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 20, 2018

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4802
Canada Goose	2	4776
American Robin	3	4715
American Crow	4	4649
American Black Duck	5	4621
Mallard	6	4578
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4439
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4427
Song Sparrow	9	4387
Northern Mockingbird	10	4301
European Starling	11	4045
Northern Cardinal	12	3940
Northern Harrier	13	3884
Mourning Dove	14	3881
Blue Jay	15	3871
Gadwall	16	3830
Ring-billed Gull	17	3600
American Goldfinch	18	3533
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3425
Green-winged Teal	20	3348
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3233
Common Loon	22	3186
Great Egret	23	3185
House Sparrow	24	3110
Great Blue Heron	25	3015
Gray Catbird	26	2926
Rock Pigeon	27	2852
Red-winged Blackbird	28	2752
Common Eider	29	2749
Downy Woodpecker	30	2746
Mute Swan	31	2745
Eastern Towhee	32	2742
White-winged Scoter	33	2694
Snowy Egret	34	2685
Tree Swallow	35	2662
Black-bellied Plover	36	2518
Common Grackle	37	2493
Osprey	38	2467
Killdeer	39	2465
Red-breasted Merganser	40	2463
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2435
House Finch	42	2310
Brown Thrasher	43	2297
Savannah Sparrow	44	2266
Northern Pintail	45	2250
White-throated Sparrow	46	2159
Semipalmated Sandpiper	47	2092
Semipalmated Plover	48	2087
Long-tailed Duck	49	2085
Purple Finch	50	2069
Sanderling	51	2034
Marsh Wren	52	2005
Common Yellowthroat	53	2001
Bufflehead	54	1999
Dunlin	55	1993
Lesser Yellowlegs	56	1967
Black Scoter	57	1918
Barn Swallow	58	1915
Red-tailed Hawk	59	1910
Peregrine Falcon	60	1899
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Kingbird	61	1896
American Tree Sparrow	61	1896
Red-throated Loon	63	1828
Yellow Warbler	64	1826
Common Tern	65	1793
Yellow-rumped Warbler	66	1786
Northern Gannet	67	1776
Least Sandpiper	68	1706
Horned Grebe	69	1702
Bobolink	70	1698
Willet	71	1660
Northern Flicker	72	1628
Brown-headed Cowbird	73	1610
Turkey Vulture	73	1610
Short-billed Dowitcher	75	1600
Purple Martin	76	1597
Merlin	77	1588
Least Tern	78	1567
Wild Turkey	79	1540
Red-breasted Nuthatch	80	1507
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	1504
Baltimore Oriole	82	1503
Hooded Merganser	83	1491
Common Goldeneye	84	1484
Piping Plover	84	1484
Dark-eyed Junco	86	1471
White-rumped Sandpiper	87	1458
American Wigeon	88	1446
Eastern Phoebe	89	1441
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1434
Bonaparte's Gull	91	1412
American Redstart	92	1386
Swamp Sparrow	93	1284
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1275
Horned Lark	95	1202
Bald Eagle	96	1197
Red-necked Grebe	97	1171
Cooper's Hawk	98	1154
Surf Scoter	99	1150
Snowy Owl	100	1146
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rough-legged Hawk	101	1145
Willow Flycatcher	102	1133
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1125
Red-eyed Vireo	104	1060
Golden-crowned Kinglet	105	1058
Northern Shoveler	106	1046
Blue-winged Teal	107	1038
Hermit Thrush	108	1017
Bank Swallow	109	999
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	957
Snow Bunting	111	939
Glossy Ibis	112	868
Sharp-shinned Hawk	113	847
Brant	114	842
Chipping Sparrow	114	842
American Kestrel	116	804
Black-and-white Warbler	117	793
Greater Scaup	118	754
Stilt Sandpiper	119	706
Blackpoll Warbler	120	690
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Crested Flycatcher	121	686
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	683
Seaside Sparrow	123	679
Ruddy Turnstone	123	679
Belted Kingfisher	125	667
Great Cormorant	126	666
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	664
American Woodcock	128	653
Razorbill	129	646
Northern Shrike	130	645
Northern Parula	131	640
Laughing Gull	132	622
Palm Warbler	133	620
Red Knot	134	619
Magnolia Warbler	135	617
Pied-billed Grebe	136	613
American Bittern	137	609
Whimbrel	138	582
Eastern Meadowlark	139	578
Blue-headed Vireo	140	574
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	563
Carolina Wren	142	557
Virginia Rail	143	556
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	513
Lesser Scaup	145	511
Least Bittern	146	506
American Pipit	147	504
Long-billed Dowitcher	148	499
Orchard Oriole	149	498
White-breasted Nuthatch	150	496
Snow Goose	151	493
Northern Waterthrush	151	493
Brown Creeper	153	481
Ruddy Duck	154	478
American Golden-Plover	155	475
Short-eared Owl	156	470
Pine Warbler	157	466
Chimney Swift	158	460
White-crowned Sparrow	159	459
Sora	160	456
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	444
Nashville Warbler	162	417
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	411
Ovenbird	164	390
House Wren	165	385
Tufted Titmouse	166	380
Purple Sandpiper	167	366
Roseate Tern	167	366
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	364
Black-legged Kittiwake	170	360
Wilson's Snipe	171	356
Hairy Woodpecker	172	343
Lapland Longspur	173	326
Blackburnian Warbler	174	322
Common Merganser	175	321
Wood Duck	176	315
Eastern Wood-Pewee	176	315
Canada Warbler	178	307
Black-billed Cuckoo	179	304
American Coot	179	304
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Green Heron	181	303
Baird's Sandpiper	182	299
Common Raven	183	298
Great Horned Owl	184	289
Scarlet Tanager	185	287
Swainson's Thrush	186	283
Hudsonian Godwit	187	279
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	188	273
Least Flycatcher	189	268
Ring-necked Duck	190	266
Western Sandpiper	191	263
Veery	191	263
Eurasian Wigeon	193	259
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	259
Forster's Tern	195	255
Warbling Vireo	196	253
Common Redpoll	196	253
Alder Flycatcher	198	251
Prairie Warbler	199	240
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	238
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-bellied Woodpecker	201	232
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	202	231
Pine Siskin	203	225
Wilson's Phalarope	204	210
Bay-breasted Warbler	205	199
Tricolored Heron	206	197
Fox Sparrow	207	193
Philadelphia Vireo	208	182
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	209	180
Solitary Sandpiper	210	179
Lincoln's Sparrow	211	178
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	176
Winter Wren	212	176
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	214	173
Little Blue Heron	215	166
Clay-colored Sparrow	216	160
Redhead	217	151
Wood Thrush	218	147
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	143
Cape May Warbler	219	143
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cliff Swallow	221	134
Barred Owl	222	133
Lesser Black-backed Gull	222	133
White-winged Crossbill	224	131
Little Gull	225	123
Mourning Warbler	225	123
Caspian Tern	227	120
American Avocet	228	119
Iceland Gull	229	118
King Rail	230	116
Indigo Bunting	230	116
Black Tern	232	111
Common Gallinule	233	110
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	234	98/16
Fish Crow	235	97/15
Tennessee Warbler	235	97/16
Blue-winged Warbler	237	90/16
Clapper Rail	238	88/9
Marbled Godwit	238	88/16
Black Guillemot	240	87/15
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Dickcissel	241	86/15
Red Crossbill	242	83/8
Orange-crowned Warbler	243	82/15
White-eyed Vireo	244	79/15
Common Nighthawk	245	73/16
Rusty Blackbird	246	72/16
Western Grebe	247	70/6
Nelson's Sparrow	247	70/16
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	68/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	60/10
Manx Shearwater	250	60/16
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	60/16
Black Skimmer	253	57/9
Connecticut Warbler	254	56/18
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	55/12
Lark Sparrow	256	51/14
Hooded Warbler	256	51/16
Great Shearwater	258	48/12
Yellow-throated Vireo	258	48/14
Parasitic Jaeger	260	46/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Goshawk	261	44/17
Glaucous Gull	262	42/11
Vesper Sparrow	263	40/13
Black-headed Gull	264	38/11
Summer Tanager	264	38/10
Cory's Shearwater	266	36/10
Eastern Bluebird	266	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	268	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	269	34/7
Barrow's Goldeneye	270	33/6
Dovekie	270	33/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	33/14
American Oystercatcher	273	32/14
Northern Saw-whet Owl	274	31/12
King Eider	275	30/8
Thick-billed Murre	276	29/14
Arctic Tern	277	28/10
Long-eared Owl	277	28/12
Royal Tern	279	27/9
Worm-eating Warbler	279	27/11
			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
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Harlequin Duck	285	23/8
Red Phalarope	285	23/6
Western Kingbird	285	23/7
White-faced Ibis	288	19/6
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	19/7
Kentucky Warbler	288	19/8
Canvasback	291	18/6
Black Rail	291	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Ruff	295	16/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	16/4
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Common Murre	298	14/8
Pacific Loon	298	14/5
Ross's Goose	300	13/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hoary Redpoll	301	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	301	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	301	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	304	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	304	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	304	11/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	304	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	304	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	304	11/2
Bohemian Waxwing	304	11/6
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	313	8/5
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
Red-headed Woodpecker	318	7/4
Gyrfalcon	318	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	318	7/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	318	7/5
Sandwich Tern	322	6/2
American White Pelican	322	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	324	5/1
Atlantic Puffin	324	5/3
Franklin's Gull	324	5/4
Thayer's Gull	324	5/1
Northern Fulmar	324	5/3
Brown Pelican	324	5/1
Say's Phoebe	324	5/3
Sandhill Crane	331	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	331	4/1
Golden Eagle	331	4/3
Evening Grosbeak	331	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	335	3/1
Western Tanager	335	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	337	2/1
Eared Grebe	337	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	337	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	337	2/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Stint	337	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	337	2/2
Sabine's Gull	337	2/2
Sedge Wren	337	2/2
Northern Wheatear	337	2/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	2/2
Western Meadowlark	337	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	348	1
Northern Lapwing	348	1
Wilson's Plover	348	1
Elegant Tern	348	1
Little Egret	348	1
White Ibis	348	1
Mississippi Kite	348	1
Swainson's Hawk	348	1
Pileated Woodpecker	348	1
Prairie Falcon	348	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	348	1
Yellow-green Vireo	348	1
Townsend's Solitaire	348	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bicknell's Thrush	348	1
Sage Thrasher	348	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	348	1