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 August 29, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7584
Canada Goose	2	7519
American Robin	3	7448
Mallard	4	7301
American Black Duck	5	7270
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7155
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7070
Song Sparrow	8	7048
American Crow	9	7010
Northern Mockingbird	10	6860
Northern Cardinal	11	6556
European Starling	12	6396
Blue Jay	13	6359
Mourning Dove	14	6307
Northern Harrier	15	6081
Gadwall	16	6061
American Goldfinch	17	5831
Ring-billed Gull	18	5719
Green-winged Teal	19	5390
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5376
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5352
Common Loon	22	5263
Great Egret	23	5028
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4973
Rock Pigeon	25	4907
Gray Catbird	26	4792
Common Eider	27	4765
Downy Woodpecker	28	4745
Great Blue Heron	29	4724
Mute Swan	30	4698
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4605
House Finch	32	4576
White-winged Scoter	33	4519
Eastern Towhee	34	4398
Tree Swallow	35	4092
Killdeer	36	4081
Snowy Egret	37	4077
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4038
Common Grackle	39	4032
Osprey	40	3940
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3895
Black-bellied Plover	42	3832
White-throated Sparrow	43	3672
Long-tailed Duck	44	3590
Northern Pintail	45	3578
Sanderling	46	3518
Black Scoter	47	3513
Brown Thrasher	48	3487
Dunlin	49	3398
Savannah Sparrow	50	3394
Semipalmated Plover	51	3353
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3347
Purple Finch	53	3340
Bufflehead	54	3339
Marsh Wren	55	3321
Common Yellowthroat	56	3213
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3134
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3060
Barn Swallow	59	3055
Peregrine Falcon	60	3031
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	3027
Northern Flicker	62	2976
American Tree Sparrow	63	2959
Red-throated Loon	64	2920
Eastern Kingbird	65	2915
Yellow Warbler	66	2851
Horned Grebe	67	2790
Common Tern	68	2769
Wild Turkey	69	2760
Northern Gannet	70	2712
Turkey Vulture	71	2690
Least Sandpiper	72	2686
Swamp Sparrow	73	2653
Red-breasted Nuthatch	74	2649
Willet	75	2637
Bobolink	76	2597
Common Goldeneye	77	2578
Purple Martin	78	2577
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2561
Piping Plover	80	2546
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Short-billed Dowitcher	81	2506
Dark-eyed Junco	82	2484
Merlin	83	2479
Field Sparrow	84	2463
Least Tern	85	2461
Baltimore Oriole	86	2411
Hooded Merganser	87	2403
Bald Eagle	88	2392
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2379
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2352
American Redstart	91	2320
Eastern Phoebe	92	2319
Surf Scoter	93	2238
Cooper's Hawk	94	2197
American Wigeon	95	2101
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2032
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	2003
Hermit Thrush	98	1960
Horned Lark	99	1826
Willow Flycatcher	100	1825
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1809
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1769
Carolina Wren	103	1735
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1723
Red-necked Grebe	105	1679
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Northern Shoveler	108	1531
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1508
Bank Swallow	110	1488
Chipping Sparrow	111	1483
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1444
Blue-winged Teal	113	1393
Snow Bunting	114	1374
Common Raven	115	1351
Brant	116	1344
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Glossy Ibis	118	1241
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1217
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1201
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1156
Razorbill	122	1152
American Kestrel	123	1142
Belted Kingfisher	124	1135
Orchard Oriole	125	1129
Least Bittern	126	1114
Pectoral Sandpiper	127	1089
Long-billed Dowitcher	128	1066
Seaside Sparrow	129	1062
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1048
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1047
Laughing Gull	131	1047
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1032
Northern Parula	134	1028
Palm Warbler	135	1000
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	999
Pied-billed Grebe	137	972
American Woodcock	138	936
Magnolia Warbler	139	925
House Wren	140	914
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	904
Red Knot	142	876
Great Cormorant	143	872
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	850
Virginia Rail	145	831
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	830
Lesser Scaup	147	815
American Bittern	148	810
Brown Creeper	149	808
Whimbrel	150	806
Pine Warbler	151	805
Hairy Woodpecker	152	803
Tufted Titmouse	153	795
Northern Shrike	154	778
American Pipit	155	772
Chimney Swift	156	745
Short-eared Owl	156	745
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	158	744
Northern Waterthrush	159	741
American Golden-Plover	160	735
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	702
Roseate Tern	162	701
Ovenbird	163	695
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	677
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	647
Ruddy Duck	166	645
Eastern Meadowlark	167	641
Wilson's Warbler	168	639
Nashville Warbler	169	625
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	571
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	563
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	535
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	177	506
Blackburnian Warbler	178	500
Wilson's Snipe	179	496
Swainson's Thrush	180	494
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Duck	181	489
Alder Flycatcher	182	466
Least Flycatcher	183	456
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	454
Canada Warbler	185	447
Veery	186	434
Green Heron	187	430
Scarlet Tanager	188	427
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Warbling Vireo	190	410
Pine Siskin	191	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	192	407
Hudsonian Godwit	193	405
Baird's Sandpiper	193	405
Black-billed Cuckoo	195	404
Eastern Whip-poor-will	196	400
Lapland Longspur	196	400
Great Horned Owl	198	395
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	393
Prairie Warbler	200	387
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	371
Common Redpoll	202	354
Forster's Tern	203	348
Fish Crow	204	338
Fox Sparrow	205	335
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	314
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	311
Tricolored Heron	209	304
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	304
Solitary Sandpiper	211	292
Lesser Black-backed Gull	212	289
Philadelphia Vireo	212	289
Barred Owl	214	287
Wilson's Phalarope	215	275
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	267
Black Guillemot	217	263
Winter Wren	218	257
Clay-colored Sparrow	219	254
American Avocet	220	252
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
King Rail	221	247
Little Blue Heron	222	243
Wood Thrush	223	237
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	224	220
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	224	220
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	226	219
Red Crossbill	227	218
Tennessee Warbler	228	215
Clapper Rail	229	202
Caspian Tern	230	198
Mourning Warbler	231	188
Indigo Bunting	232	183
Common Gallinule	233	181
Dickcissel	234	174
Cliff Swallow	235	171
Nelson's Sparrow	235	171
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	165
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
Blue-winged Warbler	244	123
King Eider	245	122
Rusty Blackbird	246	121
American Oystercatcher	247	120
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	120
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	112
Marbled Godwit	250	104
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	98/24
Common Nighthawk	252	97/24
Red-shouldered Hawk	253	91/20
Black Skimmer	254	87/16
Cory's Shearwater	254	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	256	85/13
Lark Sparrow	257	81/22
Manx Shearwater	258	80/23
Broad-winged Hawk	259	79/21
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	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
Bohemian Waxwing	286	29/12
Sooty Shearwater	287	28/16
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	287	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
Grasshopper Sparrow	294	25/9
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
Black Vulture	308	13/9
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	13/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	308	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	311	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	311	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	313	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	313	11/7
Swainson's Hawk	313	11/3
Cave Swallow	313	11/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	11/11
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	11/6
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