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 November 7, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
American Herring Gull	1	7648
Canada Goose	2	7579
American Robin	3	7512
Mallard	4	7365
American Black Duck	5	7332
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7220
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7134
Song Sparrow	8	7112
American Crow	9	7070
Northern Mockingbird	10	6924
Northern Cardinal	11	6621
European Starling	12	6448
Blue Jay	13	6422
Mourning Dove	14	6367
Northern Harrier	15	6145
Gadwall	16	6120
American Goldfinch	17	5893
Ring-billed Gull	18	5783
Green-winged Teal	19	5454
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5440
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5393
Common Loon	22	5326
Great Egret	23	5091
Greater Yellowlegs	24	5037
Rock Pigeon	25	4954
Gray Catbird	26	4851
Common Eider	27	4829
Downy Woodpecker	28	4806
Great Blue Heron	29	4785
Mute Swan	30	4751
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4651
House Finch	32	4636
White-winged Scoter	33	4581
Eastern Towhee	34	4453
Snowy Egret	35	4140
Tree Swallow	36	4136
Killdeer	37	4108
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4101
Common Grackle	39	4045
Osprey	40	3982
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3947
Black-bellied Plover	42	3896
White-throated Sparrow	43	3715
Northern Pintail	44	3626
Long-tailed Duck	45	3608
Sanderling	46	3578
Black Scoter	47	3560
Brown Thrasher	48	3511
Dunlin	49	3458
Savannah Sparrow	50	3443
Semipalmated Plover	51	3417
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3407
Purple Finch	53	3375
Bufflehead	54	3352
Eastern Marsh Wren	55	3349
Common Yellowthroat	56	3250
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3178
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3107
Peregrine Falcon	59	3090
Barn Swallow	60	3079
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	3045
Northern Flicker	62	3025
American Tree Sparrow	63	2960
Red-throated Loon	64	2948
Eastern Kingbird	65	2928
Northern Yellow Warbler	66	2870
Horned Grebe	67	2815
Common Tern	68	2798
Wild Turkey	69	2791
Northern Gannet	70	2763
Turkey Vulture	71	2733
Least Sandpiper	72	2723
Red-breasted Nuthatch	73	2697
Swamp Sparrow	74	2684
Saltmarsh Willet	75	2643
Bobolink	76	2605
Purple Martin	77	2580
Common Goldeneye	78	2579
Piping Plover	79	2571
Brown-headed Cowbird	80	2562
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Short-billed Dowitcher	81	2542
Merlin	82	2527
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2517
Field Sparrow	84	2487
Least Tern	85	2473
Baltimore Oriole	86	2429
Bald Eagle	87	2423
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2418
Hooded Merganser	89	2412
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2398
Eastern Phoebe	91	2368
American Redstart	92	2344
Surf Scoter	93	2285
Cooper's Hawk	94	2243
American Wigeon	95	2128
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2070
Black-crowned Night Heron	97	2029
Hermit Thrush	98	1971
Horned Lark	99	1838
Spotted Sandpiper	100	1828
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1825
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1797
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1763
Carolina Wren	104	1748
Red-necked Grebe	105	1686
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	107	1543
Northern Shoveler	108	1537
Rough-legged Hawk	109	1536
Chipping Sparrow	110	1519
Bank Swallow	111	1494
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1454
Blue-winged Teal	113	1417
Common Raven	114	1391
Snow Bunting	115	1387
Brant	116	1349
Greater Scaup	117	1319
Glossy Ibis	118	1247
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1237
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1206
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1176
Belted Kingfisher	122	1160
Razorbill	123	1155
American Kestrel	124	1143
Orchard Oriole	125	1129
Pectoral Sandpiper	126	1116
Least Bittern	127	1115
White-breasted Nuthatch	128	1089
Laughing Gull	129	1085
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	1080
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1080
Ruddy Turnstone	132	1075
Seaside Sparrow	133	1063
Northern Parula	134	1045
Palm Warbler	135	1021
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	1017
Pied-billed Grebe	137	1013
Magnolia Warbler	138	938
American Woodcock	139	937
Northern House Wren	140	929
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	920
Red Knot	142	911
Great Cormorant	143	874
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	861
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	839
Virginia Rail	146	835
Hairy Woodpecker	147	830
Brown Creeper	148	829
Hudsonian Whimbrel	149	826
Tufted Titmouse	150	823
Lesser Scaup	151	819
American Bittern	152	815
Pine Warbler	153	810
American Pipit	154	808
Northern Shrike	155	778
American Golden-Plover	156	771
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	157	757
Northern Waterthrush	158	752
Chimney Swift	159	749
Short-eared Owl	160	746
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	716
Roseate Tern	162	704
Ovenbird	163	698
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	683
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	664
Wilson's Warbler	166	647
Ruddy Duck	167	645
Eastern Meadowlark	168	641
Nashville Warbler	169	636
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	597
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	573
Snow Goose	173	559
Sora	174	538
Common Merganser	175	533
Purple Sandpiper	176	521
Yellow-crowned Night Heron	177	511
Blackburnian Warbler	178	504
Wood Duck	179	500
Wilson's Snipe	180	498
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Swainson's Thrush	181	496
Alder Flycatcher	182	466
Least Flycatcher	183	461
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	458
Canada Warbler	185	448
Veery	186	436
Green Heron	187	432
Scarlet Tanager	187	432
Pine Siskin	189	430
Eastern Warbling Vireo	190	417
Ring-necked Duck	191	416
Lapland Longspur	192	414
Hudsonian Godwit	193	411
Baird's Sandpiper	194	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	194	408
Bay-breasted Warbler	196	407
Black-billed Cuckoo	197	404
Eastern Whip-poor-will	198	400
Great Horned Owl	199	395
Prairie Warbler	200	394
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	388
Forster's Tern	202	356
Common Redpoll	203	354
Fish Crow	204	339
Fox Sparrow	205	335
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	206	324
Cape May Warbler	207	322
Eurasian Wigeon	208	318
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	313
Lesser Black-backed Gull	210	304
Tricolored Heron	210	304
Philadelphia Vireo	210	304
Solitary Sandpiper	213	294
Barred Owl	214	287
Wilson's Phalarope	215	275
Black Guillemot	216	270
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	217	268
Winter Wren	218	259
Clay-colored Sparrow	219	256
American Avocet	220	252
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
King Rail	221	249
Little Blue Heron	222	243
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	238
Wood Thrush	224	237
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	225	226
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	226	225
Tennessee Warbler	227	224
Red Crossbill	228	218
Clapper Rail	229	215
Caspian Tern	230	202
Common Gallinule	231	199
Dickcissel	232	193
Mourning Warbler	233	189
Indigo Bunting	234	188
Nelson's Sparrow	235	183
Cliff Swallow	236	171
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	165
Redhead	239	153
White-winged Crossbill	240	150
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	147
White-eyed Vireo	242	138
Little Gull	243	126
Blue-winged Warbler	243	126
Rusty Blackbird	245	125
King Eider	246	122
American Oystercatcher	246	122
Yellow-throated Vireo	248	121
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	114
Common Nighthawk	250	108
Marbled Godwit	251	104
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	100
Red-shouldered Hawk	253	96/20
Cory's Shearwater	254	90/15
Black Skimmer	255	87/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	256	85/13
Lark Sparrow	257	84/22
Manx Shearwater	258	81/23
Broad-winged Hawk	259	79/21
Eastern Bluebird	260	74/22
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Connecticut Warbler	260	74/26
Western Grebe	262	71/7
Harlequin Duck	263	64/15
Hooded Warbler	264	63/22
Parasitic Jaeger	265	62/21
Vesper Sparrow	266	60/20
Great Shearwater	267	59/16
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	275	44/15
Western Kingbird	277	43/11
Arctic Tern	278	42/17
Royal Tern	279	41/14
Black-headed Gull	280	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
Sooty Shearwater	286	29/16
Bohemian Waxwing	286	29/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	288	28/4
Ross's Goose	289	27/5
Cattle Egret	289	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	291	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	291	26/6
White-faced Ibis	291	26/9
Blue Grosbeak	291	26/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	295	25/9
Canvasback	296	22/9
Upland Sandpiper	296	22/12
Black-necked Stilt	298	21/3
Prothonotary Warbler	298	21/11
Kentucky Warbler	298	21/10
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Murre	301	19/11
Black Rail	302	18/1
Prairie Willet	302	18/1
Pacific Loon	304	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	304	17/5
Acadian Flycatcher	306	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	306	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	306	16/7
Black Vulture	309	14/9
Leach's Storm-Petrel	310	13/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	310	13/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	310	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	313	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	313	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	315	11/1
Swainson's Hawk	315	11/3
Cave Swallow	315	11/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	315	11/11
Yellow-throated Warbler	315	11/6
Golden Eagle	320	9/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	320	9/7
Cackling Goose	322	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	322	8/3
American White Pelican	322	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	322	8/5
Sandhill Crane	326	7/7
Northern Fulmar	326	7/5
Red-headed Woodpecker	326	7/4
Gyrfalcon	326	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	326	7/1
Wilson's Plover	331	6/3
Red-necked Stint	331	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	331	6/4
Sandwich Tern	331	6/2
Say's Phoebe	331	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	331	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	337	5/1
Franklin's Gull	337	5/4
Brown Pelican	337	5/1
Pileated Woodpecker	340	4/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sedge Wren	340	4/4
Northern Wheatear	340	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	343	3/3
Mississippi Kite	343	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	343	3/1
Western Tanager	343	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	347	2/2
Tundra Swan	347	2/1
Eared Grebe	347	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	347	2/1
Northern Lapwing	347	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	347	2/2
Sabine's Gull	347	2/2
Little Egret	347	2/2
Western Meadowlark	347	2/1
White-winged Dove	356	1
Purple Gallinule	356	1
Elegant Tern	356	1
Neotropic Cormorant	356	1
White Ibis	356	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Crested Caracara	356	1
Prairie Falcon	356	1
Monk Parakeet	356	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	356	1
Yellow-green Vireo	356	1
Sage Thrasher	356	1
Townsend's Solitaire	356	1
Bicknell's Thrush	356	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	356	1
Lark Bunting	356	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	356	1