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 22, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7608
Canada Goose	2	7539
American Robin	3	7472
Mallard	4	7325
American Black Duck	5	7292
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7179
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7094
Song Sparrow	8	7072
American Crow	9	7030
Northern Mockingbird	10	6884
Northern Cardinal	11	6580
European Starling	12	6416
Blue Jay	13	6382
Mourning Dove	14	6331
Northern Harrier	15	6105
Gadwall	16	6085
American Goldfinch	17	5855
Ring-billed Gull	18	5743
Green-winged Teal	19	5414
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5400
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5369
Common Loon	22	5287
Great Egret	23	5052
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4997
Rock Pigeon	25	4921
Gray Catbird	26	4816
Common Eider	27	4789
Downy Woodpecker	28	4768
Great Blue Heron	29	4748
Mute Swan	30	4718
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4621
House Finch	32	4598
White-winged Scoter	33	4541
Eastern Towhee	34	4422
Tree Swallow	35	4116
Snowy Egret	36	4101
Killdeer	37	4097
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4062
Common Grackle	39	4039
Osprey	40	3964
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3919
Black-bellied Plover	42	3856
White-throated Sparrow	43	3678
Long-tailed Duck	44	3590
Northern Pintail	45	3586
Sanderling	46	3542
Black Scoter	47	3523
Brown Thrasher	48	3505
Dunlin	49	3420
Savannah Sparrow	50	3407
Semipalmated Plover	51	3377
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3371
Purple Finch	53	3353
Bufflehead	54	3339
Marsh Wren	55	3335
Common Yellowthroat	56	3233
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3141
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3084
Barn Swallow	59	3074
Peregrine Falcon	60	3054
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	3036
Northern Flicker	62	2995
American Tree Sparrow	63	2959
Eastern Kingbird	64	2928
Red-throated Loon	65	2922
Yellow Warbler	66	2866
Common Tern	67	2792
Horned Grebe	68	2790
Wild Turkey	69	2778
Northern Gannet	70	2725
Least Sandpiper	71	2710
Turkey Vulture	71	2710
Red-breasted Nuthatch	73	2662
Swamp Sparrow	74	2659
Willet	75	2647
Bobolink	76	2603
Purple Martin	77	2580
Common Goldeneye	78	2578
Piping Plover	79	2567
Brown-headed Cowbird	80	2562
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Short-billed Dowitcher	81	2530
Merlin	82	2499
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2488
Least Tern	84	2473
Field Sparrow	85	2464
Baltimore Oriole	86	2424
Hooded Merganser	87	2403
Bald Eagle	87	2403
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2395
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2371
Eastern Phoebe	91	2343
American Redstart	92	2333
Surf Scoter	93	2246
Cooper's Hawk	94	2213
American Wigeon	95	2105
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2054
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	2021
Hermit Thrush	98	1961
Spotted Sandpiper	99	1827
Horned Lark	100	1826
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1825
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1775
Carolina Wren	103	1739
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1728
Red-necked Grebe	105	1680
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Northern Shoveler	107	1534
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1511
Bank Swallow	110	1493
Chipping Sparrow	111	1492
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1454
Blue-winged Teal	113	1412
Snow Bunting	114	1374
Common Raven	115	1358
Brant	116	1344
Greater Scaup	117	1304
Glossy Ibis	118	1247
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1228
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1203
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1170
Razorbill	122	1152
Belted Kingfisher	123	1146
American Kestrel	124	1143
Orchard Oriole	125	1129
Least Bittern	126	1115
Pectoral Sandpiper	127	1099
Long-billed Dowitcher	128	1073
Ruddy Turnstone	129	1071
Laughing Gull	130	1070
Seaside Sparrow	131	1063
Blackpoll Warbler	132	1061
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1054
Northern Parula	134	1039
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	1008
Palm Warbler	136	1001
Pied-billed Grebe	137	986
American Woodcock	138	936
Magnolia Warbler	139	933
House Wren	140	926
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	905
Red Knot	142	894
Great Cormorant	143	872
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	861
Virginia Rail	145	833
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	831
Whimbrel	147	817
Lesser Scaup	148	815
American Bittern	149	810
Brown Creeper	150	809
Hairy Woodpecker	151	808
Pine Warbler	152	806
Tufted Titmouse	153	800
Northern Shrike	154	778
American Pipit	155	777
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	156	755
American Golden-Plover	157	752
Northern Waterthrush	158	751
Chimney Swift	159	749
Short-eared Owl	160	745
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Roseate Tern	161	704
White-crowned Sparrow	162	702
Ovenbird	163	696
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	681
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	647
Wilson's Warbler	166	646
Ruddy Duck	167	645
Eastern Meadowlark	168	641
Nashville Warbler	169	628
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	572
Chestnut-sided Warbler	171	572
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	537
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	177	512
Blackburnian Warbler	178	503
Wilson's Snipe	179	496
Swainson's Thrush	179	496
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Duck	181	493
Alder Flycatcher	182	466
Least Flycatcher	183	460
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	458
Canada Warbler	185	448
Veery	186	436
Green Heron	187	432
Scarlet Tanager	188	429
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Warbling Vireo	190	414
Pine Siskin	191	409
Baird's Sandpiper	192	408
Hudsonian Godwit	193	407
Black-legged Kittiwake	193	407
Black-billed Cuckoo	195	404
Bay-breasted Warbler	196	402
Eastern Whip-poor-will	197	400
Lapland Longspur	197	400
Great Horned Owl	199	395
Prairie Warbler	200	392
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	386
Forster's Tern	202	356
Common Redpoll	203	354
Fish Crow	204	338
Fox Sparrow	205	335
Cape May Warbler	206	319
Eurasian Wigeon	207	317
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	313
Tricolored Heron	209	304
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	304
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	301
Philadelphia Vireo	212	298
Solitary Sandpiper	213	294
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
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	238
Wood Thrush	224	237
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	225	226
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	226	225
Red Crossbill	227	218
Tennessee Warbler	227	218
Clapper Rail	229	206
Caspian Tern	230	201
Mourning Warbler	231	188
Indigo Bunting	232	184
Dickcissel	233	182
Common Gallinule	234	181
Nelson's Sparrow	235	172
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	141
White-eyed Vireo	242	137
Little Gull	243	126
Blue-winged Warbler	244	125
King Eider	245	122
Yellow-throated Vireo	246	121
Rusty Blackbird	246	121
American Oystercatcher	248	120
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	113
Common Nighthawk	250	106
Marbled Godwit	251	104
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	100
Red-shouldered Hawk	253	95/20
Cory's Shearwater	254	89/15
Black Skimmer	255	87/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	256	85/13
Lark Sparrow	257	84/22
Manx Shearwater	258	80/23
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
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