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 June 7, 2023

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	6433
Canada Goose	2	6381
American Robin	3	6306
American Black Duck	4	6179
Mallard	5	6173
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6022
American Crow	7	6005
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5972
Song Sparrow	9	5930
Northern Mockingbird	10	5773
Northern Cardinal	11	5436
European Starling	12	5359
Blue Jay	13	5309
Mourning Dove	14	5237
Northern Harrier	15	5113
Gadwall	16	5075
American Goldfinch	17	4818
Ring-billed Gull	18	4753
Double-crested Cormorant	19	4509
Green-winged Teal	20	4473
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4375
Common Loon	22	4307
Great Egret	23	4221
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4209
Rock Pigeon	25	4066
Gray Catbird	26	3997
Great Blue Heron	27	3969
Downy Woodpecker	28	3901
Common Eider	29	3867
Mute Swan	30	3857
White-winged Scoter	31	3823
Red-winged Blackbird	32	3785
Eastern Towhee	33	3624
House Finch	34	3555
Tree Swallow	35	3452
Snowy Egret	36	3419
Killdeer	37	3361
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3352
Common Grackle	39	3322
Black-bellied Plover	40	3277
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Osprey	41	3263
Cedar Waxwing	42	3226
White-throated Sparrow	43	3052
Northern Pintail	44	3023
Long-tailed Duck	45	2957
Brown Thrasher	46	2941
Savannah Sparrow	47	2912
Sanderling	48	2853
Black Scoter	49	2851
Bufflehead	50	2804
Dunlin	51	2769
Semipalmated Plover	52	2760
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	2752
Purple Finch	54	2747
Marsh Wren	55	2715
Common Yellowthroat	56	2641
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2592
Peregrine Falcon	58	2591
Yellow-rumped Warbler	59	2571
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2539
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2538
Barn Swallow	62	2514
Eastern Kingbird	63	2440
Red-throated Loon	64	2438
Yellow Warbler	65	2350
Horned Grebe	66	2336
Northern Flicker	67	2319
Northern Gannet	68	2314
Common Tern	69	2286
Red-breasted Nuthatch	70	2250
Wild Turkey	71	2234
Least Sandpiper	72	2213
Turkey Vulture	72	2213
Bobolink	74	2186
Willet	75	2169
Common Goldeneye	76	2162
Brown-headed Cowbird	77	2140
Purple Martin	78	2108
Short-billed Dowitcher	79	2077
Merlin	80	2065
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	2047
Least Tern	82	2037
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2035
Piping Plover	84	2034
Hooded Merganser	85	2024
Swamp Sparrow	86	1997
Baltimore Oriole	87	1967
Eastern Phoebe	88	1939
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	1931
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1909
Bald Eagle	91	1885
American Redstart	92	1844
American Wigeon	93	1829
Surf Scoter	94	1760
Cooper's Hawk	95	1744
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1633
Bonaparte's Gull	97	1594
Hermit Thrush	98	1582
Horned Lark	99	1571
Red-eyed Vireo	100	1554
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1492
Willow Flycatcher	102	1486
Snowy Owl	103	1476
Red-necked Grebe	104	1454
Rough-legged Hawk	105	1446
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1415
Northern Shoveler	107	1312
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	108	1302
Bank Swallow	109	1270
Blue-winged Teal	110	1224
Snow Bunting	111	1211
Chipping Sparrow	112	1180
Carolina Wren	113	1116
Brant	114	1115
Great Crested Flycatcher	115	1059
Sharp-shinned Hawk	116	1029
American Kestrel	117	1016
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1002
Glossy Ibis	119	997
Greater Scaup	120	982
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	968
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	906
Blackpoll Warbler	123	904
Stilt Sandpiper	124	898
Seaside Sparrow	125	896
Belted Kingfisher	126	895
Ruddy Turnstone	127	887
Northern Parula	128	862
Black-throated Green Warbler	129	856
Palm Warbler	130	853
Orchard Oriole	131	824
Common Raven	132	814
American Woodcock	133	802
Great Cormorant	134	792
Long-billed Dowitcher	135	790
Laughing Gull	135	790
Least Bittern	137	788
Pied-billed Grebe	138	780
Magnolia Warbler	139	777
Northern Shrike	140	763
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	758
Red Knot	142	754
White-breasted Nuthatch	142	754
Pine Warbler	144	729
American Bittern	145	717
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	710
Virginia Rail	147	702
Whimbrel	148	695
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	149	675
Brown Creeper	150	671
White-crowned Sparrow	151	635
Northern Waterthrush	152	633
American Pipit	153	628
Hairy Woodpecker	154	620
Eastern Meadowlark	155	607
American Golden-Plover	156	602
Chimney Swift	157	594
Lesser Scaup	158	589
Short-eared Owl	159	587
Tufted Titmouse	160	580
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Wren	161	579
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	162	556
Wilson's Warbler	163	550
Ruddy Duck	164	537
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	529
Nashville Warbler	166	520
Ovenbird	167	513
Snow Goose	168	510
American Coot	169	503
Sora	170	501
Roseate Tern	171	472
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	469
Eastern Wood-Pewee	173	467
Purple Sandpiper	174	451
Wood Duck	175	431
Swainson's Thrush	176	422
Blackburnian Warbler	177	421
Red-bellied Woodpecker	178	415
Common Merganser	179	412
Wilson's Snipe	180	409
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-legged Kittiwake	181	398
Alder Flycatcher	182	390
Canada Warbler	183	387
Veery	184	370
Green Heron	185	369
Great Horned Owl	185	369
Least Flycatcher	185	369
Scarlet Tanager	188	368
Hudsonian Godwit	189	367
Ring-necked Duck	190	363
Lapland Longspur	191	360
Baird's Sandpiper	192	354
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	192	354
Common Redpoll	194	352
Western Sandpiper	195	345
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	342
Warbling Vireo	197	334
Pine Siskin	198	330
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	199	326
Prairie Warbler	200	321
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Whip-poor-will	201	307
Bay-breasted Warbler	202	297
Fox Sparrow	203	282
Eurasian Wigeon	204	281
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	204	281
Forster's Tern	204	281
Philadelphia Vireo	207	252
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	248
Tricolored Heron	209	247
Cape May Warbler	210	240
Solitary Sandpiper	211	238
Wilson's Phalarope	211	238
American Avocet	213	231
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	221
Winter Wren	215	220
Clay-colored Sparrow	216	218
Barred Owl	217	213
Red Crossbill	218	211
Lesser Black-backed Gull	219	210
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	220	208
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	206
Fish Crow	221	206
Wood Thrush	223	184
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	178
Caspian Tern	225	171
Tennessee Warbler	226	168
King Rail	227	166
Mourning Warbler	228	159
Cliff Swallow	229	154
Redhead	230	153
Indigo Bunting	231	149
Iceland Gull	232	148
Black Guillemot	233	146
Black Tern	234	145
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	235	140
White-winged Crossbill	235	140
Dickcissel	237	135
Common Gallinule	238	132
Nelson's Sparrow	239	126
Little Gull	240	124
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
King Eider	241	116
Blue-winged Warbler	242	108
Orange-crowned Warbler	243	104
White-eyed Vireo	244	103
Yellow-throated Vireo	244	103
Clapper Rail	246	101
Rusty Blackbird	246	101
Marbled Godwit	248	99/19
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	98/17
Common Nighthawk	250	87/20
Ring-necked Pheasant	251	84/12
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	83/21
Black Skimmer	253	80/13
Lark Sparrow	254	72/18
Western Grebe	255	71/7
Manx Shearwater	256	66/19
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	65/17
Connecticut Warbler	258	64/22
Parasitic Jaeger	259	58/18
Harlequin Duck	260	57/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hooded Warbler	260	57/19
Great Shearwater	262	54/14
Eastern Bluebird	263	53/19
Vesper Sparrow	263	53/17
American Oystercatcher	265	52/19
Dovekie	266	51/14
Glaucous Gull	267	48/14
Gray-cheeked Thrush	268	47/18
Cory's Shearwater	269	45/12
Summer Tanager	269	45/14
Gull-billed Tern	271	44/8
Northern Goshawk	271	44/17
Thick-billed Murre	273	43/18
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	43/14
Broad-winged Hawk	275	42/17
Western Kingbird	276	40/10
Black-headed Gull	277	39/12
Royal Tern	278	38/13
Barrow's Goldeneye	279	35/7
Long-eared Owl	280	33/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Phalarope	281	32/13
Arctic Tern	281	32/13
Red Phalarope	283	30/9
Worm-eating Warbler	284	29/12
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	287	25/2
Grasshopper Sparrow	287	25/9
Curlew Sandpiper	289	24/5
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Canvasback	291	21/8
Sooty Shearwater	291	21/13
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	19/10
Black Rail	295	18/1
Ruff	296	17/9
Common Murre	296	17/10
Pine Grosbeak	296	17/5
Prothonotary Warbler	296	17/10
Pacific Loon	300	16/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bohemian Waxwing	300	16/9
Evening Grosbeak	300	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	300	16/7
Ross's Goose	304	14/4
Acadian Flycatcher	304	14/11
Ash-throated Flycatcher	306	13/3
Blue Grosbeak	306	13/5
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	310	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	310	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	310	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	313	10/2
Cave Swallow	313	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	10/5
Black Vulture	316	9/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	9/9
Cackling Goose	318	8/3
American White Pelican	318	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	318	8/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	321	7/2
Golden Eagle	321	7/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	321	7/4
Gyrfalcon	321	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	321	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	321	7/5
Sandhill Crane	327	6/6
Wilson's Plover	327	6/3
Red-necked Stint	327	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	327	6/4
Sandwich Tern	327	6/2
Northern Fulmar	327	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	333	5/1
Franklin's Gull	333	5/4
Brown Pelican	333	5/1
Say's Phoebe	333	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	333	5/4
Sedge Wren	338	4/4
Northern Wheatear	338	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	340	3/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Loggerhead Shrike	340	3/1
Western Tanager	340	3/1
Tundra Swan	343	2/1
Eared Grebe	343	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	343	2/1
Northern Lapwing	343	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	343	2/2
Sabine's Gull	343	2/2
Little Egret	343	2/2
Mississippi Kite	343	2/2
Western Meadowlark	343	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	352	1
Elegant Tern	352	1
Neotropic Cormorant	352	1
White Ibis	352	1
Swainson's Hawk	352	1
Pileated Woodpecker	352	1
Prairie Falcon	352	1
Monk Parakeet	352	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	352	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-green Vireo	352	1
Sage Thrasher	352	1
Townsend's Solitaire	352	1
Bicknell's Thrush	352	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	352	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	352	1