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 22, 2017

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4388
Canada Goose	2	4386
American Robin	3	4312
American Crow	4	4257
American Black Duck	5	4231
Mallard	6	4184
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4056
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4027
Song Sparrow	9	4006
Northern Mockingbird	10	3923
European Starling	11	3689
Northern Harrier	12	3620
Northern Cardinal	13	3581
Gadwall	14	3572
Mourning Dove	15	3530
Blue Jay	16	3512
Ring-billed Gull	17	3273
American Goldfinch	18	3187
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3111
Green-winged Teal	20	3072
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	2938
Common Loon	22	2932
Great Egret	23	2892
House Sparrow	24	2791
Great Blue Heron	25	2758
Gray Catbird	26	2638
Mute Swan	27	2557
Rock Pigeon	28	2554
Common Eider	29	2492
Eastern Towhee	30	2485
White-winged Scoter	31	2480
Red-winged Blackbird	32	2477
Downy Woodpecker	33	2475
Snowy Egret	34	2427
Tree Swallow	35	2405
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2281
Black-bellied Plover	37	2262
Common Grackle	38	2258
Killdeer	39	2221
Osprey	40	2210
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2181
Northern Pintail	42	2127
Brown Thrasher	43	2103
Savannah Sparrow	43	2103
House Finch	45	2051
White-throated Sparrow	46	2029
Long-tailed Duck	47	1914
Bufflehead	48	1874
Purple Finch	49	1873
Semipalmated Sandpiper	50	1865
Semipalmated Plover	51	1857
Sanderling	52	1841
Dunlin	53	1822
Marsh Wren	54	1801
Common Yellowthroat	55	1784
Lesser Yellowlegs	56	1774
American Tree Sparrow	57	1766
Red-tailed Hawk	58	1744
Black Scoter	59	1736
Peregrine Falcon	60	1722
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	1710
Red-throated Loon	62	1707
Eastern Kingbird	63	1705
Yellow Warbler	64	1648
Common Tern	65	1637
Northern Gannet	66	1636
Yellow-rumped Warbler	67	1600
Horned Grebe	68	1592
Least Sandpiper	69	1526
Bobolink	70	1516
Willet	71	1505
Northern Flicker	72	1494
Brown-headed Cowbird	73	1471
Merlin	74	1466
Turkey Vulture	75	1449
Purple Martin	76	1432
Hooded Merganser	77	1411
Short-billed Dowitcher	77	1411
Least Tern	79	1403
Field Sparrow	80	1375
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Goldeneye	81	1374
American Wigeon	82	1367
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1358
Wild Turkey	84	1339
Baltimore Oriole	85	1336
Bonaparte's Gull	86	1332
Red-breasted Nuthatch	86	1332
Piping Plover	88	1313
Eastern Phoebe	89	1306
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1287
Saltmarsh Sparrow	91	1276
American Redstart	92	1222
Horned Lark	93	1150
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1139
Swamp Sparrow	95	1137
Red-necked Grebe	96	1104
Rough-legged Hawk	97	1078
Bald Eagle	98	1065
Surf Scoter	99	1056
Cooper's Hawk	100	1043
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-winged Teal	101	1015
Willow Flycatcher	102	1014
Snowy Owl	103	1009
Northern Shoveler	104	990
Spotted Sandpiper	105	974
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	968
Hermit Thrush	107	917
Red-eyed Vireo	108	914
Bank Swallow	109	901
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	890
Snow Bunting	111	879
Sharp-shinned Hawk	112	811
Chipping Sparrow	113	775
American Kestrel	114	770
Glossy Ibis	115	767
Brant	116	766
Black-and-white Warbler	117	730
Greater Scaup	118	728
Northern Shrike	119	644
Blackpoll Warbler	119	644
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	121	634
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	625
American Woodcock	123	620
Black-throated Green Warbler	123	620
Belted Kingfisher	125	616
Ruddy Turnstone	126	612
Seaside Sparrow	127	605
Razorbill	128	598
Northern Parula	128	598
American Bittern	130	595
Stilt Sandpiper	131	586
Pied-billed Grebe	132	584
Palm Warbler	132	584
Laughing Gull	134	579
Great Crested Flycatcher	135	578
Magnolia Warbler	135	578
Eastern Meadowlark	137	575
Red Knot	138	563
Virginia Rail	139	540
Whimbrel	140	538
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	533
Carolina Wren	142	529
Black-throated Blue Warbler	143	528
Lesser Scaup	144	492
Snow Goose	145	489
American Pipit	146	487
White-breasted Nuthatch	147	486
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	478
Ruddy Duck	149	472
Brown Creeper	150	470
Short-eared Owl	151	448
Sora	152	446
Northern Waterthrush	153	445
Long-billed Dowitcher	154	440
American Golden-Plover	155	431
Least Bittern	155	431
White-crowned Sparrow	157	430
Chimney Swift	158	426
Wilson's Warbler	159	411
Orchard Oriole	160	403
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Nashville Warbler	161	385
Pine Warbler	162	383
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	373
House Wren	164	372
Black-legged Kittiwake	165	357
Ovenbird	166	355
Wilson's Snipe	167	344
Hairy Woodpecker	168	341
Tufted Titmouse	169	340
Chestnut-sided Warbler	170	336
Roseate Tern	171	321
Common Merganser	172	315
Purple Sandpiper	173	314
Lapland Longspur	174	312
Wood Duck	175	301
Blackburnian Warbler	176	300
Eastern Wood-Pewee	177	293
American Coot	178	291
Green Heron	179	289
Canada Warbler	180	287
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Horned Owl	181	274
Black-billed Cuckoo	182	271
Scarlet Tanager	183	270
Swainson's Thrush	184	268
Baird's Sandpiper	185	261
Hudsonian Godwit	186	259
Ring-necked Duck	187	257
Eurasian Wigeon	188	256
Least Flycatcher	189	255
Common Redpoll	190	253
Forster's Tern	191	252
Western Sandpiper	192	243
Veery	192	243
Warbling Vireo	194	241
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	194	241
Common Raven	196	240
Alder Flycatcher	197	238
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	198	233
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	229
Pine Siskin	200	225
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	221
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	202	211
Red-bellied Woodpecker	202	211
Wilson's Phalarope	204	199
Tricolored Heron	205	179
Fox Sparrow	206	176
Bay-breasted Warbler	207	175
Philadelphia Vireo	208	170
Solitary Sandpiper	209	168
Winter Wren	209	168
Lincoln's Sparrow	211	162
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	161
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	160
Little Blue Heron	214	153
Redhead	215	151
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	216	147
Wood Thrush	217	146
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	139
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	138
White-winged Crossbill	220	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barred Owl	221	127
Cliff Swallow	221	127
Cape May Warbler	223	121
Little Gull	224	120
King Rail	225	116
American Avocet	226	114
Mourning Warbler	226	114
Caspian Tern	228	113
Iceland Gull	229	111
Indigo Bunting	229	111
Common Gallinule	231	109
Lesser Black-backed Gull	231	109
Black Tern	233	100
Clapper Rail	234	88/9
Tennessee Warbler	234	88/15
Blue-winged Warbler	236	85/15
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	237	84/14
Black Guillemot	238	83/13
Red Crossbill	238	83/8
Fish Crow	240	82/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Marbled Godwit	241	78/14
Orange-crowned Warbler	242	74/14
Western Grebe	243	70/6
Dickcissel	243	70/13
Common Nighthawk	245	69/15
Yellow-breasted Chat	246	67/12
Rusty Blackbird	247	66/14
White-eyed Vireo	248	62/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	249	60/10
Nelson's Sparrow	249	60/14
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	58/15
Black Skimmer	252	53/8
Manx Shearwater	253	52/14
Connecticut Warbler	254	49/16
Yellow-throated Vireo	255	46/14
Lark Sparrow	255	46/12
Hooded Warbler	257	45/14
Parasitic Jaeger	258	44/12
Red-shouldered Hawk	258	44/11
Northern Goshawk	260	43/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Glaucous Gull	261	42/11
Vesper Sparrow	262	40/13
Great Shearwater	263	39/10
Black-headed Gull	264	38/11
Summer Tanager	265	37/9
Eastern Bluebird	266	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	267	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	268	34/7
Barrow's Goldeneye	269	33/6
Northern Saw-whet Owl	270	30/12
American Oystercatcher	271	29/13
Dovekie	272	28/12
Arctic Tern	272	28/10
Gray-cheeked Thrush	272	28/13
Worm-eating Warbler	275	27/11
Thick-billed Murre	276	26/13
Long-eared Owl	276	26/11
Red-necked Phalarope	278	25/9
Royal Tern	278	25/8
Cory's Shearwater	278	25/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	278	25/2
King Eider	282	24/7
Curlew Sandpiper	282	24/5
Cattle Egret	282	24/7
Harlequin Duck	285	23/8
Red Phalarope	285	23/6
Western Kingbird	285	23/7
Kentucky Warbler	288	19/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	19/7
Canvasback	290	18/6
Black Rail	290	18/1
White-faced Ibis	290	18/6
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Ruff	295	16/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	16/4
Pacific Loon	297	14/5
Ross's Goose	298	13/3
Common Murre	298	13/7
Hoary Redpoll	300	12/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Green-tailed Towhee	300	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	300	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	303	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	303	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	303	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	303	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	303	11/2
Bohemian Waxwing	303	11/6
Prothonotary Warbler	303	11/8
Black-necked Stilt	310	10/2
Eastern Screech-Owl	310	10/6
Cave Swallow	310	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
Red-headed Woodpecker	316	7/4
Gyrfalcon	316	7/5
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	7/7
Golden-winged Warbler	316	7/4
Swainson's Warbler	316	7/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	316	7/5
Sandwich Tern	322	6/2
American White Pelican	322	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	324	5/1
Atlantic Puffin	324	5/3
Franklin's Gull	324	5/4
Thayer's Gull	324	5/1
Northern Fulmar	324	5/3
Say's Phoebe	324	5/3
Sandhill Crane	330	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	330	4/1
Golden Eagle	330	4/3
Evening Grosbeak	330	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	334	3/1
Western Tanager	334	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	336	2/1
Eared Grebe	336	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	336	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	336	2/2
Red-necked Stint	336	2/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Long-tailed Jaeger	336	2/2
Sabine's Gull	336	2/2
Brown Pelican	336	2/1
Sedge Wren	336	2/2
Northern Wheatear	336	2/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	336	2/2
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	347	1
Northern Lapwing	347	1
Wilson's Plover	347	1
Elegant Tern	347	1
Little Egret	347	1
White Ibis	347	1
Mississippi Kite	347	1
Swainson's Hawk	347	1
Pileated Woodpecker	347	1
Prairie Falcon	347	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	347	1
Yellow-green Vireo	347	1
Townsend's Solitaire	347	1
Bicknell's Thrush	347	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sage Thrasher	347	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	347	1