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, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7311
Canada Goose	2	7254
American Robin	3	7179
Mallard	4	7046
American Black Duck	5	7022
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6891
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6820
Song Sparrow	8	6794
American Crow	9	6779
Northern Mockingbird	10	6609
Northern Cardinal	11	6292
European Starling	12	6150
Blue Jay	13	6127
Mourning Dove	14	6048
Gadwall	15	5860
Northern Harrier	16	5812
American Goldfinch	17	5593
Ring-billed Gull	18	5501
Green-winged Teal	19	5219
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5197
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5124
Common Loon	22	5058
Great Egret	23	4852
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4828
Rock Pigeon	25	4714
Gray Catbird	26	4630
Great Blue Heron	27	4580
Common Eider	28	4559
Downy Woodpecker	29	4537
Mute Swan	30	4501
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4425
White-winged Scoter	32	4350
House Finch	33	4324
Eastern Towhee	34	4212
Tree Swallow	35	3943
Snowy Egret	36	3937
Killdeer	37	3907
Common Grackle	38	3860
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3814
Osprey	40	3780
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3732
Cedar Waxwing	42	3706
White-throated Sparrow	43	3507
Northern Pintail	44	3494
Long-tailed Duck	45	3430
Sanderling	46	3384
Brown Thrasher	47	3374
Black Scoter	48	3352
Savannah Sparrow	49	3293
Dunlin	50	3263
Semipalmated Plover	51	3237
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3232
Marsh Wren	53	3195
Bufflehead	54	3192
Purple Finch	55	3158
Common Yellowthroat	56	3095
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	2969
Peregrine Falcon	58	2964
Lesser Yellowlegs	59	2962
Red-tailed Hawk	60	2939
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2924
Northern Flicker	62	2860
American Tree Sparrow	63	2834
Red-throated Loon	64	2807
Eastern Kingbird	65	2798
Yellow Warbler	66	2730
Horned Grebe	67	2680
Northern Gannet	68	2660
Common Tern	69	2652
Wild Turkey	70	2617
Turkey Vulture	71	2581
Least Sandpiper	72	2574
Swamp Sparrow	73	2527
Willet	74	2516
Bobolink	75	2499
Red-breasted Nuthatch	76	2495
Common Goldeneye	77	2454
Purple Martin	78	2440
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2423
Short-billed Dowitcher	80	2412
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2401
Piping Plover	82	2393
Field Sparrow	83	2391
Dark-eyed Junco	84	2364
Least Tern	85	2350
Hooded Merganser	86	2330
Baltimore Oriole	87	2314
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2283
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	2271
Bald Eagle	90	2254
Eastern Phoebe	91	2240
American Redstart	92	2207
Surf Scoter	93	2132
Cooper's Hawk	94	2087
American Wigeon	95	2078
Red-eyed Vireo	96	1935
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1923
Hermit Thrush	98	1874
Horned Lark	99	1749
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1741
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1739
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1732
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1685
Carolina Wren	104	1638
Red-necked Grebe	105	1627
Snowy Owl	106	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1513
Northern Shoveler	108	1486
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1470
Bank Swallow	110	1433
Chipping Sparrow	111	1388
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1351
Blue-winged Teal	113	1343
Snow Bunting	114	1325
Brant	115	1276
Greater Scaup	116	1231
Common Raven	117	1213
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1173
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1157
Glossy Ibis	120	1141
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1117
Razorbill	121	1117
American Kestrel	123	1098
Belted Kingfisher	124	1092
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1069
Orchard Oriole	126	1051
Seaside Sparrow	127	1040
Least Bittern	128	1039
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1035
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1025
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1006
Laughing Gull	132	996
Northern Parula	133	994
White-breasted Nuthatch	134	968
Palm Warbler	135	967
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	967
Pied-billed Grebe	137	955
Magnolia Warbler	138	896
American Woodcock	139	881
Blue-headed Vireo	140	873
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	854
Red Knot	142	849
House Wren	143	837
Virginia Rail	144	819
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	806
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	803
Whimbrel	147	792
American Bittern	148	791
Lesser Scaup	149	785
Northern Shrike	150	778
Brown Creeper	151	775
Pine Warbler	151	775
American Pipit	153	758
American Golden-Plover	154	729
Chimney Swift	155	710
Northern Waterthrush	156	709
Tufted Titmouse	157	708
Hairy Woodpecker	158	705
Short-eared Owl	159	702
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	699
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	694
Ruddy Duck	162	645
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	163	641
Eastern Meadowlark	164	636
Eastern Wood-Pewee	165	631
Ovenbird	166	627
Roseate Tern	167	625
Wilson's Warbler	168	616
American Coot	169	614
Nashville Warbler	170	610
Snow Goose	171	551
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	536
Red-bellied Woodpecker	173	534
Sora	174	528
Purple Sandpiper	175	491
Common Merganser	176	485
Swainson's Thrush	177	479
Wood Duck	178	475
Blackburnian Warbler	178	475
Wilson's Snipe	180	451
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	446
Least Flycatcher	182	433
Canada Warbler	182	433
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	429
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	185	420
Green Heron	186	418
Veery	187	416
Scarlet Tanager	188	415
Black-legged Kittiwake	189	406
Hudsonian Godwit	190	405
Pine Siskin	191	401
Baird's Sandpiper	192	391
Black-billed Cuckoo	193	389
Ring-necked Duck	194	386
Great Horned Owl	194	386
Eastern Whip-poor-will	196	385
Warbling Vireo	197	384
Lapland Longspur	197	384
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	379
Western Sandpiper	200	368
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	366
Common Redpoll	202	354
Forster's Tern	203	325
Eurasian Wigeon	204	315
Fox Sparrow	205	312
Cape May Warbler	206	310
Fish Crow	207	303
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	302
Tricolored Heron	209	297
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	295
Barred Owl	211	286
Lesser Black-backed Gull	212	285
Philadelphia Vireo	212	285
Solitary Sandpiper	214	276
Wilson's Phalarope	215	260
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	258
Clay-colored Sparrow	217	253
American Avocet	218	252
Winter Wren	218	252
Black Guillemot	220	244
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	233
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	217
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	211
Wood Thrush	225	207
Tennessee Warbler	226	205
Caspian Tern	227	195
King Rail	228	188
Mourning Warbler	229	182
Common Gallinule	230	181
Indigo Bunting	231	174
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	172
Dickcissel	233	169
Nelson's Sparrow	234	167
Cliff Swallow	235	166
Iceland Gull	236	161
Black Tern	237	155
Redhead	238	153
Clapper Rail	239	150
White-winged Crossbill	240	148
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	136
White-eyed Vireo	242	127
Little Gull	243	125
King Eider	244	122
Blue-winged Warbler	245	120
Rusty Blackbird	246	116
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	110
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	110
Marbled Godwit	249	100
Common Nighthawk	250	96/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	96/23
American Oystercatcher	252	92/21
Cory's Shearwater	253	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	85/15
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	80/19
Broad-winged Hawk	257	78/20
Lark Sparrow	258	77/21
Manx Shearwater	259	76/22
Connecticut Warbler	260	73/25
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Grebe	261	71/7
Eastern Bluebird	262	70/21
Parasitic Jaeger	263	62/21
Hooded Warbler	263	62/21
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	266	58/19
Dovekie	268	54/17
Glaucous Gull	269	52/17
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	52/20
Summer Tanager	271	48/15
Red-necked Phalarope	272	45/15
Thick-billed Murre	272	45/20
Gull-billed Tern	274	44/8
Northern Goshawk	274	44/17
Northern Saw-whet Owl	276	43/14
Western Kingbird	276	43/11
Black-headed Gull	278	40/13
Arctic Tern	278	40/16
Royal Tern	278	40/13
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barrow's Goldeneye	281	35/7
Long-eared Owl	282	33/14
Worm-eating Warbler	283	32/14
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	285	28/4
Cattle Egret	286	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	287	26/2
Ruff	287	26/11
Curlew Sandpiper	287	26/6
Sooty Shearwater	290	25/15
Grasshopper Sparrow	290	25/9
White-faced Ibis	292	23/8
Canvasback	293	22/9
Upland Sandpiper	293	22/12
Black-necked Stilt	295	21/3
Prothonotary Warbler	295	21/11
Kentucky Warbler	295	21/10
Blue Grosbeak	298	20/7
Common Murre	299	19/11
Black Rail	300	18/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bohemian Waxwing	300	18/11
Pacific Loon	302	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	302	17/5
Acadian Flycatcher	304	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	304	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	304	16/7
Ross's Goose	307	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	308	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	309	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	309	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	309	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	312	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	312	11/7
Swainson's Hawk	312	11/3
Cave Swallow	312	11/7
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	11/6
Black Vulture	317	10/8
Louisiana Waterthrush	317	10/10
Golden Eagle	319	9/8
Cackling Goose	320	8/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	320	8/3
American White Pelican	320	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	320	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	320	8/6
Sandhill Crane	325	7/7
Northern Fulmar	325	7/5
Red-headed Woodpecker	325	7/4
Gyrfalcon	325	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	325	7/1
Wilson's Plover	330	6/3
Red-necked Stint	330	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	330	6/4
Sandwich Tern	330	6/2
Say's Phoebe	330	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	330	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	336	5/1
Franklin's Gull	336	5/4
Brown Pelican	336	5/1
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Chuck-will's-widow	341	3/3
Mississippi Kite	341	3/3
Pileated Woodpecker	341	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	341	3/1
Western Tanager	341	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	346	2/2
Tundra Swan	346	2/1
Eared Grebe	346	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	346	2/1
Northern Lapwing	346	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	346	2/2
Sabine's Gull	346	2/2
Little Egret	346	2/2
Western Meadowlark	346	2/1
White-winged Dove	355	1
Purple Gallinule	355	1
Elegant Tern	355	1
Neotropic Cormorant	355	1
White Ibis	355	1
Prairie Falcon	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monk Parakeet	355	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	355	1
Yellow-green Vireo	355	1
Sage Thrasher	355	1
Townsend's Solitaire	355	1
Bicknell's Thrush	355	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	355	1
Lark Bunting	355	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	355	1