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 September 10, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7596
Canada Goose	2	7529
American Robin	3	7460
Mallard	4	7313
American Black Duck	5	7280
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7167
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7082
Song Sparrow	8	7060
American Crow	9	7021
Northern Mockingbird	10	6872
Northern Cardinal	11	6568
European Starling	12	6407
Blue Jay	13	6370
Mourning Dove	14	6319
Northern Harrier	15	6093
Gadwall	16	6073
American Goldfinch	17	5843
Ring-billed Gull	18	5731
Green-winged Teal	19	5402
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5388
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5361
Common Loon	22	5275
Great Egret	23	5040
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4985
Rock Pigeon	25	4914
Gray Catbird	26	4804
Common Eider	27	4777
Downy Woodpecker	28	4757
Great Blue Heron	29	4736
Mute Swan	30	4707
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4615
House Finch	32	4588
White-winged Scoter	33	4529
Eastern Towhee	34	4410
Tree Swallow	35	4104
Killdeer	36	4093
Snowy Egret	37	4089
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4050
Common Grackle	39	4038
Osprey	40	3952
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3907
Black-bellied Plover	42	3844
White-throated Sparrow	43	3672
Long-tailed Duck	44	3590
Northern Pintail	45	3578
Sanderling	46	3530
Black Scoter	47	3517
Brown Thrasher	48	3497
Dunlin	49	3409
Savannah Sparrow	50	3399
Semipalmated Plover	51	3365
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3359
Purple Finch	53	3350
Bufflehead	54	3339
Marsh Wren	55	3327
Common Yellowthroat	56	3225
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3138
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3072
Barn Swallow	59	3067
Peregrine Falcon	60	3043
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	3031
Northern Flicker	62	2985
American Tree Sparrow	63	2959
Eastern Kingbird	64	2926
Red-throated Loon	65	2920
Yellow Warbler	66	2862
Horned Grebe	67	2790
Common Tern	68	2781
Wild Turkey	69	2768
Northern Gannet	70	2717
Turkey Vulture	71	2701
Least Sandpiper	72	2698
Swamp Sparrow	73	2657
Red-breasted Nuthatch	73	2657
Willet	75	2643
Bobolink	76	2602
Purple Martin	77	2580
Common Goldeneye	78	2578
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2562
Piping Plover	80	2555
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Short-billed Dowitcher	81	2518
Merlin	82	2488
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2484
Least Tern	84	2473
Field Sparrow	85	2464
Baltimore Oriole	86	2421
Hooded Merganser	87	2403
Bald Eagle	88	2399
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2385
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2363
Eastern Phoebe	91	2331
American Redstart	92	2328
Surf Scoter	93	2241
Cooper's Hawk	94	2207
American Wigeon	95	2102
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2044
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	2013
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	1820
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1771
Carolina Wren	103	1737
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	1492
Chipping Sparrow	111	1487
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1453
Blue-winged Teal	113	1403
Snow Bunting	114	1374
Common Raven	115	1353
Brant	116	1344
Greater Scaup	117	1302
Glossy Ibis	118	1247
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1221
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1202
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1162
Razorbill	122	1152
American Kestrel	123	1142
Belted Kingfisher	124	1140
Orchard Oriole	125	1129
Least Bittern	126	1115
Pectoral Sandpiper	127	1093
Long-billed Dowitcher	128	1070
Seaside Sparrow	129	1062
Ruddy Turnstone	130	1059
Laughing Gull	130	1059
Blackpoll Warbler	132	1054
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1044
Northern Parula	134	1032
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	1002
Palm Warbler	136	1000
Pied-billed Grebe	137	977
American Woodcock	138	936
Magnolia Warbler	139	930
House Wren	140	920
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	904
Red Knot	142	887
Great Cormorant	143	872
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	857
Virginia Rail	145	831
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	831
Lesser Scaup	147	815
Whimbrel	148	811
American Bittern	149	810
Brown Creeper	150	808
Pine Warbler	151	805
Hairy Woodpecker	152	804
Tufted Titmouse	153	796
Northern Shrike	154	778
American Pipit	155	772
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	156	751
Chimney Swift	157	749
Northern Waterthrush	158	748
Short-eared Owl	159	745
American Golden-Plover	160	740
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Roseate Tern	161	703
White-crowned Sparrow	162	702
Ovenbird	163	696
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	678
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	647
Ruddy Duck	166	645
Wilson's Warbler	167	643
Eastern Meadowlark	168	641
Nashville Warbler	169	627
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	572
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	568
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	536
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	177	511
Blackburnian Warbler	178	502
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	490
Alder Flycatcher	182	466
Least Flycatcher	183	458
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	457
Canada Warbler	185	448
Veery	186	435
Green Heron	187	430
Scarlet Tanager	188	427
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Warbling Vireo	190	413
Pine Siskin	191	409
Baird's Sandpiper	192	407
Black-legged Kittiwake	192	407
Hudsonian Godwit	194	405
Black-billed Cuckoo	195	404
Eastern Whip-poor-will	196	400
Lapland Longspur	196	400
Bay-breasted Warbler	198	398
Great Horned Owl	199	395
Prairie Warbler	200	391
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	379
Forster's Tern	202	355
Common Redpoll	203	354
Fish Crow	204	338
Fox Sparrow	205	335
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	316
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	311
Tricolored Heron	209	304
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	304
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	297
Solitary Sandpiper	212	294
Philadelphia Vireo	213	292
Barred Owl	214	287
Wilson's Phalarope	215	275
Black Guillemot	216	270
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	217	267
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	249
Little Blue Heron	222	243
Wood Thrush	223	237
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	224	232
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	225	226
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	226	224
Red Crossbill	227	218
Tennessee Warbler	228	216
Clapper Rail	229	203
Caspian Tern	230	199
Mourning Warbler	231	188
Indigo Bunting	232	183
Common Gallinule	233	181
Dickcissel	234	177
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	243	125
King Eider	245	122
Yellow-throated Vireo	246	121
Rusty Blackbird	246	121
American Oystercatcher	248	120
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	113
Marbled Godwit	250	104
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	100
Common Nighthawk	252	97/24
Red-shouldered Hawk	253	94/20
Black Skimmer	254	87/16
Cory's Shearwater	254	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	256	85/13
Lark Sparrow	257	83/22
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
Cerulean Warbler	319	9/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cackling Goose	321	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	321	8/3
American White Pelican	321	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	321	8/5
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