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 25, 2018

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4687
Canada Goose	2	4672
American Robin	3	4602
American Crow	4	4539
American Black Duck	5	4521
Mallard	6	4464
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4327
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4314
Song Sparrow	9	4271
Northern Mockingbird	10	4194
European Starling	11	3933
Northern Harrier	12	3847
Northern Cardinal	13	3829
Blue Jay	14	3769
Mourning Dove	15	3767
Gadwall	16	3746
Ring-billed Gull	17	3495
American Goldfinch	18	3417
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3310
Green-winged Teal	20	3254
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3151
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3125
Great Egret	23	3069
House Sparrow	24	3004
Great Blue Heron	25	2926
Gray Catbird	26	2810
Rock Pigeon	27	2793
Common Eider	28	2709
Mute Swan	29	2697
Downy Woodpecker	30	2682
White-winged Scoter	31	2681
Red-winged Blackbird	32	2650
Eastern Towhee	33	2629
Snowy Egret	34	2571
Tree Swallow	35	2548
Red-breasted Merganser	36	2459
Black-bellied Plover	37	2411
Common Grackle	38	2396
Killdeer	39	2369
Osprey	40	2352
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2319
Northern Pintail	42	2249
Savannah Sparrow	43	2222
House Finch	44	2211
Brown Thrasher	45	2209
White-throated Sparrow	46	2159
Long-tailed Duck	47	2079
Bufflehead	48	1999
Purple Finch	49	1990
Semipalmated Plover	50	1988
Semipalmated Sandpiper	51	1983
Sanderling	52	1970
Dunlin	52	1970
Black Scoter	54	1906
Marsh Wren	55	1904
American Tree Sparrow	56	1896
Common Yellowthroat	57	1893
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	1882
Red-tailed Hawk	59	1866
Peregrine Falcon	60	1851
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-throated Loon	61	1823
Barn Swallow	62	1814
Eastern Kingbird	63	1792
Yellow-rumped Warbler	64	1777
Northern Gannet	65	1742
Yellow Warbler	66	1731
Common Tern	67	1704
Horned Grebe	68	1702
Least Sandpiper	69	1625
Bobolink	70	1602
Northern Flicker	71	1593
Willet	72	1576
Merlin	73	1572
Turkey Vulture	74	1554
Brown-headed Cowbird	75	1547
Short-billed Dowitcher	76	1513
Purple Martin	77	1508
Common Goldeneye	78	1484
Hooded Merganser	79	1482
Least Tern	80	1472
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Dark-eyed Junco	81	1471
Wild Turkey	82	1450
Field Sparrow	83	1448
American Wigeon	84	1443
Red-breasted Nuthatch	85	1434
Baltimore Oriole	86	1413
Piping Plover	87	1400
Eastern Phoebe	88	1396
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	1395
Bonaparte's Gull	90	1378
Saltmarsh Sparrow	91	1349
American Redstart	92	1297
Swamp Sparrow	93	1212
Horned Lark	94	1202
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1193
Bald Eagle	96	1181
Red-necked Grebe	97	1171
Surf Scoter	98	1150
Rough-legged Hawk	99	1145
Snowy Owl	99	1145
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cooper's Hawk	101	1123
Golden-crowned Kinglet	102	1057
Willow Flycatcher	103	1055
Northern Shoveler	104	1044
Spotted Sandpiper	105	1038
Blue-winged Teal	106	1032
Hermit Thrush	107	1016
Red-eyed Vireo	108	972
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	957
Bank Swallow	110	941
Snow Bunting	111	939
Sharp-shinned Hawk	112	845
Brant	113	838
Chipping Sparrow	114	829
Glossy Ibis	115	817
American Kestrel	116	803
Black-and-white Warbler	117	773
Greater Scaup	118	754
Blackpoll Warbler	119	671
Stilt Sandpiper	120	665
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pectoral Sandpiper	121	663
Great Cormorant	121	663
Black-throated Green Warbler	123	657
Belted Kingfisher	124	654
Razorbill	125	646
Northern Shrike	126	645
American Woodcock	127	642
Seaside Sparrow	128	641
Ruddy Turnstone	129	633
Northern Parula	130	632
Palm Warbler	131	619
Great Crested Flycatcher	132	615
American Bittern	133	607
Magnolia Warbler	133	607
Pied-billed Grebe	135	602
Laughing Gull	136	598
Red Knot	137	595
Eastern Meadowlark	138	578
Blue-headed Vireo	139	573
Black-throated Blue Warbler	140	560
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Whimbrel	141	557
Virginia Rail	142	551
Carolina Wren	143	532
Lesser Scaup	144	511
American Pipit	145	504
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	496
Snow Goose	147	493
White-breasted Nuthatch	148	490
Brown Creeper	149	481
Northern Waterthrush	149	481
Ruddy Duck	151	478
Long-billed Dowitcher	152	477
Least Bittern	153	476
Short-eared Owl	154	470
American Golden-Plover	155	469
White-crowned Sparrow	156	459
Sora	157	454
Orchard Oriole	158	447
Chimney Swift	159	444
Wilson's Warbler	160	440
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pine Warbler	161	424
Nashville Warbler	162	408
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	397
House Wren	164	384
Ovenbird	165	378
Purple Sandpiper	166	365
Black-legged Kittiwake	167	360
Tufted Titmouse	167	360
Chestnut-sided Warbler	169	357
Wilson's Snipe	170	355
Hairy Woodpecker	171	343
Roseate Tern	172	341
Lapland Longspur	173	326
Common Merganser	174	321
Blackburnian Warbler	175	317
Wood Duck	176	311
American Coot	177	304
Eastern Wood-Pewee	178	300
Canada Warbler	179	297
Green Heron	180	294
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Horned Owl	181	287
Scarlet Tanager	182	284
Common Raven	183	283
Black-billed Cuckoo	184	282
Swainson's Thrush	184	282
Baird's Sandpiper	186	281
Hudsonian Godwit	187	274
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	188	273
Least Flycatcher	189	267
Ring-necked Duck	190	266
Eurasian Wigeon	191	259
Veery	191	259
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	258
Western Sandpiper	194	256
Forster's Tern	195	254
Common Redpoll	196	253
Warbling Vireo	197	245
Alder Flycatcher	198	238
Prairie Warbler	198	238
Eastern Whip-poor-will	200	234
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pine Siskin	201	225
Red-bellied Woodpecker	202	224
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	216
Wilson's Phalarope	204	208
Fox Sparrow	205	193
Bay-breasted Warbler	206	188
Tricolored Heron	207	184
Philadelphia Vireo	208	176
Winter Wren	208	176
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	176
Solitary Sandpiper	211	175
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	172
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	169
Clay-colored Sparrow	214	160
Little Blue Heron	215	157
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	216	154
Redhead	217	151
Wood Thrush	218	147
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	140
Cape May Warbler	220	135
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barred Owl	221	133
White-winged Crossbill	222	131
Cliff Swallow	223	129
Lesser Black-backed Gull	224	123
Little Gull	225	120
American Avocet	226	117
King Rail	227	116
Caspian Tern	227	116
Indigo Bunting	227	116
Iceland Gull	230	115
Mourning Warbler	230	115
Common Gallinule	232	109
Black Tern	233	105
Tennessee Warbler	234	95/16
Fish Crow	235	94/15
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	236	91/15
Clapper Rail	237	88/9
Blue-winged Warbler	237	88/16
Black Guillemot	239	86/14
Red Crossbill	240	83/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	82/15
Dickcissel	242	81/14
Marbled Godwit	243	80/15
White-eyed Vireo	244	79/15
Rusty Blackbird	245	71/16
Common Nighthawk	245	71/16
Western Grebe	247	70/6
Nelson's Sparrow	248	69/15
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	67/12
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	60/10
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	58/15
Manx Shearwater	252	57/15
Connecticut Warbler	253	54/17
Black Skimmer	254	53/8
Hooded Warbler	255	51/16
Lark Sparrow	256	50/13
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	48/12
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	48/14
Parasitic Jaeger	259	46/14
Great Shearwater	260	45/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Goshawk	261	44/17
Glaucous Gull	262	42/11
Vesper Sparrow	263	40/13
Black-headed Gull	264	38/11
Summer Tanager	264	38/10
Eastern Bluebird	266	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	267	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	268	34/7
Cory's Shearwater	268	34/9
Barrow's Goldeneye	270	33/6
Dovekie	270	33/13
American Oystercatcher	272	32/14
Northern Saw-whet Owl	273	31/12
Gray-cheeked Thrush	273	31/13
King Eider	275	30/8
Thick-billed Murre	276	29/14
Arctic Tern	277	28/10
Long-eared Owl	277	28/12
Worm-eating Warbler	279	27/11
Red-necked Phalarope	280	25/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Royal Tern	280	25/8
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	280	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	283	24/5
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Harlequin Duck	285	23/8
Red Phalarope	285	23/6
Western Kingbird	285	23/7
White-faced Ibis	288	19/6
Kentucky Warbler	288	19/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	19/7
Canvasback	291	18/6
Black Rail	291	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Ruff	295	16/8
Pine Grosbeak	295	16/4
Common Murre	297	14/8
Pacific Loon	297	14/5
Ross's Goose	299	13/3
Hoary Redpoll	300	12/6
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	300	12/9
Green-tailed Towhee	300	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	300	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	304	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	304	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	304	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	304	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	304	11/2
Bohemian Waxwing	304	11/6
Black-necked Stilt	310	10/2
Eastern Screech-Owl	310	10/6
Cave Swallow	310	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
Red-headed Woodpecker	317	7/4
Gyrfalcon	317	7/5
Golden-winged Warbler	317	7/4
Swainson's Warbler	317	7/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cerulean Warbler	317	7/5
Sandwich Tern	322	6/2
American White Pelican	322	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	324	5/1
Atlantic Puffin	324	5/3
Franklin's Gull	324	5/4
Thayer's Gull	324	5/1
Northern Fulmar	324	5/3
Brown Pelican	324	5/1
Say's Phoebe	324	5/3
Sandhill Crane	331	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	331	4/1
Golden Eagle	331	4/3
Evening Grosbeak	331	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	335	3/1
Western Tanager	335	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	337	2/1
Eared Grebe	337	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	337	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	337	2/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Stint	337	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	337	2/2
Sabine's Gull	337	2/2
Sedge Wren	337	2/2
Northern Wheatear	337	2/1
Western Meadowlark	337	2/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	2/2
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	348	1
Northern Lapwing	348	1
Wilson's Plover	348	1
Elegant Tern	348	1
Little Egret	348	1
White Ibis	348	1
Mississippi Kite	348	1
Swainson's Hawk	348	1
Pileated Woodpecker	348	1
Prairie Falcon	348	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	348	1
Yellow-green Vireo	348	1
Townsend's Solitaire	348	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bicknell's Thrush	348	1
Sage Thrasher	348	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	348	1