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 May 18, 2021

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5694
Canada Goose	2	5652
American Robin	3	5586
American Black Duck	4	5482
Mallard	5	5445
American Crow	6	5327
Black-capped Chickadee	7	5291
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5257
Song Sparrow	9	5206
Northern Mockingbird	10	5089
European Starling	11	4739
Northern Cardinal	12	4725
Blue Jay	13	4628
Mourning Dove	14	4580
Northern Harrier	15	4549
Gadwall	16	4447
American Goldfinch	17	4228
Ring-billed Gull	18	4198
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3987
Green-winged Teal	20	3898
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3784
Great Egret	22	3736
Greater Yellowlegs	23	3730
House Sparrow	24	3729
Gray Catbird	25	3499
Great Blue Heron	26	3489
Rock Pigeon	27	3444
Common Eider	28	3418
Downy Woodpecker	29	3344
White-winged Scoter	30	3294
Red-winged Blackbird	31	3256
Mute Swan	32	3240
Eastern Towhee	33	3169
Tree Swallow	34	3071
Snowy Egret	35	3046
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2982
Killdeer	37	2920
Black-bellied Plover	38	2906
Common Grackle	39	2902
House Finch	40	2896
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Osprey	41	2875
Cedar Waxwing	42	2834
Northern Pintail	43	2682
White-throated Sparrow	44	2644
Brown Thrasher	45	2607
Savannah Sparrow	46	2588
Long-tailed Duck	47	2572
Sanderling	48	2475
Bufflehead	49	2464
Black Scoter	50	2451
Dunlin	51	2424
Semipalmated Plover	52	2419
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	2406
Purple Finch	54	2394
Common Yellowthroat	55	2322
Marsh Wren	56	2320
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2298
Peregrine Falcon	58	2290
American Tree Sparrow	59	2253
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2251
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2202
Yellow-rumped Warbler	62	2193
Eastern Kingbird	63	2162
Red-throated Loon	64	2136
Yellow Warbler	65	2072
Northern Gannet	66	2043
Horned Grebe	67	2033
Common Tern	68	2016
Northern Flicker	69	1972
Least Sandpiper	70	1944
Wild Turkey	71	1942
Turkey Vulture	72	1936
Bobolink	73	1929
Red-breasted Nuthatch	74	1899
Willet	75	1894
Common Goldeneye	76	1881
Brown-headed Cowbird	77	1866
Purple Martin	78	1850
Short-billed Dowitcher	79	1831
Merlin	80	1817
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Least Tern	81	1791
Field Sparrow	82	1784
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1769
Piping Plover	84	1746
Hooded Merganser	85	1743
Baltimore Oriole	86	1719
Eastern Phoebe	87	1704
American Wigeon	88	1671
White-rumped Sandpiper	88	1671
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1653
Swamp Sparrow	91	1618
American Redstart	92	1586
Bald Eagle	93	1553
Bonaparte's Gull	94	1505
Cooper's Hawk	95	1460
Surf Scoter	96	1448
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1434
Horned Lark	98	1385
Snowy Owl	99	1369
Rough-legged Hawk	100	1362
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hermit Thrush	101	1351
Red-necked Grebe	102	1322
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1307
Willow Flycatcher	104	1294
Red-eyed Vireo	105	1267
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1256
Northern Shoveler	107	1194
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	108	1136
Bank Swallow	109	1116
Blue-winged Teal	110	1113
Snow Bunting	111	1095
Chipping Sparrow	112	1026
Brant	113	1007
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	942
Glossy Ibis	115	928
American Kestrel	116	908
Carolina Wren	117	900
Greater Scaup	118	890
Black-and-white Warbler	119	887
Great Crested Flycatcher	120	846
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pectoral Sandpiper	121	802
Razorbill	122	797
Belted Kingfisher	123	795
Blackpoll Warbler	124	791
Stilt Sandpiper	125	772
Ruddy Turnstone	125	772
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	762
Seaside Sparrow	128	758
Great Cormorant	129	745
American Woodcock	130	743
Palm Warbler	131	739
Northern Shrike	132	734
Northern Parula	132	734
Laughing Gull	134	713
Red Knot	135	710
Pied-billed Grebe	136	707
Magnolia Warbler	137	690
Blue-headed Vireo	138	673
American Bittern	139	657
Long-billed Dowitcher	140	656
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	642
Whimbrel	142	641
Orchard Oriole	143	638
Least Bittern	144	606
White-breasted Nuthatch	145	605
Eastern Meadowlark	146	596
Virginia Rail	147	591
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	590
Pine Warbler	149	587
American Pipit	150	578
Hairy Woodpecker	151	568
Northern Waterthrush	152	566
White-crowned Sparrow	153	562
Short-eared Owl	154	559
American Golden-Plover	155	557
Lesser Scaup	156	555
Brown Creeper	157	554
Common Raven	158	551
Chimney Swift	159	523
Ruddy Duck	160	515
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	492
Sora	162	484
Snow Goose	163	481
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	472
Nashville Warbler	165	471
Ovenbird	166	447
House Wren	167	444
Tufted Titmouse	168	437
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	413
Roseate Tern	170	412
Purple Sandpiper	171	405
Wood Duck	172	386
Wilson's Snipe	173	384
American Coot	174	376
Eastern Wood-Pewee	175	375
Black-legged Kittiwake	176	368
Blackburnian Warbler	176	368
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	178	366
Common Merganser	179	361
Swainson's Thrush	180	357
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lapland Longspur	181	350
Green Heron	182	349
Common Redpoll	183	347
Great Horned Owl	184	346
Hudsonian Godwit	185	340
Alder Flycatcher	185	340
Baird's Sandpiper	187	335
Canada Warbler	188	334
Scarlet Tanager	189	331
Western Sandpiper	190	324
Black-billed Cuckoo	191	322
Least Flycatcher	192	319
Veery	193	318
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	194	317
Ring-necked Duck	195	315
Pine Siskin	196	303
Red-bellied Woodpecker	197	300
Warbling Vireo	198	292
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	288
Prairie Warbler	200	281
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eurasian Wigeon	201	276
Forster's Tern	202	271
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	259
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	251
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	205	240
Wilson's Phalarope	206	228
Philadelphia Vireo	207	219
Fox Sparrow	208	216
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	215
Tricolored Heron	210	214
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	211	203
Solitary Sandpiper	212	202
Winter Wren	213	197
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	214	196
Cape May Warbler	215	194
Clay-colored Sparrow	216	190
Little Blue Heron	217	182
Lesser Black-backed Gull	218	174
Wood Thrush	219	164
Barred Owl	220	162
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	162
American Avocet	222	157
Redhead	223	152
Red Crossbill	224	151
Caspian Tern	225	147
Fish Crow	226	146
Cliff Swallow	227	145
White-winged Crossbill	228	139
Mourning Warbler	229	138
Indigo Bunting	230	135
Tennessee Warbler	231	133
Iceland Gull	232	126
Little Gull	233	123
Black Tern	233	123
Common Gallinule	235	118
King Rail	236	116
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	237	114
Dickcissel	238	105
Blue-winged Warbler	239	101
Nelson's Sparrow	240	100
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Marbled Godwit	241	96/18
Orange-crowned Warbler	242	95/19
King Eider	243	94/11
Black Guillemot	243	94/16
White-eyed Vireo	243	94/18
Clapper Rail	246	92/11
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	84/15
Rusty Blackbird	247	84/17
Common Nighthawk	249	79/18
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	72/18
Black Skimmer	251	71/11
Western Grebe	252	70/6
Manx Shearwater	253	65/18
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	62/15
Lark Sparrow	255	61/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	256	60/10
Connecticut Warbler	256	60/20
Yellow-throated Vireo	258	59/17
Great Shearwater	259	53/13
Parasitic Jaeger	260	52/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hooded Warbler	260	52/17
Harlequin Duck	262	51/10
Vesper Sparrow	263	50/17
Glaucous Gull	264	48/14
American Oystercatcher	265	45/17
Gull-billed Tern	266	44/8
Northern Goshawk	266	44/17
Eastern Bluebird	266	44/17
Summer Tanager	266	44/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	270	43/14
Cory's Shearwater	271	42/11
Dovekie	272	41/13
Broad-winged Hawk	272	41/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	274	40/16
Black-headed Gull	275	38/11
Thick-billed Murre	276	37/16
Royal Tern	277	36/11
Barrow's Goldeneye	278	35/7
Long-eared Owl	279	31/13
Arctic Tern	280	29/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Worm-eating Warbler	280	29/12
Western Kingbird	282	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	283	26/2
Red-necked Phalarope	283	26/10
Cattle Egret	283	26/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	287	24/5
Red Phalarope	287	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	287	24/8
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Canvasback	291	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Sooty Shearwater	293	19/11
Black Rail	294	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	295	17/8
Ruff	295	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	295	17/5
Common Murre	298	16/9
Hoary Redpoll	298	16/7
Pacific Loon	300	15/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	300	15/9
Ross's Goose	302	14/4
Bohemian Waxwing	302	14/8
Evening Grosbeak	302	14/5
Ash-throated Flycatcher	305	13/3
Blue Grosbeak	305	13/5
Eastern Screech-Owl	307	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	307	12/10
Green-tailed Towhee	307	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
Cackling Goose	317	8/3
American White Pelican	317	8/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	317	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	317	8/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	321	7/2
Red-headed Woodpecker	321	7/4
Gyrfalcon	321	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	321	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	321	7/5
Sandhill Crane	326	6/6
Wilson's Plover	326	6/3
Red-necked Stint	326	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	326	6/4
Sandwich Tern	326	6/2
Northern Fulmar	326	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	332	5/1
Franklin's Gull	332	5/4
Brown Pelican	332	5/1
Golden Eagle	332	5/4
Say's Phoebe	332	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	332	5/4
Northern Wheatear	338	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	339	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	339	3/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sedge Wren	339	3/3
Western Tanager	339	3/1
Tundra Swan	343	2/1
Eared Grebe	343	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	343	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	343	2/2
Sabine's Gull	343	2/2
Little Egret	343	2/2
Western Meadowlark	343	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	350	1
Northern Lapwing	350	1
Elegant Tern	350	1
Neotropic Cormorant	350	1
White Ibis	350	1
Mississippi Kite	350	1
Swainson's Hawk	350	1
Pileated Woodpecker	350	1
Prairie Falcon	350	1
Monk Parakeet	350	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	350	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-green Vireo	350	1
Townsend's Solitaire	350	1
Bicknell's Thrush	350	1
Sage Thrasher	350	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	350	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	350	1