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 February 5, 2023

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	6311
Canada Goose	2	6258
American Robin	3	6192
American Black Duck	4	6062
Mallard	5	6054
Black-capped Chickadee	6	5904
American Crow	7	5891
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5853
Song Sparrow	9	5811
Northern Mockingbird	10	5665
Northern Cardinal	11	5318
European Starling	12	5254
Blue Jay	13	5194
Mourning Dove	14	5124
Northern Harrier	15	5011
Gadwall	16	4970
American Goldfinch	17	4730
Ring-billed Gull	18	4678
Double-crested Cormorant	19	4436
Green-winged Teal	20	4382
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4257
Common Loon	22	4209
Greater Yellowlegs	23	4145
Great Egret	23	4145
Rock Pigeon	25	3966
Gray Catbird	26	3955
Great Blue Heron	27	3910
Downy Woodpecker	28	3815
Common Eider	29	3781
Mute Swan	30	3749
White-winged Scoter	31	3727
Red-winged Blackbird	32	3678
Eastern Towhee	33	3559
House Finch	34	3437
Tree Swallow	35	3385
Snowy Egret	36	3373
Killdeer	37	3274
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3261
Black-bellied Plover	39	3232
Common Grackle	40	3221
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3199
Osprey	42	3192
White-throated Sparrow	43	2971
Northern Pintail	44	2967
Brown Thrasher	45	2889
Savannah Sparrow	46	2864
Long-tailed Duck	47	2861
Sanderling	48	2798
Black Scoter	49	2765
Semipalmated Plover	50	2733
Dunlin	51	2725
Semipalmated Sandpiper	51	2725
Bufflehead	53	2720
Purple Finch	54	2687
Marsh Wren	55	2657
Common Yellowthroat	56	2605
Peregrine Falcon	57	2566
Red-tailed Hawk	58	2540
Yellow-rumped Warbler	59	2520
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2495
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2480
Barn Swallow	62	2469
Eastern Kingbird	63	2408
Red-throated Loon	64	2371
Yellow Warbler	65	2310
Northern Gannet	66	2291
Horned Grebe	67	2271
Northern Flicker	68	2260
Common Tern	69	2254
Least Sandpiper	70	2185
Wild Turkey	71	2176
Red-breasted Nuthatch	72	2168
Bobolink	73	2156
Turkey Vulture	74	2155
Willet	75	2123
Common Goldeneye	76	2095
Brown-headed Cowbird	77	2065
Short-billed Dowitcher	78	2062
Purple Martin	79	2055
Merlin	80	2017
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Least Tern	81	2010
Field Sparrow	82	1990
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1981
Hooded Merganser	84	1978
Piping Plover	85	1973
Baltimore Oriole	86	1936
Swamp Sparrow	87	1932
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	1912
Eastern Phoebe	89	1899
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1893
American Wigeon	91	1820
Bald Eagle	92	1815
American Redstart	93	1814
Cooper's Hawk	94	1709
Surf Scoter	95	1687
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1629
Bonaparte's Gull	97	1587
Horned Lark	98	1538
Hermit Thrush	99	1530
Red-eyed Vireo	100	1529
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1484
Snowy Owl	102	1475
Willow Flycatcher	103	1468
Red-necked Grebe	104	1425
Rough-legged Hawk	105	1420
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1384
Northern Shoveler	107	1297
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	108	1259
Bank Swallow	109	1252
Blue-winged Teal	110	1209
Snow Bunting	111	1206
Chipping Sparrow	112	1149
Carolina Wren	113	1091
Brant	114	1067
Great Crested Flycatcher	115	1029
Sharp-shinned Hawk	116	1001
Glossy Ibis	117	988
Black-and-white Warbler	118	973
Greater Scaup	119	971
American Kestrel	120	965
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	940
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	902
Stilt Sandpiper	123	897
Belted Kingfisher	124	881
Blackpoll Warbler	124	881
Ruddy Turnstone	126	872
Seaside Sparrow	127	871
Northern Parula	128	832
Black-throated Green Warbler	129	829
Palm Warbler	130	818
Long-billed Dowitcher	131	790
Laughing Gull	132	789
Great Cormorant	133	788
American Woodcock	134	783
Orchard Oriole	134	783
Pied-billed Grebe	136	773
Least Bittern	136	773
Northern Shrike	138	763
Red Knot	139	753
Magnolia Warbler	140	748
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Raven	141	738
Blue-headed Vireo	142	736
White-breasted Nuthatch	143	716
American Bittern	144	712
Pine Warbler	144	712
Whimbrel	146	695
Virginia Rail	147	689
Black-throated Blue Warbler	148	688
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	149	651
Brown Creeper	150	647
American Pipit	151	625
White-crowned Sparrow	152	619
Hairy Woodpecker	153	617
Northern Waterthrush	154	611
Eastern Meadowlark	155	605
American Golden-Plover	156	601
Lesser Scaup	157	586
Short-eared Owl	158	577
Chimney Swift	159	574
House Wren	160	542
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tufted Titmouse	161	538
Ruddy Duck	162	536
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	534
Wilson's Warbler	164	530
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	515
Snow Goose	166	510
Nashville Warbler	167	505
Sora	168	501
American Coot	169	490
Ovenbird	170	488
Roseate Tern	171	459
Eastern Wood-Pewee	172	448
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	447
Purple Sandpiper	174	433
Wood Duck	175	426
Swainson's Thrush	176	408
Blackburnian Warbler	177	401
Red-bellied Woodpecker	178	394
Wilson's Snipe	179	392
Common Merganser	180	391
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-legged Kittiwake	181	389
Alder Flycatcher	182	383
Canada Warbler	183	369
Hudsonian Godwit	184	367
Great Horned Owl	184	367
Green Heron	186	363
Ring-necked Duck	187	360
Lapland Longspur	187	360
Baird's Sandpiper	189	354
Scarlet Tanager	190	353
Least Flycatcher	191	352
Veery	191	352
Common Redpoll	191	352
Western Sandpiper	194	345
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	195	337
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	334
Pine Siskin	197	329
Warbling Vireo	198	325
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	199	322
Prairie Warbler	200	307
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Whip-poor-will	201	305
Forster's Tern	202	281
Eurasian Wigeon	203	280
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	279
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	275
Fox Sparrow	205	275
Philadelphia Vireo	207	248
Tricolored Heron	208	247
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	238
Solitary Sandpiper	210	234
Wilson's Phalarope	211	233
American Avocet	212	231
Cape May Warbler	213	229
Clay-colored Sparrow	214	218
Winter Wren	215	216
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	214
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	217	208
Lesser Black-backed Gull	218	206
Little Blue Heron	218	206
Barred Owl	220	201
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Fish Crow	221	185
Red Crossbill	222	178
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	223	175
Wood Thrush	224	173
Caspian Tern	225	170
King Rail	226	160
Redhead	227	153
Tennessee Warbler	228	151
Cliff Swallow	229	150
Mourning Warbler	230	149
Indigo Bunting	231	147
Black Guillemot	232	145
Iceland Gull	232	145
Black Tern	232	145
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	235	140
White-winged Crossbill	235	140
Dickcissel	237	135
Nelson's Sparrow	238	126
Little Gull	239	124
Common Gallinule	240	118
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
King Eider	241	109
Blue-winged Warbler	242	107
Orange-crowned Warbler	243	104
Yellow-throated Vireo	244	103
Clapper Rail	245	101
White-eyed Vireo	246	100
Marbled Godwit	247	99/19
Rusty Blackbird	248	96/19
Common Nighthawk	249	87/20
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	87/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	251	84/12
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	82/20
Black Skimmer	253	80/13
Lark Sparrow	254	72/18
Western Grebe	255	71/7
Manx Shearwater	256	66/19
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	64/16
Connecticut Warbler	257	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	261	55/18
Great Shearwater	262	54/14
Vesper Sparrow	263	53/17
Eastern Bluebird	264	52/18
American Oystercatcher	265	51/18
Dovekie	265	51/14
Glaucous Gull	267	48/14
Gray-cheeked Thrush	268	47/18
Cory's Shearwater	269	45/12
Gull-billed Tern	270	44/8
Northern Goshawk	270	44/17
Summer Tanager	270	44/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	43/14
Thick-billed Murre	274	42/17
Broad-winged Hawk	274	42/17
Western Kingbird	276	40/10
Black-headed Gull	277	39/12
Royal Tern	278	37/12
Barrow's Goldeneye	279	35/7
Long-eared Owl	280	33/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	32/13
Red-necked Phalarope	282	29/12
Worm-eating Warbler	282	29/12
Red Phalarope	284	28/8
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
Pine Grosbeak	296	17/5
Prothonotary Warbler	296	17/10
Common Murre	299	16/9
Bohemian Waxwing	299	16/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Evening Grosbeak	299	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	299	16/7
Pacific Loon	303	15/6
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