Warbler	136	584
Magnolia Warbler	137	580
Eastern Meadowlark	138	575
Whimbrel	139	550
Virginia Rail	140	546
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	536
Carolina Wren	142	529
Black-throated Blue Warbler	142	529
Lesser Scaup	144	492
Snow Goose	145	489
White-breasted Nuthatch	146	488
American Pipit	146	488
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	484
Least Bittern	149	473
Ruddy Duck	150	472
Brown Creeper	151	471
Long-billed Dowitcher	152	467
American Golden-Plover	153	458
Northern Waterthrush	154	452
Sora	155	449
Short-eared Owl	156	448
Chimney Swift	157	438
White-crowned Sparrow	158	430
Orchard Oriole	159	424
Wilson's Warbler	160	414
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pine Warbler	161	397
Nashville Warbler	162	386
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	379
House Wren	164	378
Black-legged Kittiwake	165	357
Ovenbird	166	355
Wilson's Snipe	167	346
Hairy Woodpecker	168	341
Tufted Titmouse	169	340
Chestnut-sided Warbler	170	338
Roseate Tern	171	331
Common Merganser	172	315
Purple Sandpiper	173	314
Lapland Longspur	174	312
Wood Duck	175	303
Blackburnian Warbler	176	300
Eastern Wood-Pewee	177	295
American Coot	178	291
Green Heron	178	291
Canada Warbler	180	287
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Baird's Sandpiper	181	281
Black-billed Cuckoo	182	277
Great Horned Owl	183	275
Scarlet Tanager	184	274
Hudsonian Godwit	185	271
Swainson's Thrush	186	268
Ring-necked Duck	187	257
Eurasian Wigeon	188	256
Least Flycatcher	189	255
Western Sandpiper	190	254
Forster's Tern	191	253
Common Redpoll	191	253
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	244
Common Raven	194	243
Veery	194	243
Warbling Vireo	196	242
Alder Flycatcher	197	238
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	198	233
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	231
Pine Siskin	200	225
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	200	225
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	202	213
Red-bellied Woodpecker	203	211
Wilson's Phalarope	204	201
Tricolored Heron	205	179
Bay-breasted Warbler	206	177
Fox Sparrow	207	176
Solitary Sandpiper	208	171
Philadelphia Vireo	208	171
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	210	169
Winter Wren	211	168
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	163
Lincoln's Sparrow	212	163
Little Blue Heron	214	155
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	215	152
Redhead	216	151
Wood Thrush	217	146
Clay-colored Sparrow	217	146
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	138
White-winged Crossbill	220	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cliff Swallow	221	128
Barred Owl	222	127
Cape May Warbler	223	122
Little Gull	224	120
Lesser Black-backed Gull	224	120
American Avocet	226	117
King Rail	227	116
Caspian Tern	228	114
Mourning Warbler	228	114
Indigo Bunting	230	112
Iceland Gull	231	111
Common Gallinule	232	109
Black Tern	233	104
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	234	91/15
Clapper Rail	235	88/9
Tennessee Warbler	235	88/15
Blue-winged Warbler	237	85/15
Black Guillemot	238	84/14
Fish Crow	239	83/14
Red Crossbill	239	83/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Marbled Godwit	241	80/15
Dickcissel	242	76/14
Orange-crowned Warbler	243	74/14
Western Grebe	244	70/6
Common Nighthawk	245	69/15
Yellow-breasted Chat	246	67/12
Rusty Blackbird	246	67/15
White-eyed Vireo	248	62/14
Nelson's Sparrow	249	61/15
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	60/10
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	58/15
Manx Shearwater	252	57/15
Black Skimmer	253	53/8
Connecticut Warbler	254	50/17
Lark Sparrow	255	48/13
Hooded Warbler	256	47/15
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	46/14
Parasitic Jaeger	258	44/12
Red-shouldered Hawk	258	44/11
Great Shearwater	260	43/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Goshawk	260	43/16
Glaucous Gull	262	42/11
Vesper Sparrow	263	40/13
Black-headed Gull	264	38/11
Summer Tanager	265	37/9
Eastern Bluebird	266	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	267	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	268	34/7
Barrow's Goldeneye	269	33/6
American Oystercatcher	270	30/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	270	30/12
Gray-cheeked Thrush	272	29/13
Dovekie	273	28/12
Arctic Tern	273	28/10
Cory's Shearwater	273	28/9
Worm-eating Warbler	276	27/11
Thick-billed Murre	277	26/13
Long-eared Owl	277	26/11
Red-necked Phalarope	279	25/9
Royal Tern	279	25/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	279	25/2
King Eider	282	24/7
Curlew Sandpiper	282	24/5
Cattle Egret	282	24/7
Harlequin Duck	285	23/8
Red Phalarope	285	23/6
Western Kingbird	285	23/7
White-faced Ibis	288	19/6
Kentucky Warbler	288	19/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	19/7
Canvasback	291	18/6
Black Rail	291	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Ruff	295	16/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	16/4
Pacific Loon	297	14/5
Ross's Goose	298	13/3
Common Murre	298	13/7
Hoary Redpoll	300	12/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Green-tailed Towhee	300	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	300	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	303	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	303	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	303	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	303	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	303	11/2
Bohemian Waxwing	303	11/6
Prothonotary Warbler	303	11/8
Black-necked Stilt	310	10/2
Eastern Screech-Owl	310	10/6
Cave Swallow	310	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
Red-headed Woodpecker	317	7/4
Gyrfalcon	317	7/5
Golden-winged Warbler	317	7/4
Swainson's Warbler	317	7/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	317	7/5
Sandwich Tern	322	6/2
American White Pelican	322	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	324	5/1
Atlantic Puffin	324	5/3
Franklin's Gull	324	5/4
Thayer's Gull	324	5/1
Northern Fulmar	324	5/3
Brown Pelican	324	5/1
Say's Phoebe	324	5/3
Sandhill Crane	331	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	331	4/1
Golden Eagle	331	4/3
Evening Grosbeak	331	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	335	3/1
Western Tanager	335	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	337	2/1
Eared Grebe	337	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	337	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	337	2/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Stint	337	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	337	2/2
Sabine's Gull	337	2/2
Sedge Wren	337	2/2
Northern Wheatear	337	2/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	2/2
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	347	1
Northern Lapwing	347	1
Wilson's Plover	347	1
Elegant Tern	347	1
Little Egret	347	1
White Ibis	347	1
Mississippi Kite	347	1
Swainson's Hawk	347	1
Pileated Woodpecker	347	1
Prairie Falcon	347	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	347	1
Yellow-green Vireo	347	1
Townsend's Solitaire	347	1
Bicknell's Thrush	347	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sage Thrasher	347	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	347	1