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 November 18, 2019

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5197
Canada Goose	2	5159
American Robin	3	5099
American Black Duck	4	5000
Mallard	5	4958
American Crow	6	4952
Black-capped Chickadee	7	4806
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4798
Song Sparrow	9	4729
Northern Mockingbird	10	4630
European Starling	11	4362
Northern Cardinal	12	4278
Blue Jay	13	4217
Mourning Dove	14	4173
Northern Harrier	15	4161
Gadwall	16	4113
Ring-billed Gull	17	3859
American Goldfinch	18	3854
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3705
Green-winged Teal	20	3604
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3495
Common Loon	22	3456
Great Egret	23	3448
House Sparrow	24	3392
Great Blue Heron	25	3249
Gray Catbird	26	3179
Rock Pigeon	27	3119
Common Eider	28	3035
Downy Woodpecker	29	2984
Eastern Towhee	30	2964
Red-winged Blackbird	31	2962
Mute Swan	32	2949
White-winged Scoter	33	2919
Snowy Egret	34	2874
Tree Swallow	35	2864
Black-bellied Plover	36	2729
Killdeer	37	2665
Common Grackle	38	2664
Osprey	39	2659
Red-breasted Merganser	40	2653
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2634
House Finch	42	2575
Brown Thrasher	43	2452
Savannah Sparrow	44	2444
Northern Pintail	45	2413
White-throated Sparrow	46	2362
Semipalmated Plover	47	2273
Semipalmated Sandpiper	48	2272
Long-tailed Duck	49	2257
Sanderling	50	2224
Purple Finch	50	2224
Dunlin	52	2190
Bufflehead	53	2172
Common Yellowthroat	54	2158
Marsh Wren	55	2157
Black Scoter	56	2148
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2106
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	2099
Peregrine Falcon	59	2077
Barn Swallow	60	2043
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Kingbird	61	2028
American Tree Sparrow	62	2021
Yellow Warbler	63	1949
Yellow-rumped Warbler	63	1949
Red-throated Loon	65	1937
Northern Gannet	66	1927
Common Tern	67	1902
Least Sandpiper	68	1826
Horned Grebe	69	1818
Bobolink	70	1816
Northern Flicker	71	1791
Willet	72	1772
Turkey Vulture	73	1765
Short-billed Dowitcher	74	1719
Wild Turkey	75	1718
Brown-headed Cowbird	76	1717
Purple Martin	77	1714
Merlin	78	1697
Least Tern	79	1680
Red-breasted Nuthatch	80	1667
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Goldeneye	81	1640
Field Sparrow	82	1637
Baltimore Oriole	83	1607
Dark-eyed Junco	84	1604
Piping Plover	85	1602
Hooded Merganser	86	1595
American Wigeon	87	1588
Eastern Phoebe	88	1575
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	1563
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1561
American Redstart	91	1494
Swamp Sparrow	92	1455
Bonaparte's Gull	93	1453
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1349
Bald Eagle	95	1310
Cooper's Hawk	96	1278
Surf Scoter	97	1259
Horned Lark	98	1250
Rough-legged Hawk	99	1239
Spotted Sandpiper	100	1225
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Grebe	101	1220
Willow Flycatcher	102	1214
Snowy Owl	103	1205
Red-eyed Vireo	104	1168
Golden-crowned Kinglet	105	1155
Hermit Thrush	106	1139
Northern Shoveler	107	1134
Blue-winged Teal	108	1082
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1053
Bank Swallow	110	1041
Snow Bunting	111	1013
Chipping Sparrow	112	936
Brant	113	898
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	891
Glossy Ibis	115	881
American Kestrel	116	855
Black-and-white Warbler	117	835
Greater Scaup	118	803
Great Crested Flycatcher	119	768
Carolina Wren	120	760
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blackpoll Warbler	121	754
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	751
Stilt Sandpiper	123	740
Ruddy Turnstone	124	730
Seaside Sparrow	125	729
Belted Kingfisher	126	726
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	716
Razorbill	128	697
American Woodcock	129	683
Northern Parula	130	681
Great Cormorant	131	680
Palm Warbler	132	673
Northern Shrike	133	670
Laughing Gull	134	659
Magnolia Warbler	135	656
Red Knot	136	653
Pied-billed Grebe	137	643
American Bittern	137	643
Blue-headed Vireo	139	619
Whimbrel	140	613
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	606
Eastern Meadowlark	142	589
Long-billed Dowitcher	143	584
Orchard Oriole	144	572
Virginia Rail	145	568
American Pipit	146	551
White-breasted Nuthatch	147	543
Lesser Scaup	148	541
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	541
Least Bittern	150	535
Pine Warbler	151	532
Northern Waterthrush	152	531
American Golden-Plover	153	518
White-crowned Sparrow	153	518
Brown Creeper	155	516
Ruddy Duck	156	513
Hairy Woodpecker	157	489
Short-eared Owl	158	486
Chimney Swift	159	479
Sora	160	473
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	469
Snow Goose	162	463
Nashville Warbler	163	443
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	431
Ovenbird	165	418
Tufted Titmouse	166	411
House Wren	167	399
Chestnut-sided Warbler	168	389
Roseate Tern	169	387
Purple Sandpiper	170	378
Common Raven	170	378
Wilson's Snipe	172	364
Wood Duck	173	363
Black-legged Kittiwake	174	361
Eastern Wood-Pewee	175	349
Blackburnian Warbler	176	342
Common Merganser	177	339
Lapland Longspur	178	336
American Coot	179	334
Canada Warbler	180	324
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Baird's Sandpiper	181	323
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	182	322
Swainson's Thrush	182	322
Black-billed Cuckoo	184	313
Hudsonian Godwit	185	310
Green Heron	185	310
Ring-necked Duck	187	307
Western Sandpiper	187	307
Great Horned Owl	189	304
Scarlet Tanager	190	302
Least Flycatcher	191	293
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	192	287
Alder Flycatcher	193	283
Veery	193	283
Common Redpoll	195	276
Eurasian Wigeon	196	274
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	274
Warbling Vireo	198	266
Forster's Tern	199	262
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	261
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	256
Pine Siskin	202	249
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	242
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	228
Wilson's Phalarope	205	222
Fox Sparrow	206	208
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	207	201
Philadelphia Vireo	208	200
Tricolored Heron	209	199
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	196
Winter Wren	211	191
Solitary Sandpiper	212	189
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	188
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	186
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	181
Little Blue Heron	216	170
Cape May Warbler	217	168
Barred Owl	218	161
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	156
Lesser Black-backed Gull	220	155
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Redhead	221	152
Wood Thrush	222	151
Cliff Swallow	223	140
Caspian Tern	224	134
American Avocet	225	133
Mourning Warbler	225	133
White-winged Crossbill	227	131
Iceland Gull	228	124
Little Gull	229	123
Indigo Bunting	229	123
King Rail	231	116
Tennessee Warbler	231	116
Black Tern	233	114
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	114
Common Gallinule	235	111
Fish Crow	236	107
Dickcissel	237	97/16
Marbled Godwit	238	93/17
Blue-winged Warbler	239	92/17
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	91/17
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Clapper Rail	241	90/10
White-eyed Vireo	242	88/16
King Eider	243	87/9
Black Guillemot	243	87/15
Nelson's Sparrow	245	86/17
Red Crossbill	246	85/10
Rusty Blackbird	247	81/16
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	80/14
Common Nighthawk	249	75/17
Western Grebe	250	70/6
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	67/17
Black Skimmer	252	66/10
Manx Shearwater	253	64/17
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	59/13
Connecticut Warbler	256	58/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	55/15
Lark Sparrow	257	55/15
Hooded Warbler	259	51/16
Parasitic Jaeger	260	49/15
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Shearwater	261	48/12
Glaucous Gull	262	47/13
Vesper Sparrow	262	47/15
Gull-billed Tern	264	44/8
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	266	42/11
American Oystercatcher	267	39/15
Eastern Bluebird	267	39/15
Black-headed Gull	269	38/11
Broad-winged Hawk	269	38/14
Cory's Shearwater	271	37/10
Dovekie	272	36/12
Northern Saw-whet Owl	272	36/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	274	35/15
Barrow's Goldeneye	275	33/6
Royal Tern	276	32/10
Thick-billed Murre	277	30/15
Long-eared Owl	277	30/13
Worm-eating Warbler	279	29/12
Arctic Tern	280	28/10
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Kingbird	281	27/9
Red-necked Phalarope	282	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	282	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	284	24/5
Red Phalarope	284	24/7
Cattle Egret	284	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	284	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
Canvasback	289	20/7
Kentucky Warbler	289	20/9
White-faced Ibis	291	19/6
Black Rail	292	18/1
Sooty Shearwater	292	18/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	294	17/5
Ruff	296	16/8
Common Murre	297	15/8
Pacific Loon	297	15/6
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Ross's Goose	300	14/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ash-throated Flycatcher	301	13/3
Bohemian Waxwing	301	13/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	303	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	303	12/10
Hoary Redpoll	303	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	303	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	303	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	308	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	308	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	308	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	311	10/5
Black Vulture	314	9/7
Cackling Goose	315	8/3
Evening Grosbeak	315	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	315	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	315	8/5
Common Ringed Plover	319	7/2
American White Pelican	319	7/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-headed Woodpecker	319	7/4
Gyrfalcon	319	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	319	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	319	7/5
Red-necked Stint	325	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	325	6/4
Sandwich Tern	325	6/2
Northern Fulmar	325	6/4
Sandhill Crane	329	5/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	329	5/1
Wilson's Plover	329	5/2
Franklin's Gull	329	5/4
Brown Pelican	329	5/1
Golden Eagle	329	5/4
Say's Phoebe	329	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	336	4/3
Chuck-will's-widow	337	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	337	3/1
Sedge Wren	337	3/3
Western Tanager	337	3/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater White-fronted Goose	341	2/1
Eared Grebe	341	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	341	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	341	2/2
Sabine's Gull	341	2/2
Little Egret	341	2/2
Northern Wheatear	341	2/1
Western Meadowlark	341	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	349	1
Tundra Swan	349	1
Northern Lapwing	349	1
Elegant Tern	349	1
Neotropic Cormorant	349	1
White Ibis	349	1
Mississippi Kite	349	1
Swainson's Hawk	349	1
Pileated Woodpecker	349	1
Prairie Falcon	349	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	349	1
Yellow-green Vireo	349	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Townsend's Solitaire	349	1
Bicknell's Thrush	349	1
Sage Thrasher	349	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	349	1