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 March 29, 2020

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5311
Canada Goose	2	5278
American Robin	3	5209
American Black Duck	4	5120
Mallard	5	5070
American Crow	6	5026
Black-capped Chickadee	7	4920
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4891
Song Sparrow	9	4838
Northern Mockingbird	10	4721
European Starling	11	4424
Northern Cardinal	12	4369
Blue Jay	13	4298
Northern Harrier	14	4272
Mourning Dove	15	4262
Gadwall	16	4168
Ring-billed Gull	17	3933
American Goldfinch	18	3920
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3715
Green-winged Teal	20	3632
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3547
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3501
House Sparrow	23	3458
Great Egret	24	3453
Great Blue Heron	25	3259
Gray Catbird	26	3215
Rock Pigeon	27	3192
Common Eider	28	3134
Downy Woodpecker	29	3059
White-winged Scoter	30	3025
Mute Swan	31	3012
Red-winged Blackbird	32	2998
Eastern Towhee	33	2970
Tree Swallow	34	2875
Snowy Egret	35	2874
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2753
Black-bellied Plover	37	2736
Common Grackle	38	2693
Killdeer	39	2691
Osprey	40	2662
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2641
House Finch	42	2626
Northern Pintail	43	2501
Savannah Sparrow	44	2454
Brown Thrasher	45	2452
White-throated Sparrow	46	2432
Long-tailed Duck	47	2357
Semipalmated Plover	48	2275
Sanderling	48	2275
Bufflehead	50	2274
Semipalmated Sandpiper	51	2272
Dunlin	52	2242
Black Scoter	53	2238
Purple Finch	54	2228
Red-tailed Hawk	55	2167
Marsh Wren	56	2162
Common Yellowthroat	57	2161
American Tree Sparrow	58	2120
Peregrine Falcon	59	2111
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2110
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-rumped Warbler	61	2055
Barn Swallow	62	2043
Eastern Kingbird	63	2028
Red-throated Loon	64	1986
Yellow Warbler	65	1949
Northern Gannet	66	1930
Horned Grebe	67	1905
Common Tern	68	1902
Least Sandpiper	69	1826
Bobolink	70	1816
Northern Flicker	71	1804
Turkey Vulture	72	1779
Willet	73	1772
Common Goldeneye	74	1747
Wild Turkey	75	1727
Brown-headed Cowbird	76	1725
Short-billed Dowitcher	77	1719
Purple Martin	78	1714
Merlin	79	1709
Least Tern	80	1680
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-breasted Nuthatch	81	1668
Hooded Merganser	82	1648
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1642
Field Sparrow	84	1637
American Wigeon	85	1611
Piping Plover	86	1609
Baltimore Oriole	87	1607
Eastern Phoebe	88	1576
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	1563
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1561
American Redstart	91	1494
Swamp Sparrow	92	1478
Bonaparte's Gull	93	1454
Bald Eagle	94	1380
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1349
Surf Scoter	96	1323
Rough-legged Hawk	97	1313
Cooper's Hawk	98	1305
Horned Lark	99	1294
Snowy Owl	100	1278
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Grebe	101	1261
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1225
Willow Flycatcher	103	1214
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1179
Hermit Thrush	105	1178
Red-eyed Vireo	106	1168
Northern Shoveler	107	1166
Blue-winged Teal	108	1082
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1061
Bank Swallow	110	1041
Snow Bunting	111	1032
Chipping Sparrow	112	939
Brant	113	927
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	894
Glossy Ibis	115	881
American Kestrel	116	857
Greater Scaup	117	849
Black-and-white Warbler	118	835
Carolina Wren	119	774
Great Crested Flycatcher	120	768
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blackpoll Warbler	121	754
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	751
Stilt Sandpiper	123	740
Razorbill	124	734
Northern Shrike	125	731
Seaside Sparrow	125	731
Ruddy Turnstone	127	730
Belted Kingfisher	128	728
Black-throated Green Warbler	129	716
Great Cormorant	130	706
American Woodcock	131	687
Northern Parula	132	681
Palm Warbler	133	674
Laughing Gull	134	659
Magnolia Warbler	135	656
Red Knot	136	654
American Bittern	137	649
Pied-billed Grebe	138	645
Blue-headed Vireo	139	619
Whimbrel	140	613
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	606
Eastern Meadowlark	142	589
Long-billed Dowitcher	143	585
Orchard Oriole	144	572
Virginia Rail	145	568
White-breasted Nuthatch	145	568
American Pipit	147	553
Lesser Scaup	148	547
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	149	541
Least Bittern	150	535
Pine Warbler	151	533
Northern Waterthrush	152	531
Short-eared Owl	153	529
American Golden-Plover	154	518
White-crowned Sparrow	154	518
Brown Creeper	156	517
Ruddy Duck	157	513
Hairy Woodpecker	158	491
Chimney Swift	159	479
Sora	160	473
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	469
Snow Goose	162	466
Nashville Warbler	163	443
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	432
Ovenbird	165	418
Common Raven	166	416
Tufted Titmouse	167	412
House Wren	168	399
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	389
Roseate Tern	170	387
Purple Sandpiper	171	383
Wilson's Snipe	172	364
Wood Duck	173	363
Black-legged Kittiwake	174	362
Eastern Wood-Pewee	175	349
American Coot	176	344
Common Merganser	177	343
Blackburnian Warbler	178	342
Lapland Longspur	179	338
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	180	332
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	324
Baird's Sandpiper	182	323
Swainson's Thrush	183	322
Black-billed Cuckoo	184	313
Hudsonian Godwit	185	310
Green Heron	185	310
Ring-necked Duck	187	308
Western Sandpiper	188	307
Great Horned Owl	189	306
Scarlet Tanager	190	302
Least Flycatcher	191	293
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	192	287
Alder Flycatcher	193	283
Veery	193	283
Common Redpoll	195	276
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	275
Eurasian Wigeon	197	274
Warbling Vireo	198	266
Forster's Tern	199	262
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	261
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	256
Pine Siskin	202	249
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	242
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	228
Wilson's Phalarope	205	222
Fox Sparrow	206	210
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	207	201
Philadelphia Vireo	208	200
Tricolored Heron	209	199
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	196
Winter Wren	211	191
Solitary Sandpiper	212	189
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	188
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	186
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	181
Little Blue Heron	216	170
Cape May Warbler	217	168
Barred Owl	218	161
Lesser Black-backed Gull	219	160
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	156
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Thrush	221	153
Redhead	222	152
Cliff Swallow	223	140
American Avocet	224	135
Caspian Tern	225	134
Mourning Warbler	226	133
White-winged Crossbill	227	131
Iceland Gull	228	124
Little Gull	229	123
Indigo Bunting	229	123
King Rail	231	116
Tennessee Warbler	231	116
Black Tern	233	114
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	114
Common Gallinule	235	111
Fish Crow	236	108
Dickcissel	237	97/16
Marbled Godwit	238	93/17
Blue-winged Warbler	239	92/17
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	91/17
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Clapper Rail	241	90/10
King Eider	242	89/9
White-eyed Vireo	243	88/16
Black Guillemot	244	87/15
Nelson's Sparrow	245	86/17
Red Crossbill	246	85/10
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	83/14
Rusty Blackbird	248	81/16
Common Nighthawk	249	75/17
Western Grebe	250	70/6
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	67/17
Black Skimmer	252	66/10
Manx Shearwater	253	64/17
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	60/14
Connecticut Warbler	256	58/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	55/15
Lark Sparrow	257	55/15
Hooded Warbler	259	51/16
Parasitic Jaeger	260	49/15
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Glaucous Gull	261	48/14
Great Shearwater	261	48/12
Vesper Sparrow	263	47/15
Gull-billed Tern	264	44/8
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	266	42/11
American Oystercatcher	267	39/15
Dovekie	267	39/13
Eastern Bluebird	267	39/15
Black-headed Gull	270	38/11
Broad-winged Hawk	270	38/14
Cory's Shearwater	272	37/10
Thick-billed Murre	273	36/16
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	36/13
Gray-cheeked Thrush	275	35/15
Barrow's Goldeneye	276	33/6
Royal Tern	277	32/10
Long-eared Owl	278	31/13
Worm-eating Warbler	279	29/12
Arctic Tern	280	28/10
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Kingbird	281	27/9
Red-necked Phalarope	282	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	282	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	284	24/5
Red Phalarope	284	24/7
Cattle Egret	284	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	284	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
Greater White-fronted Goose	289	22/2
Canvasback	290	20/7
Kentucky Warbler	290	20/9
White-faced Ibis	292	19/6
Black Rail	293	18/1
Sooty Shearwater	293	18/10
Upland Sandpiper	295	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	17/5
Ruff	297	16/8
Common Murre	297	16/9
Pacific Loon	299	15/6
Prothonotary Warbler	299	15/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Ross's Goose	301	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	302	13/3
Bohemian Waxwing	302	13/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	304	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	304	12/10
Hoary Redpoll	304	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	304	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	304	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	309	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	309	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	309	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	312	10/2
Cave Swallow	312	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	10/5
Black Vulture	315	9/7
Cackling Goose	316	8/3
Evening Grosbeak	316	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	316	8/5
Common Ringed Plover	320	7/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American White Pelican	320	7/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	320	7/4
Gyrfalcon	320	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	320	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	320	7/5
Sandhill Crane	326	6/6
Red-necked Stint	326	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	326	6/4
Sandwich Tern	326	6/2
Northern Fulmar	326	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	331	5/1
Wilson's Plover	331	5/2
Franklin's Gull	331	5/4
Brown Pelican	331	5/1
Golden Eagle	331	5/4
Say's Phoebe	331	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	4/3
Chuck-will's-widow	338	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	338	3/1
Sedge Wren	338	3/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Tanager	338	3/1
Tundra Swan	342	2/1
Eared Grebe	342	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	342	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	342	2/2
Sabine's Gull	342	2/2
Little Egret	342	2/2
Northern Wheatear	342	2/1
Western Meadowlark	342	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
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	350	1
Yellow-green Vireo	350	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Townsend's Solitaire	350	1
Bicknell's Thrush	350	1
Sage Thrasher	350	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	350	1