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 26, 2024

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	6841
Canada Goose	2	6788
American Robin	3	6712
Mallard	4	6580
American Black Duck	5	6570
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6428
American Crow	7	6398
Great Black-backed Gull	8	6371
Song Sparrow	9	6334
Northern Mockingbird	10	6172
Northern Cardinal	11	5836
European Starling	12	5734
Blue Jay	13	5685
Mourning Dove	14	5615
Gadwall	15	5464
Northern Harrier	16	5416
American Goldfinch	17	5195
Ring-billed Gull	18	5094
Green-winged Teal	19	4840
Double-crested Cormorant	20	4821
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4725
Common Loon	22	4662
Great Egret	23	4505
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4479
Rock Pigeon	25	4372
Gray Catbird	26	4314
Great Blue Heron	27	4229
Mute Swan	28	4209
Downy Woodpecker	29	4170
Common Eider	30	4155
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4110
White-winged Scoter	32	4063
House Finch	33	3934
Eastern Towhee	34	3893
Tree Swallow	35	3686
Snowy Egret	36	3655
Killdeer	37	3632
Common Grackle	38	3597
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3565
Osprey	40	3505
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3455
Cedar Waxwing	41	3455
White-throated Sparrow	43	3269
Northern Pintail	44	3245
Long-tailed Duck	45	3198
Brown Thrasher	46	3151
Savannah Sparrow	47	3114
Sanderling	48	3081
Black Scoter	49	3064
Bufflehead	50	2995
Dunlin	51	2977
Marsh Wren	52	2966
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	2962
Purple Finch	54	2953
Semipalmated Plover	54	2953
Common Yellowthroat	56	2861
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	2805
Red-tailed Hawk	58	2785
Peregrine Falcon	59	2748
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2734
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2716
American Tree Sparrow	62	2680
Eastern Kingbird	63	2621
Red-throated Loon	64	2617
Northern Flicker	65	2549
Yellow Warbler	66	2541
Horned Grebe	67	2510
Common Tern	68	2459
Northern Gannet	69	2439
Turkey Vulture	70	2371
Least Sandpiper	71	2370
Wild Turkey	72	2364
Bobolink	73	2353
Willet	74	2344
Common Goldeneye	75	2309
Brown-headed Cowbird	76	2299
Purple Martin	77	2285
Swamp Sparrow	78	2270
Red-breasted Nuthatch	79	2261
Field Sparrow	80	2240
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Short-billed Dowitcher	81	2228
Piping Plover	82	2219
Least Tern	83	2203
Merlin	84	2191
Hooded Merganser	85	2179
Dark-eyed Junco	86	2162
Baltimore Oriole	87	2129
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2102
Bald Eagle	89	2077
Eastern Phoebe	90	2071
White-rumped Sandpiper	91	2054
American Redstart	92	2019
American Wigeon	93	1939
Surf Scoter	94	1922
Cooper's Hawk	95	1900
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1755
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1739
Hermit Thrush	98	1725
Horned Lark	99	1666
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1645
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1631
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1598
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1540
Red-necked Grebe	104	1531
Rough-legged Hawk	105	1481
Snowy Owl	106	1476
Northern Shoveler	107	1417
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	108	1382
Carolina Wren	109	1366
Bank Swallow	110	1362
Blue-winged Teal	111	1283
Snow Bunting	112	1262
Chipping Sparrow	113	1259
Great Crested Flycatcher	114	1211
Brant	115	1179
Greater Scaup	116	1150
Black-and-white Warbler	117	1089
Sharp-shinned Hawk	118	1087
American Kestrel	119	1054
Glossy Ibis	120	1048
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1042
Common Raven	122	1003
Stilt Sandpiper	123	998
Belted Kingfisher	124	988
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	984
Seaside Sparrow	126	967
Orchard Oriole	127	960
Blackpoll Warbler	128	953
Least Bittern	129	936
Ruddy Turnstone	130	928
Northern Parula	131	918
Black-throated Green Warbler	132	908
Palm Warbler	133	900
Pied-billed Grebe	134	899
Long-billed Dowitcher	135	889
Laughing Gull	136	846
American Woodcock	137	842
Magnolia Warbler	138	826
Great Cormorant	139	810
Blue-headed Vireo	140	805
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-breasted Nuthatch	140	805
Virginia Rail	142	791
Red Knot	143	786
American Bittern	144	772
Northern Shrike	145	765
Pine Warbler	146	757
Black-throated Blue Warbler	147	747
Lesser Scaup	148	737
House Wren	149	734
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	150	729
Whimbrel	151	727
Brown Creeper	152	699
American Pipit	153	686
Northern Waterthrush	154	673
Chimney Swift	155	654
White-crowned Sparrow	156	652
Short-eared Owl	157	646
American Golden-Plover	158	634
Tufted Titmouse	159	630
Ruddy Duck	160	624
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hairy Woodpecker	161	623
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	162	621
Eastern Meadowlark	163	620
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	581
Wilson's Warbler	165	580
American Coot	166	560
Nashville Warbler	167	559
Roseate Tern	168	558
Ovenbird	169	557
Eastern Wood-Pewee	170	555
Snow Goose	171	517
Sora	172	507
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	499
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	485
Purple Sandpiper	175	474
Common Merganser	176	462
Blackburnian Warbler	177	450
Wood Duck	178	444
Swainson's Thrush	179	442
Wilson's Snipe	180	422
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	413
Alder Flycatcher	182	411
Black-legged Kittiwake	183	403
Green Heron	184	402
Least Flycatcher	185	396
Veery	186	394
Hudsonian Godwit	187	385
Scarlet Tanager	188	384
Ring-necked Duck	189	378
Great Horned Owl	189	378
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	191	377
Baird's Sandpiper	192	374
Lapland Longspur	193	370
Black-billed Cuckoo	194	363
Pine Siskin	194	363
Western Sandpiper	196	359
Warbling Vireo	197	356
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	198	354
Common Redpoll	199	352
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	348
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bay-breasted Warbler	201	340
Prairie Warbler	202	338
Fox Sparrow	203	294
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	204	288
Eurasian Wigeon	205	283
Forster's Tern	205	283
Cape May Warbler	207	268
Tricolored Heron	208	264
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	264
Philadelphia Vireo	210	262
Solitary Sandpiper	211	254
Wilson's Phalarope	212	245
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	213	242
Fish Crow	214	240
American Avocet	215	234
Lesser Black-backed Gull	216	233
Winter Wren	216	233
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	228
Red Crossbill	219	218
Little Blue Heron	220	217
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barred Owl	220	217
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	222	211
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	223	195
Wood Thrush	224	192
Tennessee Warbler	225	186
King Rail	226	182
Caspian Tern	227	181
Common Gallinule	228	176
Mourning Warbler	229	168
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	230	159
Cliff Swallow	230	159
Indigo Bunting	230	159
Iceland Gull	233	154
Redhead	234	153
Black Tern	235	148
Black Guillemot	236	147
Dickcissel	237	144
White-winged Crossbill	238	140
Nelson's Sparrow	239	136
Little Gull	240	124
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-eyed Vireo	241	118
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	118
King Eider	243	117
Blue-winged Warbler	244	116
Rusty Blackbird	245	113
Clapper Rail	246	108
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	106
Marbled Godwit	248	100
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	98/17
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	91/22
Common Nighthawk	251	90/21
Ring-necked Pheasant	252	85/13
Black Skimmer	253	83/14
Lark Sparrow	254	75/19
Western Grebe	255	71/7
Manx Shearwater	256	68/21
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	68/18
Connecticut Warbler	258	65/23
American Oystercatcher	259	64/20
Hooded Warbler	260	61/20
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Bluebird	261	60/20
Parasitic Jaeger	262	59/19
Harlequin Duck	263	58/12
Broad-winged Hawk	263	58/19
Great Shearwater	265	54/14
Dovekie	266	53/16
Vesper Sparrow	266	53/17
Glaucous Gull	268	51/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	50/19
Cory's Shearwater	270	46/13
Summer Tanager	271	45/14
Gull-billed Tern	272	44/8
Northern Goshawk	272	44/17
Thick-billed Murre	274	43/18
Northern Saw-whet Owl	274	43/14
Black-headed Gull	276	40/13
Royal Tern	276	40/13
Western Kingbird	276	40/10
Red-necked Phalarope	279	39/14
Barrow's Goldeneye	280	35/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	34/15
Long-eared Owl	282	33/14
Red Phalarope	283	30/9
Worm-eating Warbler	284	29/12
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	286	26/6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	288	25/2
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	25/9
Sooty Shearwater	290	22/14
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Canvasback	292	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	292	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	19/10
Black Rail	295	18/1
Ruff	295	18/10
Common Murre	295	18/10
Pacific Loon	298	17/8
Bohemian Waxwing	298	17/10
Pine Grosbeak	298	17/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	298	17/10
Acadian Flycatcher	302	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	302	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	302	16/7
Blue Grosbeak	302	16/6
Ross's Goose	306	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	307	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	308	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	311	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	311	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	313	10/2
Cave Swallow	313	10/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	10/10
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	10/5
Black Vulture	317	9/7
Cackling Goose	318	8/3
American White Pelican	318	8/7
Golden Eagle	318	8/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Golden-winged Warbler	318	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	318	8/6
Common Ringed Plover	323	7/2
Red-headed Woodpecker	323	7/4
Gyrfalcon	323	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	323	7/1
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
Say's Phoebe	327	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	327	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	335	5/1
Franklin's Gull	335	5/4
Brown Pelican	335	5/1
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
Mississippi Kite	340	3/3
Swainson's Hawk	340	3/2
Loggerhead Shrike	340	3/1
Western Tanager	340	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	345	2/2
Tundra Swan	345	2/1
Eared Grebe	345	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	345	2/1
Northern Lapwing	345	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	345	2/2
Sabine's Gull	345	2/2
Little Egret	345	2/2
Western Meadowlark	345	2/1
Elegant Tern	354	1
Neotropic Cormorant	354	1
White Ibis	354	1
Pileated Woodpecker	354	1
Prairie Falcon	354	1
Monk Parakeet	354	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	354	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-green Vireo	354	1
Sage Thrasher	354	1
Townsend's Solitaire	354	1
Bicknell's Thrush	354	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	354	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	354	1