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 April 15, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7094
Canada Goose	2	7041
American Robin	3	6965
Mallard	4	6829
American Black Duck	5	6820
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6678
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6607
American Crow	7	6607
Song Sparrow	9	6577
Northern Mockingbird	10	6395
Northern Cardinal	11	6078
European Starling	12	5940
Blue Jay	13	5924
Mourning Dove	14	5835
Northern Harrier	15	5659
Gadwall	16	5644
American Goldfinch	17	5383
Ring-billed Gull	18	5302
Green-winged Teal	19	5033
Double-crested Cormorant	20	4980
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4928
Common Loon	22	4888
Great Egret	23	4638
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4620
Rock Pigeon	25	4570
Gray Catbird	26	4439
Great Blue Heron	27	4388
Downy Woodpecker	28	4373
Common Eider	29	4369
Mute Swan	30	4355
White-winged Scoter	31	4253
Red-winged Blackbird	32	4237
House Finch	33	4116
Eastern Towhee	34	4016
Tree Swallow	35	3767
Killdeer	36	3749
Snowy Egret	37	3746
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3736
Common Grackle	39	3697
Osprey	40	3614
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3571
Cedar Waxwing	42	3538
Northern Pintail	43	3425
White-throated Sparrow	44	3408
Long-tailed Duck	45	3352
Sanderling	46	3257
Black Scoter	47	3232
Brown Thrasher	48	3210
Savannah Sparrow	49	3193
Bufflehead	50	3148
Dunlin	51	3133
Semipalmated Plover	52	3063
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	3059
Marsh Wren	54	3031
Purple Finch	55	3009
Common Yellowthroat	56	2935
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2889
Yellow-rumped Warbler	58	2869
Peregrine Falcon	59	2866
American Tree Sparrow	60	2818
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lesser Yellowlegs	61	2808
Barn Swallow	62	2774
Red-throated Loon	63	2735
Northern Flicker	64	2687
Eastern Kingbird	65	2663
Horned Grebe	66	2649
Yellow Warbler	67	2589
Northern Gannet	68	2567
Common Tern	69	2519
Turkey Vulture	70	2451
Wild Turkey	71	2449
Common Goldeneye	72	2444
Least Sandpiper	73	2437
Red-breasted Nuthatch	74	2391
Bobolink	75	2386
Willet	76	2378
Swamp Sparrow	77	2376
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2326
Purple Martin	79	2312
Merlin	80	2302
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hooded Merganser	81	2298
Field Sparrow	82	2294
Short-billed Dowitcher	83	2293
Dark-eyed Junco	84	2280
Piping Plover	85	2274
Least Tern	86	2239
Bald Eagle	87	2198
Baltimore Oriole	88	2177
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2151
Eastern Phoebe	89	2151
White-rumped Sandpiper	91	2137
American Redstart	92	2068
Surf Scoter	93	2053
American Wigeon	94	2026
Cooper's Hawk	95	2009
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1827
Hermit Thrush	97	1826
Red-eyed Vireo	98	1809
Horned Lark	99	1727
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1672
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1651
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1648
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1624
Red-necked Grebe	104	1610
Snowy Owl	105	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	106	1511
Carolina Wren	106	1511
Northern Shoveler	108	1448
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1416
Bank Swallow	110	1380
Snow Bunting	111	1313
Blue-winged Teal	112	1308
Chipping Sparrow	113	1294
Great Crested Flycatcher	114	1245
Brant	115	1232
Greater Scaup	116	1214
Sharp-shinned Hawk	117	1124
Razorbill	118	1114
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1110
Common Raven	120	1108
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Kestrel	121	1072
Glossy Ibis	122	1070
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1050
Belted Kingfisher	124	1030
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1013
Long-billed Dowitcher	126	975
Blackpoll Warbler	126	975
Seaside Sparrow	128	973
Least Bittern	129	967
Orchard Oriole	129	967
Ruddy Turnstone	131	960
Northern Parula	132	935
Pied-billed Grebe	133	932
Palm Warbler	134	924
White-breasted Nuthatch	135	917
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	916
Laughing Gull	137	912
American Woodcock	138	855
Great Cormorant	139	849
Magnolia Warbler	140	835
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	825
Red Knot	142	815
Virginia Rail	143	812
American Bittern	144	785
Northern Shrike	145	778
House Wren	146	763
Pine Warbler	147	761
Black-throated Blue Warbler	148	760
Lesser Scaup	148	760
Whimbrel	150	755
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	151	749
Brown Creeper	152	726
American Pipit	153	724
Short-eared Owl	154	702
Northern Waterthrush	155	674
American Golden-Plover	156	672
White-crowned Sparrow	157	668
Chimney Swift	158	662
Hairy Woodpecker	159	658
Tufted Titmouse	160	655
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	161	640
Ruddy Duck	162	637
Eastern Meadowlark	163	630
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	609
American Coot	165	590
Wilson's Warbler	166	584
Eastern Wood-Pewee	167	571
Nashville Warbler	168	570
Roseate Tern	169	567
Ovenbird	170	559
Snow Goose	171	551
Sora	172	525
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	500
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	498
Purple Sandpiper	175	485
Common Merganser	176	479
Wood Duck	177	458
Blackburnian Warbler	178	450
Swainson's Thrush	179	447
Wilson's Snipe	180	446
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	415
Alder Flycatcher	182	411
Green Heron	183	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	184	405
Least Flycatcher	185	401
Veery	186	396
Hudsonian Godwit	187	395
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	188	392
Scarlet Tanager	188	392
Great Horned Owl	190	386
Pine Siskin	190	386
Baird's Sandpiper	192	384
Ring-necked Duck	193	383
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	194	380
Lapland Longspur	195	379
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	365
Western Sandpiper	197	363
Warbling Vireo	198	359
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	358
Common Redpoll	200	353
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	346
Bay-breasted Warbler	202	344
Forster's Tern	203	316
Fox Sparrow	204	307
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	293
Barred Owl	206	286
Eurasian Wigeon	207	284
Cape May Warbler	208	282
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	270
Philadelphia Vireo	210	268
Solitary Sandpiper	211	264
Tricolored Heron	211	264
Lesser Black-backed Gull	213	254
Wilson's Phalarope	214	248
Fish Crow	215	247
Black Guillemot	216	244
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	217	242
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	239
Winter Wren	219	237
American Avocet	220	234
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	221
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	215
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	198
Wood Thrush	225	192
Tennessee Warbler	226	189
Caspian Tern	227	187
King Rail	228	182
Common Gallinule	229	176
Mourning Warbler	230	169
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	231	162
Cliff Swallow	232	161
Indigo Bunting	232	161
Iceland Gull	234	157
Redhead	235	153
Dickcissel	235	153
Black Tern	237	152
White-winged Crossbill	238	148
Nelson's Sparrow	238	148
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Gull	241	124
King Eider	242	121
White-eyed Vireo	243	118
Blue-winged Warbler	244	116
Rusty Blackbird	245	115
Clapper Rail	246	110
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	106
Marbled Godwit	248	100
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	98/17
Common Nighthawk	250	91/22
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	91/22
Cory's Shearwater	252	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	253	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	83/14
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	77/19
Broad-winged Hawk	255	77/19
Lark Sparrow	257	76/20
Western Grebe	258	71/7
Manx Shearwater	259	70/21
American Oystercatcher	260	68/21
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Connecticut Warbler	261	67/24
Eastern Bluebird	262	65/21
Hooded Warbler	263	61/20
Parasitic Jaeger	264	60/20
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	267	55/19
Dovekie	268	54/17
Glaucous Gull	269	51/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	50/19
Thick-billed Murre	271	45/20
Summer Tanager	271	45/14
Gull-billed Tern	273	44/8
Northern Goshawk	273	44/17
Northern Saw-whet Owl	275	43/14
Red-necked Phalarope	276	41/14
Black-headed Gull	277	40/13
Royal Tern	277	40/13
Western Kingbird	277	40/10
Barrow's Goldeneye	280	35/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	34/15
Long-eared Owl	282	33/14
Red Phalarope	283	30/9
Worm-eating Warbler	283	30/13
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	286	26/6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	26/3
Grasshopper Sparrow	289	25/9
Sooty Shearwater	290	23/14
White-faced Ibis	291	22/7
Canvasback	292	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	292	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	20/11
Common Murre	295	19/11
Black Rail	296	18/1
Ruff	296	18/10
Bohemian Waxwing	296	18/11
Pacific Loon	299	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	299	17/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	299	17/10
Acadian Flycatcher	302	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	302	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	302	16/7
Blue Grosbeak	302	16/6
Ross's Goose	306	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	307	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	308	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	311	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	311	11/7
Cave Swallow	311	11/7
Swainson's Hawk	311	11/3
Black-necked Stilt	315	10/2
Louisiana Waterthrush	315	10/10
Yellow-throated Warbler	315	10/5
Black Vulture	318	9/7
Cackling Goose	319	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	319	8/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American White Pelican	319	8/7
Golden Eagle	319	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	319	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	319	8/6
Sandhill Crane	325	7/7
Red-headed Woodpecker	325	7/4
Gyrfalcon	325	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	325	7/1
Wilson's Plover	329	6/3
Red-necked Stint	329	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	329	6/4
Sandwich Tern	329	6/2
Northern Fulmar	329	6/4
Say's Phoebe	329	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	329	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	336	5/1
Franklin's Gull	336	5/4
Brown Pelican	336	5/1
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Chuck-will's-widow	341	3/3
Mississippi Kite	341	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	341	3/1
Western Tanager	341	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	345	2/2
Tundra Swan	345	2/1
Eared Grebe	345	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	345	2/1
Northern Lapwing	345	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	345	2/2
Sabine's Gull	345	2/2
Little Egret	345	2/2
Pileated Woodpecker	345	2/2
Western Meadowlark	345	2/1
White-winged Dove	355	1
Elegant Tern	355	1
Neotropic Cormorant	355	1
White Ibis	355	1
Prairie Falcon	355	1
Monk Parakeet	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
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