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 31, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7494
Canada Goose	2	7436
American Robin	3	7358
Mallard	4	7211
American Black Duck	5	7202
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7068
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6984
Song Sparrow	8	6958
American Crow	9	6951
Northern Mockingbird	10	6772
Northern Cardinal	11	6467
European Starling	12	6306
Blue Jay	13	6294
Mourning Dove	14	6217
Northern Harrier	15	5996
Gadwall	16	5972
American Goldfinch	17	5741
Ring-billed Gull	18	5638
Green-winged Teal	19	5319
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5286
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5264
Common Loon	22	5207
Great Egret	23	4938
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4890
Rock Pigeon	25	4861
Gray Catbird	26	4702
Downy Woodpecker	27	4701
Common Eider	28	4696
Great Blue Heron	29	4645
Mute Swan	30	4611
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4516
White-winged Scoter	32	4500
House Finch	33	4486
Eastern Towhee	34	4308
Tree Swallow	35	4004
Killdeer	36	3991
Snowy Egret	37	3987
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3971
Common Grackle	39	3944
Osprey	40	3850
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3806
Black-bellied Plover	42	3775
White-throated Sparrow	43	3665
Long-tailed Duck	44	3585
Northern Pintail	45	3578
Black Scoter	46	3500
Sanderling	47	3476
Brown Thrasher	48	3421
Dunlin	49	3371
Savannah Sparrow	50	3369
Bufflehead	51	3339
Purple Finch	52	3283
Semipalmated Plover	53	3274
Semipalmated Sandpiper	54	3260
Marsh Wren	55	3236
Yellow-rumped Warbler	56	3128
Common Yellowthroat	57	3125
Red-tailed Hawk	58	3014
Peregrine Falcon	59	2999
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2997
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2968
American Tree Sparrow	62	2959
Northern Flicker	63	2946
Red-throated Loon	64	2908
Eastern Kingbird	65	2825
Horned Grebe	66	2790
Yellow Warbler	67	2766
Northern Gannet	68	2705
Wild Turkey	69	2695
Common Tern	70	2679
Turkey Vulture	71	2638
Red-breasted Nuthatch	72	2636
Least Sandpiper	73	2615
Swamp Sparrow	74	2597
Common Goldeneye	75	2578
Willet	76	2558
Bobolink	77	2525
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2497
Purple Martin	79	2489
Dark-eyed Junco	80	2483
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2467
Piping Plover	82	2459
Field Sparrow	83	2444
Short-billed Dowitcher	84	2428
Hooded Merganser	85	2402
Least Tern	86	2371
Bald Eagle	87	2366
Baltimore Oriole	88	2340
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2300
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2295
Eastern Phoebe	91	2281
Surf Scoter	92	2237
American Redstart	93	2234
Cooper's Hawk	94	2177
American Wigeon	95	2100
Hermit Thrush	96	1959
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1952
Black-crowned Night-Heron	98	1932
Horned Lark	99	1826
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1754
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1753
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1751
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1722
Carolina Wren	104	1694
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	1442
Chipping Sparrow	111	1440
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1377
Snow Bunting	113	1374
Blue-winged Teal	114	1369
Brant	115	1344
Common Raven	116	1338
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1203
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1200
Glossy Ibis	120	1173
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1152
American Kestrel	122	1141
Belted Kingfisher	123	1118
Stilt Sandpiper	124	1117
Orchard Oriole	125	1077
Pectoral Sandpiper	126	1075
Least Bittern	127	1057
Seaside Sparrow	128	1043
Blackpoll Warbler	129	1040
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	1037
Northern Parula	131	1022
Ruddy Turnstone	132	1019
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1004
Laughing Gull	134	1001
Palm Warbler	135	1000
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	992
Pied-billed Grebe	137	963
American Woodcock	138	932
Magnolia Warbler	139	920
Blue-headed Vireo	140	902
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	872
House Wren	142	865
Red Knot	143	852
Black-throated Blue Warbler	144	829
Virginia Rail	145	826
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	825
Lesser Scaup	147	815
American Bittern	148	810
Brown Creeper	149	808
Hairy Woodpecker	150	800
Pine Warbler	151	797
Whimbrel	152	793
Northern Shrike	153	778
Tufted Titmouse	153	778
American Pipit	155	772
Short-eared Owl	156	745
Northern Waterthrush	157	735
American Golden-Plover	158	730
Chimney Swift	159	728
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	722
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	702
Ovenbird	162	655
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	163	647
Ruddy Duck	164	645
Eastern Wood-Pewee	165	643
Eastern Meadowlark	166	641
Roseate Tern	166	641
Wilson's Warbler	168	637
Nashville Warbler	169	625
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	568
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	557
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	531
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Wilson's Snipe	177	496
Blackburnian Warbler	178	495
Swainson's Thrush	179	491
Wood Duck	180	487
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	455
Least Flycatcher	182	453
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	183	452
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	450
Canada Warbler	185	446
Veery	186	433
Scarlet Tanager	187	424
Green Heron	188	423
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Pine Siskin	190	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	191	407
Hudsonian Godwit	192	405
Warbling Vireo	193	403
Black-billed Cuckoo	194	400
Lapland Longspur	194	400
Great Horned Owl	196	393
Eastern Whip-poor-will	197	391
Baird's Sandpiper	197	391
Bay-breasted Warbler	197	391
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	326
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	314
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	307
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	303
Tricolored Heron	210	302
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	288
Barred Owl	212	287
Philadelphia Vireo	212	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	228
Red Crossbill	223	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	224	217
Tennessee Warbler	225	215
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	226	214
Caspian Tern	227	196
King Rail	228	192
Mourning Warbler	229	185
Indigo Bunting	230	183
Common Gallinule	231	181
Clapper Rail	232	176
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	172
Cliff Swallow	234	170
Dickcissel	234	170
Nelson's Sparrow	236	169
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	157
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	119
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	112
American Oystercatcher	249	110
Marbled Godwit	250	100
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	98/24
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	254	85/20
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	46/16
Gull-billed Tern	275	44/8
Northern Saw-whet Owl	276	43/14
Western Kingbird	276	43/11
Arctic Tern	278	41/17
Black-headed Gull	279	40/13
Royal Tern	279	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
Ruff	284	30/12
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Bohemian Waxwing	286	29/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	287	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	290	26/16
Grasshopper Sparrow	293	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