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 October 17, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7630
Canada Goose	2	7561
American Robin	3	7494
Mallard	4	7347
American Black Duck	5	7314
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7201
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7116
Song Sparrow	8	7094
American Crow	9	7052
Northern Mockingbird	10	6906
Northern Cardinal	11	6602
European Starling	12	6435
Blue Jay	13	6404
Mourning Dove	14	6351
Northern Harrier	15	6127
Gadwall	16	6105
American Goldfinch	17	5875
Ring-billed Gull	18	5765
Green-winged Teal	19	5436
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5422
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5382
Common Loon	22	5308
Great Egret	23	5074
Greater Yellowlegs	24	5019
Rock Pigeon	25	4938
Gray Catbird	26	4838
Common Eider	27	4811
Downy Woodpecker	28	4788
Great Blue Heron	29	4769
Mute Swan	30	4734
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4635
House Finch	32	4617
White-winged Scoter	33	4563
Eastern Towhee	34	4444
Tree Swallow	35	4133
Snowy Egret	36	4122
Killdeer	37	4106
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4083
Common Grackle	39	4041
Osprey	40	3982
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3936
Black-bellied Plover	42	3878
White-throated Sparrow	43	3697
Northern Pintail	44	3608
Long-tailed Duck	45	3592
Sanderling	46	3562
Black Scoter	47	3542
Brown Thrasher	48	3511
Dunlin	49	3440
Savannah Sparrow	50	3428
Semipalmated Plover	51	3399
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3393
Purple Finch	53	3367
Marsh Wren	54	3348
Bufflehead	55	3339
Common Yellowthroat	56	3249
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3160
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3099
Barn Swallow	59	3079
Peregrine Falcon	60	3073
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	3041
Northern Flicker	62	3017
American Tree Sparrow	63	2959
Red-throated Loon	64	2931
Eastern Kingbird	65	2928
Yellow Warbler	66	2870
Horned Grebe	67	2798
Common Tern	67	2798
Wild Turkey	69	2783
Northern Gannet	70	2745
Turkey Vulture	71	2725
Least Sandpiper	72	2721
Red-breasted Nuthatch	73	2679
Swamp Sparrow	74	2674
Willet	75	2650
Bobolink	76	2605
Purple Martin	77	2580
Common Goldeneye	78	2578
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	2519
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2500
Field Sparrow	84	2476
Least Tern	85	2473
Baltimore Oriole	86	2429
Saltmarsh Sparrow	87	2416
Bald Eagle	88	2410
Hooded Merganser	89	2403
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2385
Eastern Phoebe	91	2365
American Redstart	92	2343
Surf Scoter	93	2268
Cooper's Hawk	94	2229
American Wigeon	95	2121
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2068
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	2028
Hermit Thrush	98	1965
Spotted Sandpiper	99	1828
Horned Lark	100	1826
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1825
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1783
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1745
Carolina Wren	104	1744
Red-necked Grebe	105	1680
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Northern Shoveler	107	1535
Rough-legged Hawk	108	1534
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1530
Chipping Sparrow	110	1507
Bank Swallow	111	1494
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1454
Blue-winged Teal	113	1418
Common Raven	114	1377
Snow Bunting	115	1374
Brant	116	1347
Greater Scaup	117	1309
Glossy Ibis	118	1247
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1237
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1203
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1176
Belted Kingfisher	122	1156
Razorbill	123	1152
American Kestrel	124	1143
Orchard Oriole	125	1129
Least Bittern	126	1115
Pectoral Sandpiper	127	1110
Laughing Gull	128	1084
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1077
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1076
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1075
White-breasted Nuthatch	132	1074
Seaside Sparrow	133	1063
Northern Parula	134	1045
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	1017
Palm Warbler	136	1016
Pied-billed Grebe	137	1004
Magnolia Warbler	138	938
American Woodcock	139	937
House Wren	140	928
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	917
Red Knot	142	903
Great Cormorant	143	873
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	861
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	839
Virginia Rail	146	835
Whimbrel	147	826
Brown Creeper	148	819
Lesser Scaup	149	817
Hairy Woodpecker	150	816
American Bittern	151	814
Pine Warbler	152	810
Tufted Titmouse	153	809
American Pipit	154	792
Northern Shrike	155	778
American Golden-Plover	156	764
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	714
Roseate Tern	162	704
Ovenbird	163	698
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	683
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	662
Wilson's Warbler	166	647
Ruddy Duck	167	645
Eastern Meadowlark	168	641
Nashville Warbler	169	633
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	581
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	573
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	538
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	177	512
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
Warbling Vireo	189	417
Ring-necked Duck	190	416
Pine Siskin	190	416
Hudsonian Godwit	192	411
Baird's Sandpiper	193	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	193	408
Bay-breasted Warbler	195	407
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	404
Lapland Longspur	197	401
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	338
Fox Sparrow	205	335
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	206	323
Cape May Warbler	207	321
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	258
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	222
Red Crossbill	228	218
Clapper Rail	229	214
Caspian Tern	230	202
Common Gallinule	231	198
Dickcissel	232	191
Mourning Warbler	233	189
Indigo Bunting	234	188
Nelson's Sparrow	235	181
Cliff Swallow	236	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	144
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
Connecticut Warbler	260	74/26
			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	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	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
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
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	14/9
Leach's Storm-Petrel	309	13/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	309	13/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	309	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	312	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	312	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	314	11/1
Swainson's Hawk	314	11/3
Cave Swallow	314	11/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	314	11/11
Yellow-throated Warbler	314	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
Crested Caracara	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Falcon	355	1
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