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 July 23, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7547
Canada Goose	2	7489
American Robin	3	7411
Mallard	4	7264
American Black Duck	5	7243
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7120
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7033
Song Sparrow	8	7011
American Crow	9	6982
Northern Mockingbird	10	6824
Northern Cardinal	11	6520
European Starling	12	6359
Blue Jay	13	6335
Mourning Dove	14	6270
Northern Harrier	15	6044
Gadwall	16	6025
American Goldfinch	17	5794
Ring-billed Gull	18	5682
Green-winged Teal	19	5362
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5339
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5316
Common Loon	22	5231
Great Egret	23	4991
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4936
Rock Pigeon	25	4886
Gray Catbird	26	4755
Common Eider	27	4728
Downy Woodpecker	28	4717
Great Blue Heron	29	4688
Mute Swan	30	4663
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4569
House Finch	32	4539
White-winged Scoter	33	4508
Eastern Towhee	34	4361
Tree Swallow	35	4055
Killdeer	36	4044
Snowy Egret	37	4040
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4002
Common Grackle	39	3997
Osprey	40	3903
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3858
Black-bellied Plover	42	3797
White-throated Sparrow	43	3672
Long-tailed Duck	44	3586
Northern Pintail	45	3578
Black Scoter	46	3508
Sanderling	47	3490
Brown Thrasher	48	3465
Savannah Sparrow	49	3388
Dunlin	50	3385
Bufflehead	51	3339
Purple Finch	52	3329
Semipalmated Plover	53	3316
Semipalmated Sandpiper	54	3310
Marsh Wren	55	3288
Common Yellowthroat	56	3178
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3130
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3024
Red-tailed Hawk	59	3020
Barn Swallow	60	3019
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Peregrine Falcon	61	3005
American Tree Sparrow	62	2959
Northern Flicker	63	2958
Red-throated Loon	64	2920
Eastern Kingbird	65	2878
Yellow Warbler	66	2819
Horned Grebe	67	2790
Common Tern	68	2732
Wild Turkey	69	2730
Northern Gannet	70	2705
Turkey Vulture	71	2663
Least Sandpiper	72	2649
Red-breasted Nuthatch	73	2645
Swamp Sparrow	74	2643
Willet	75	2611
Common Goldeneye	76	2578
Bobolink	77	2566
Purple Martin	78	2542
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2542
Piping Plover	80	2509
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Dark-eyed Junco	81	2484
Short-billed Dowitcher	82	2469
Merlin	83	2467
Field Sparrow	84	2459
Least Tern	85	2424
Hooded Merganser	86	2402
Bald Eagle	87	2381
Baltimore Oriole	88	2379
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2351
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2315
Eastern Phoebe	91	2289
American Redstart	92	2286
Surf Scoter	93	2238
Cooper's Hawk	94	2184
American Wigeon	95	2100
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2002
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1966
Hermit Thrush	98	1960
Horned Lark	99	1826
Willow Flycatcher	100	1805
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1774
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1764
Carolina Wren	103	1724
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
Chipping Sparrow	110	1477
Bank Swallow	111	1467
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1419
Blue-winged Teal	113	1385
Snow Bunting	114	1374
Common Raven	115	1346
Brant	116	1344
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1211
Glossy Ibis	119	1210
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1200
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1152
American Kestrel	122	1142
Belted Kingfisher	123	1133
Stilt Sandpiper	124	1130
Orchard Oriole	125	1124
Least Bittern	126	1095
Pectoral Sandpiper	127	1076
Seaside Sparrow	128	1061
Blackpoll Warbler	129	1048
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	1041
Northern Parula	131	1028
Ruddy Turnstone	132	1026
Laughing Gull	133	1015
White-breasted Nuthatch	134	1014
Palm Warbler	135	1000
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	999
Pied-billed Grebe	137	963
American Woodcock	138	936
Magnolia Warbler	139	924
Blue-headed Vireo	140	904
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Wren	140	904
Great Cormorant	142	872
Red Knot	143	862
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	836
Virginia Rail	145	829
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	829
Lesser Scaup	147	815
American Bittern	148	810
Brown Creeper	149	808
Pine Warbler	150	805
Hairy Woodpecker	151	802
Whimbrel	152	797
Tufted Titmouse	153	791
Northern Shrike	154	778
American Pipit	155	772
Short-eared Owl	156	745
Chimney Swift	157	743
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	158	738
Northern Waterthrush	159	736
American Golden-Plover	160	731
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	702
Ovenbird	162	694
Roseate Tern	163	674
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	668
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	647
Ruddy Duck	166	645
Eastern Meadowlark	167	641
Wilson's Warbler	168	639
Nashville Warbler	169	625
American Coot	170	623
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	569
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	563
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	532
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Blackburnian Warbler	177	499
Wilson's Snipe	178	496
Swainson's Thrush	179	493
Wood Duck	180	489
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	181	488
Alder Flycatcher	182	466
Least Flycatcher	183	455
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	453
Canada Warbler	185	447
Veery	186	434
Scarlet Tanager	187	427
Green Heron	188	423
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Warbling Vireo	190	409
Pine Siskin	190	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	192	407
Hudsonian Godwit	193	405
Black-billed Cuckoo	194	403
Lapland Longspur	195	400
Eastern Whip-poor-will	196	397
Great Horned Owl	197	393
Bay-breasted Warbler	197	393
Baird's Sandpiper	199	392
Prairie Warbler	200	385
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	368
Common Redpoll	202	354
Fish Crow	203	336
Fox Sparrow	204	335
Forster's Tern	205	326
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	314
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	310
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	304
Tricolored Heron	210	303
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	289
Barred Owl	212	287
Philadelphia Vireo	212	287
Solitary Sandpiper	214	281
Wilson's Phalarope	215	271
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	266
Winter Wren	217	257
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	254
American Avocet	219	252
Black Guillemot	220	246
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	239
Wood Thrush	222	237
King Rail	223	227
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	219
Red Crossbill	225	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	226	217
Tennessee Warbler	227	215
Clapper Rail	228	202
Caspian Tern	229	197
Mourning Warbler	230	188
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	231	186
Indigo Bunting	232	183
Common Gallinule	233	181
Cliff Swallow	234	170
Dickcissel	234	170
Nelson's Sparrow	236	169
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	158
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
King Eider	244	122
Rusty Blackbird	245	121
Blue-winged Warbler	245	121
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	120
American Oystercatcher	248	118
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	112
Marbled Godwit	250	100
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	98/24
Common Nighthawk	252	96/23
Black Skimmer	253	87/16
Cory's Shearwater	253	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	255	85/13
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	85/20
Broad-winged Hawk	257	79/21
Manx Shearwater	258	77/23
Lark Sparrow	258	77/21
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
Black-headed Gull	279	40/13
Royal Tern	279	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
Grasshopper Sparrow	293	25/9
White-faced Ibis	294	24/9
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
Ash-throated Flycatcher	308	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	310	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	310	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	310	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
Cackling Goose	320	8/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	320	8/3
American White Pelican	320	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	320	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	320	8/6
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