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 July 23, 2021

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5760
Canada Goose	2	5717
American Robin	3	5652
American Black Duck	4	5534
Mallard	5	5510
American Crow	6	5386
Black-capped Chickadee	7	5357
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5321
Song Sparrow	9	5272
Northern Mockingbird	10	5155
European Starling	11	4800
Northern Cardinal	12	4791
Blue Jay	13	4683
Mourning Dove	14	4646
Northern Harrier	15	4556
Gadwall	16	4511
American Goldfinch	17	4294
Ring-billed Gull	18	4247
Double-crested Cormorant	19	4053
Green-winged Teal	20	3958
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3810
Great Egret	22	3802
House Sparrow	23	3795
Greater Yellowlegs	24	3789
Gray Catbird	25	3565
Great Blue Heron	26	3541
Rock Pigeon	27	3481
Common Eider	28	3447
Downy Woodpecker	29	3366
Red-winged Blackbird	30	3322
White-winged Scoter	31	3316
Mute Swan	32	3297
Eastern Towhee	33	3235
Tree Swallow	34	3137
Snowy Egret	35	3111
Killdeer	36	2986
Red-breasted Merganser	37	2983
Common Grackle	38	2968
House Finch	39	2962
Black-bellied Plover	40	2955
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Osprey	41	2941
Cedar Waxwing	42	2900
Northern Pintail	43	2682
Brown Thrasher	44	2668
White-throated Sparrow	45	2649
Savannah Sparrow	46	2644
Long-tailed Duck	47	2577
Sanderling	48	2490
Semipalmated Plover	49	2470
Bufflehead	50	2464
Semipalmated Sandpiper	50	2464
Black Scoter	52	2459
Purple Finch	52	2459
Dunlin	54	2437
Common Yellowthroat	55	2388
Marsh Wren	56	2386
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2304
Peregrine Falcon	58	2296
Lesser Yellowlegs	59	2283
Barn Swallow	60	2266
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2253
Eastern Kingbird	62	2228
Yellow-rumped Warbler	63	2197
Red-throated Loon	64	2140
Yellow Warbler	65	2137
Common Tern	66	2081
Northern Gannet	67	2052
Horned Grebe	68	2033
Bobolink	69	1994
Northern Flicker	70	1992
Wild Turkey	71	1989
Least Sandpiper	72	1986
Turkey Vulture	73	1965
Willet	74	1960
Brown-headed Cowbird	75	1923
Purple Martin	76	1916
Red-breasted Nuthatch	77	1912
Common Goldeneye	78	1881
Short-billed Dowitcher	79	1880
Least Tern	80	1857
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	1836
Merlin	82	1820
Piping Plover	83	1800
Baltimore Oriole	84	1777
Dark-eyed Junco	85	1769
Hooded Merganser	86	1747
Saltmarsh Sparrow	87	1719
Eastern Phoebe	88	1709
Swamp Sparrow	89	1679
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1674
American Wigeon	91	1671
American Redstart	92	1647
Bald Eagle	93	1560
Bonaparte's Gull	94	1515
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1469
Cooper's Hawk	96	1466
Surf Scoter	97	1455
Horned Lark	98	1385
Snowy Owl	99	1369
Rough-legged Hawk	100	1362
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1358
Willow Flycatcher	101	1358
Hermit Thrush	103	1351
Red-eyed Vireo	104	1326
Red-necked Grebe	105	1322
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1256
Northern Shoveler	107	1201
Bank Swallow	108	1164
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1137
Blue-winged Teal	110	1131
Snow Bunting	111	1095
Chipping Sparrow	112	1050
Brant	113	1009
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	942
Glossy Ibis	115	939
Carolina Wren	116	918
American Kestrel	117	910
Great Crested Flycatcher	118	903
Black-and-white Warbler	119	901
Greater Scaup	120	890
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Seaside Sparrow	121	814
Blackpoll Warbler	122	808
Pectoral Sandpiper	123	804
Belted Kingfisher	124	801
Razorbill	125	797
Ruddy Turnstone	126	787
Stilt Sandpiper	127	785
Black-throated Green Warbler	128	776
American Woodcock	129	749
Northern Parula	130	748
Great Cormorant	131	745
Palm Warbler	132	739
Northern Shrike	133	733
Laughing Gull	134	723
Red Knot	135	712
Pied-billed Grebe	136	708
Magnolia Warbler	137	703
Orchard Oriole	138	696
Blue-headed Vireo	139	682
American Bittern	140	660
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Long-billed Dowitcher	141	657
Least Bittern	142	656
Black-throated Blue Warbler	143	648
Whimbrel	144	644
Pine Warbler	145	629
White-breasted Nuthatch	146	608
Virginia Rail	147	605
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	600
Eastern Meadowlark	149	596
American Pipit	150	578
Northern Waterthrush	151	573
Hairy Woodpecker	152	568
White-crowned Sparrow	153	564
Short-eared Owl	154	559
Common Raven	154	559
American Golden-Plover	156	557
Lesser Scaup	157	555
Brown Creeper	158	554
Chimney Swift	159	544
Ruddy Duck	160	515
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	505
Sora	162	484
Snow Goose	163	481
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	480
Nashville Warbler	165	475
House Wren	166	465
Ovenbird	167	460
Tufted Titmouse	168	444
Roseate Tern	169	431
Chestnut-sided Warbler	170	422
Purple Sandpiper	171	405
Eastern Wood-Pewee	172	401
Wood Duck	173	390
Wilson's Snipe	174	384
Blackburnian Warbler	175	383
American Coot	176	379
Black-legged Kittiwake	177	368
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	178	367
Swainson's Thrush	179	366
Common Merganser	180	361
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Horned Owl	181	358
Alder Flycatcher	182	356
Green Heron	183	351
Lapland Longspur	184	350
Common Redpoll	185	347
Canada Warbler	186	345
Hudsonian Godwit	187	340
Scarlet Tanager	188	338
Baird's Sandpiper	189	335
Least Flycatcher	190	331
Veery	191	327
Black-billed Cuckoo	192	326
Western Sandpiper	193	324
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	194	317
Ring-necked Duck	195	315
Warbling Vireo	196	303
Pine Siskin	196	303
Red-bellied Woodpecker	198	302
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	294
Prairie Warbler	200	282
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eurasian Wigeon	201	276
Forster's Tern	202	271
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	265
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	262
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	205	250
Wilson's Phalarope	206	229
Philadelphia Vireo	207	220
Fox Sparrow	208	216
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	216
Tricolored Heron	210	214
Solitary Sandpiper	211	205
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	211	205
Winter Wren	213	197
Cape May Warbler	213	197
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	215	196
Clay-colored Sparrow	216	190
Little Blue Heron	217	182
Lesser Black-backed Gull	218	176
Wood Thrush	219	166
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	165
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barred Owl	221	162
American Avocet	222	157
Redhead	223	152
Fish Crow	223	152
Caspian Tern	225	151
Red Crossbill	225	151
Cliff Swallow	227	146
Mourning Warbler	228	143
White-winged Crossbill	229	139
Tennessee Warbler	230	136
Indigo Bunting	230	136
King Rail	232	134
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	131
Iceland Gull	234	127
Black Tern	235	125
Little Gull	236	124
Common Gallinule	237	118
Black Guillemot	238	106
Dickcissel	239	105
Nelson's Sparrow	240	101
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-winged Warbler	240	101
King Eider	242	98/11
Clapper Rail	243	96/12
Marbled Godwit	243	96/18
White-eyed Vireo	245	95/18
Orange-crowned Warbler	245	95/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	87/17
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	84/15
Rusty Blackbird	248	84/17
Common Nighthawk	250	80/19
Black Skimmer	251	76/12
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	76/19
Western Grebe	253	70/6
Manx Shearwater	254	65/18
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	62/15
Lark Sparrow	256	61/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	257	60/10
Connecticut Warbler	257	60/20
Parasitic Jaeger	259	53/17
Great Shearwater	259	53/13
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hooded Warbler	261	52/17
Harlequin Duck	262	51/10
Vesper Sparrow	263	49/16
American Oystercatcher	264	48/17
Glaucous Gull	264	48/14
Eastern Bluebird	266	45/17
Gull-billed Tern	267	44/8
Northern Goshawk	267	44/17
Summer Tanager	267	44/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	270	43/14
Cory's Shearwater	271	42/11
Dovekie	272	41/13
Broad-winged Hawk	272	41/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	274	40/16
Black-headed Gull	275	38/11
Thick-billed Murre	276	37/16
Royal Tern	276	37/12
Barrow's Goldeneye	278	35/7
Arctic Tern	279	31/12
Long-eared Owl	279	31/13
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Worm-eating Warbler	281	29/12
Western Kingbird	282	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	283	26/2
Red-necked Phalarope	283	26/10
Cattle Egret	283	26/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	287	24/5
Red Phalarope	287	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	287	24/8
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Canvasback	291	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Sooty Shearwater	293	20/12
Black Rail	294	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	295	17/8
Ruff	295	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	295	17/5
Common Murre	298	16/9
Hoary Redpoll	298	16/7
Pacific Loon	300	15/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	300	15/9
Ross's Goose	302	14/4
Bohemian Waxwing	302	14/8
Evening Grosbeak	302	14/5
Ash-throated Flycatcher	305	13/3
Blue Grosbeak	305	13/5
Eastern Screech-Owl	307	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	307	12/10
Green-tailed Towhee	307	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	310	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	310	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	310	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	313	10/2
Cave Swallow	313	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	10/5
Black Vulture	316	9/7
Cackling Goose	317	8/3
American White Pelican	317	8/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	317	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	317	8/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	321	7/2
Red-headed Woodpecker	321	7/4
Gyrfalcon	321	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	321	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	321	7/5
Sandhill Crane	326	6/6
Wilson's Plover	326	6/3
Red-necked Stint	326	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	326	6/4
Sandwich Tern	326	6/2
Northern Fulmar	326	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	332	5/1
Franklin's Gull	332	5/4
Brown Pelican	332	5/1
Golden Eagle	332	5/4
Say's Phoebe	332	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	332	5/4
Northern Wheatear	338	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	339	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	339	3/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sedge Wren	339	3/3
Western Tanager	339	3/1
Tundra Swan	343	2/1
Eared Grebe	343	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	343	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	343	2/2
Sabine's Gull	343	2/2
Little Egret	343	2/2
Western Meadowlark	343	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
Monk Parakeet	350	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	350	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-green Vireo	350	1
Townsend's Solitaire	350	1
Bicknell's Thrush	350	1
Sage Thrasher	350	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	350	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	350	1