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 23, 2019

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5021
Canada Goose	2	4990
American Robin	3	4926
American Black Duck	4	4837
American Crow	5	4833
Mallard	6	4784
Black-capped Chickadee	7	4640
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4631
Song Sparrow	9	4553
Northern Mockingbird	10	4480
European Starling	11	4199
Northern Cardinal	12	4124
Northern Harrier	13	4073
Blue Jay	14	4064
Mourning Dove	15	4014
Gadwall	16	3962
Ring-billed Gull	17	3717
American Goldfinch	18	3691
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3533
Green-winged Teal	20	3458
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3352
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3335
Great Egret	23	3279
House Sparrow	24	3255
Great Blue Heron	25	3115
Gray Catbird	26	3009
Rock Pigeon	27	2998
Common Eider	28	2914
Downy Woodpecker	29	2895
Mute Swan	30	2865
White-winged Scoter	31	2853
Red-winged Blackbird	32	2836
Eastern Towhee	33	2821
Snowy Egret	34	2739
Tree Swallow	35	2730
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2624
Black-bellied Plover	37	2589
Common Grackle	38	2568
Killdeer	39	2546
Osprey	40	2540
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2482
House Finch	42	2431
Northern Pintail	43	2351
Savannah Sparrow	43	2351
Brown Thrasher	45	2347
White-throated Sparrow	46	2314
Long-tailed Duck	47	2238
Bufflehead	48	2147
Semipalmated Plover	49	2138
Purple Finch	50	2137
Semipalmated Sandpiper	51	2132
Sanderling	52	2127
Dunlin	53	2110
Black Scoter	54	2081
Marsh Wren	55	2041
Red-tailed Hawk	56	2036
Common Yellowthroat	57	2030
American Tree Sparrow	58	2009
Lesser Yellowlegs	59	1999
Peregrine Falcon	60	1996
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	1954
Red-throated Loon	62	1913
Eastern Kingbird	62	1913
Yellow-rumped Warbler	64	1896
Yellow Warbler	65	1853
Northern Gannet	66	1840
Common Tern	67	1810
Horned Grebe	68	1808
Northern Flicker	69	1730
Least Sandpiper	70	1729
Bobolink	71	1717
Willet	72	1690
Turkey Vulture	73	1682
Brown-headed Cowbird	74	1670
Red-breasted Nuthatch	75	1659
Merlin	76	1649
Purple Martin	77	1631
Common Goldeneye	78	1624
Wild Turkey	78	1624
Short-billed Dowitcher	80	1611
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hooded Merganser	81	1580
Least Tern	82	1579
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1574
Field Sparrow	84	1559
Baltimore Oriole	85	1528
Piping Plover	86	1527
American Wigeon	87	1526
Eastern Phoebe	88	1512
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	1476
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1452
Bonaparte's Gull	91	1432
American Redstart	92	1401
Swamp Sparrow	93	1355
Bald Eagle	94	1285
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1280
Horned Lark	96	1240
Rough-legged Hawk	97	1235
Cooper's Hawk	98	1227
Surf Scoter	99	1214
Red-necked Grebe	100	1212
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snowy Owl	101	1204
Willow Flycatcher	102	1137
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1134
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1120
Hermit Thrush	105	1105
Northern Shoveler	106	1095
Red-eyed Vireo	107	1084
Blue-winged Teal	108	1039
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1026
Bank Swallow	110	1005
Snow Bunting	111	1002
Chipping Sparrow	112	907
Brant	113	894
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	879
Glossy Ibis	115	870
American Kestrel	116	854
Black-and-white Warbler	117	814
Greater Scaup	118	785
Blackpoll Warbler	119	715
Stilt Sandpiper	120	707
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Belted Kingfisher	121	706
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	705
Razorbill	123	696
Great Crested Flycatcher	124	694
Ruddy Turnstone	125	692
Seaside Sparrow	126	690
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	689
Great Cormorant	128	680
American Woodcock	129	666
Palm Warbler	130	661
Northern Parula	130	661
Northern Shrike	132	656
Carolina Wren	133	651
Magnolia Warbler	134	628
Pied-billed Grebe	135	627
American Bittern	136	626
Laughing Gull	137	625
Red Knot	138	624
Blue-headed Vireo	139	603
Black-throated Blue Warbler	140	587
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Whimbrel	141	586
Eastern Meadowlark	141	586
Virginia Rail	143	556
Lesser Scaup	144	534
American Pipit	145	532
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	525
White-breasted Nuthatch	147	520
Long-billed Dowitcher	148	516
Northern Waterthrush	149	514
Orchard Oriole	150	513
Brown Creeper	151	509
Least Bittern	152	506
Ruddy Duck	153	505
White-crowned Sparrow	154	501
Pine Warbler	155	500
Snow Goose	156	495
Hairy Woodpecker	157	486
Short-eared Owl	158	482
American Golden-Plover	159	481
Chimney Swift	160	470
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	457
Sora	162	456
Nashville Warbler	163	431
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	421
Tufted Titmouse	165	409
Ovenbird	166	404
House Wren	167	391
Purple Sandpiper	168	377
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	374
Roseate Tern	170	371
Wilson's Snipe	171	364
Black-legged Kittiwake	172	361
Common Raven	173	348
Common Merganser	174	338
Wood Duck	175	335
Lapland Longspur	176	332
Blackburnian Warbler	177	330
American Coot	178	328
Eastern Wood-Pewee	179	319
Canada Warbler	180	312
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-billed Cuckoo	181	307
Green Heron	182	306
Ring-necked Duck	183	305
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	184	304
Baird's Sandpiper	185	299
Great Horned Owl	185	299
Swainson's Thrush	185	299
Scarlet Tanager	188	296
Hudsonian Godwit	189	284
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	189	284
Least Flycatcher	191	283
Common Redpoll	192	276
Eurasian Wigeon	193	270
Veery	193	270
Red-bellied Woodpecker	195	267
Western Sandpiper	196	265
Warbling Vireo	197	262
Forster's Tern	198	256
Alder Flycatcher	199	252
Prairie Warbler	200	251
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pine Siskin	201	248
Eastern Whip-poor-will	202	243
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	240
Wilson's Phalarope	204	210
Bay-breasted Warbler	205	209
Fox Sparrow	206	203
Tricolored Heron	207	197
Philadelphia Vireo	208	191
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	187
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	210	186
Solitary Sandpiper	211	184
Winter Wren	212	183
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	180
Clay-colored Sparrow	213	180
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	215	174
Little Blue Heron	216	168
Barred Owl	217	161
Cape May Warbler	218	155
Redhead	219	151
Wood Thrush	219	151
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	221	145
Lesser Black-backed Gull	222	142
Cliff Swallow	223	136
White-winged Crossbill	224	131
Caspian Tern	225	124
Mourning Warbler	225	124
Little Gull	227	123
Indigo Bunting	228	122
American Avocet	229	119
Iceland Gull	229	119
King Rail	231	116
Black Tern	232	112
Common Gallinule	233	111
Fish Crow	234	107
Tennessee Warbler	235	103
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	236	98/16
Dickcissel	237	93/15
Blue-winged Warbler	238	92/17
Marbled Godwit	239	91/17
Clapper Rail	240	88/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	88/16
Black Guillemot	242	87/15
King Eider	243	86/9
White-eyed Vireo	243	86/16
Red Crossbill	245	85/10
Rusty Blackbird	246	81/16
Nelson's Sparrow	247	77/16
Common Nighthawk	248	74/17
Western Grebe	249	70/6
Yellow-breasted Chat	250	69/13
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	61/17
Ring-necked Pheasant	252	60/10
Manx Shearwater	252	60/16
Black Skimmer	254	57/9
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	57/13
Connecticut Warbler	256	56/18
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	55/15
Lark Sparrow	258	51/14
Hooded Warbler	258	51/16
Great Shearwater	260	48/12
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Glaucous Gull	261	47/13
Parasitic Jaeger	262	46/14
Vesper Sparrow	262	46/15
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	265	42/11
Eastern Bluebird	266	39/15
American Oystercatcher	267	38/15
Black-headed Gull	267	38/11
Cory's Shearwater	269	37/10
Broad-winged Hawk	269	37/14
Dovekie	271	36/13
Gull-billed Tern	272	34/7
Gray-cheeked Thrush	272	34/14
Barrow's Goldeneye	274	33/6
Northern Saw-whet Owl	275	31/12
Thick-billed Murre	276	30/15
Worm-eating Warbler	277	29/12
Arctic Tern	278	28/10
Royal Tern	278	28/10
Long-eared Owl	278	28/12
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Phalarope	281	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	281	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	283	24/5
Red Phalarope	283	24/7
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Western Kingbird	283	24/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	283	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
Canvasback	289	20/7
Kentucky Warbler	289	20/9
White-faced Ibis	291	19/6
Black Rail	292	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	293	17/5
Ruff	296	16/8
Common Murre	297	15/8
Pacific Loon	297	15/6
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Ross's Goose	300	14/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bohemian Waxwing	301	13/7
Hoary Redpoll	302	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	302	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	302	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	305	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	305	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	305	11/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	305	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	305	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	305	11/2
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Evening Grosbeak	313	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	313	8/5
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
American White Pelican	319	7/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	319	7/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Gyrfalcon	319	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	319	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	319	7/5
Atlantic Puffin	324	6/4
Sandwich Tern	324	6/2
Northern Fulmar	324	6/4
Sandhill Crane	327	5/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	327	5/1
Franklin's Gull	327	5/4
Thayer's Gull	327	5/1
Brown Pelican	327	5/1
Golden Eagle	327	5/4
Say's Phoebe	327	5/3
Common Ringed Plover	334	4/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	334	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	336	3/1
Western Tanager	336	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	338	2/1
Eared Grebe	338	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	338	2/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Chuck-will's-widow	338	2/2
Red-necked Stint	338	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	338	2/2
Sabine's Gull	338	2/2
Little Egret	338	2/2
Sedge Wren	338	2/2
Northern Wheatear	338	2/1
Western Meadowlark	338	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	349	1
Northern Lapwing	349	1
Wilson's Plover	349	1
Elegant Tern	349	1
White Ibis	349	1
Mississippi Kite	349	1
Swainson's Hawk	349	1
Pileated Woodpecker	349	1
Prairie Falcon	349	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	349	1
Yellow-green Vireo	349	1
Townsend's Solitaire	349	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bicknell's Thrush	349	1
Sage Thrasher	349	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	349	1