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 October 1, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7614
Canada Goose	2	7545
American Robin	3	7478
Mallard	4	7331
American Black Duck	5	7298
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7185
Great Black-backed Gull	7	7100
Song Sparrow	8	7078
American Crow	9	7036
Northern Mockingbird	10	6890
Northern Cardinal	11	6586
European Starling	12	6422
Blue Jay	13	6388
Mourning Dove	14	6337
Northern Harrier	15	6111
Gadwall	16	6091
American Goldfinch	17	5861
Ring-billed Gull	18	5749
Green-winged Teal	19	5420
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5406
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5373
Common Loon	22	5293
Great Egret	23	5058
Greater Yellowlegs	24	5003
Rock Pigeon	25	4924
Gray Catbird	26	4822
Common Eider	27	4795
Downy Woodpecker	28	4774
Great Blue Heron	29	4754
Mute Swan	30	4721
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4624
House Finch	32	4602
White-winged Scoter	33	4547
Eastern Towhee	34	4428
Tree Swallow	35	4122
Snowy Egret	36	4107
Killdeer	37	4098
Red-breasted Merganser	38	4068
Common Grackle	39	4039
Osprey	40	3970
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3924
Black-bellied Plover	42	3862
White-throated Sparrow	43	3682
Northern Pintail	44	3592
Long-tailed Duck	45	3590
Sanderling	46	3548
Black Scoter	47	3527
Brown Thrasher	48	3506
Dunlin	49	3425
Savannah Sparrow	50	3413
Semipalmated Plover	51	3383
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3377
Purple Finch	53	3355
Bufflehead	54	3339
Marsh Wren	55	3338
Common Yellowthroat	56	3237
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3144
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	3088
Barn Swallow	59	3077
Peregrine Falcon	60	3059
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	61	3037
Northern Flicker	62	3001
American Tree Sparrow	63	2959
Eastern Kingbird	64	2928
Red-throated Loon	65	2923
Yellow Warbler	66	2868
Common Tern	67	2796
Horned Grebe	68	2790
Wild Turkey	69	2778
Northern Gannet	70	2731
Least Sandpiper	71	2715
Turkey Vulture	72	2714
Red-breasted Nuthatch	73	2665
Swamp Sparrow	74	2661
Willet	75	2648
Bobolink	76	2603
Purple Martin	77	2580
Common Goldeneye	78	2578
Piping Plover	79	2570
Brown-headed Cowbird	80	2562
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Short-billed Dowitcher	81	2535
Merlin	82	2505
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2489
Least Tern	84	2473
Field Sparrow	85	2465
Baltimore Oriole	86	2426
Bald Eagle	87	2404
Hooded Merganser	88	2403
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2401
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2375
Eastern Phoebe	91	2349
American Redstart	92	2337
Surf Scoter	93	2252
Cooper's Hawk	94	2216
American Wigeon	95	2109
Red-eyed Vireo	96	2058
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	2025
Hermit Thrush	98	1961
Spotted Sandpiper	99	1828
Horned Lark	100	1826
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1825
Bonaparte's Gull	102	1776
Carolina Wren	103	1740
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1731
Red-necked Grebe	105	1680
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Northern Shoveler	107	1534
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1515
Chipping Sparrow	110	1496
Bank Swallow	111	1494
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1454
Blue-winged Teal	113	1417
Snow Bunting	114	1374
Common Raven	115	1361
Brant	116	1344
Greater Scaup	117	1305
Glossy Ibis	118	1247
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1231
Sharp-shinned Hawk	120	1203
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1170
Razorbill	122	1152
Belted Kingfisher	123	1147
American Kestrel	124	1143
Orchard Oriole	125	1129
Least Bittern	126	1115
Pectoral Sandpiper	127	1103
Laughing Gull	128	1075
Ruddy Turnstone	129	1074
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	1073
Blackpoll Warbler	131	1065
Seaside Sparrow	132	1063
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1059
Northern Parula	134	1041
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	1010
Palm Warbler	136	1003
Pied-billed Grebe	137	991
American Woodcock	138	937
Magnolia Warbler	139	935
House Wren	140	928
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	907
Red Knot	142	898
Great Cormorant	143	873
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	144	861
Virginia Rail	145	834
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	832
Whimbrel	147	820
Lesser Scaup	148	815
American Bittern	149	812
Brown Creeper	150	810
Hairy Woodpecker	151	809
Pine Warbler	152	806
Tufted Titmouse	153	800
American Pipit	154	780
Northern Shrike	155	778
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	156	756
American Golden-Plover	157	753
Northern Waterthrush	158	752
Chimney Swift	159	749
Short-eared Owl	160	745
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Roseate Tern	161	704
White-crowned Sparrow	162	702
Ovenbird	163	698
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	682
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	649
Wilson's Warbler	166	647
Ruddy Duck	167	645
Eastern Meadowlark	168	641
Nashville Warbler	169	629
American Coot	170	623
Chestnut-sided Warbler	171	573
Red-bellied Woodpecker	171	573
Snow Goose	173	556
Sora	174	537
Common Merganser	175	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	177	512
Blackburnian Warbler	178	504
Wilson's Snipe	179	497
Swainson's Thrush	180	496
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Duck	181	495
Alder Flycatcher	182	466
Least Flycatcher	183	461
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	458
Canada Warbler	185	448
Veery	186	436
Green Heron	187	432
Scarlet Tanager	188	429
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Warbling Vireo	190	414
Hudsonian Godwit	191	411
Pine Siskin	192	409
Baird's Sandpiper	193	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	193	408
Bay-breasted Warbler	195	405
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	404
Eastern Whip-poor-will	197	400
Lapland Longspur	197	400
Great Horned Owl	199	395
Prairie Warbler	200	392
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	388
Forster's Tern	202	356
Common Redpoll	203	354
Fish Crow	204	338
Fox Sparrow	205	335
Cape May Warbler	206	320
Eurasian Wigeon	207	317
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	313
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	306
Tricolored Heron	210	304
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	303
Philadelphia Vireo	212	300
Solitary Sandpiper	213	294
Barred Owl	214	287
Wilson's Phalarope	215	275
Black Guillemot	216	270
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	217	267
Winter Wren	218	257
Clay-colored Sparrow	219	255
American Avocet	220	252
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
King Rail	221	249
Little Blue Heron	222	243
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	238
Wood Thrush	224	237
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	225	226
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	226	225
Tennessee Warbler	227	220
Red Crossbill	228	218
Clapper Rail	229	208
Caspian Tern	230	202
Mourning Warbler	231	189
Indigo Bunting	232	184
Dickcissel	232	184
Common Gallinule	234	182
Nelson's Sparrow	235	173
Cliff Swallow	236	171
Iceland Gull	237	166
Black Tern	238	165
Redhead	239	153
White-winged Crossbill	240	148
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	143
White-eyed Vireo	242	138
Little Gull	243	126
Blue-winged Warbler	243	126
King Eider	245	122
American Oystercatcher	245	122
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	121
Rusty Blackbird	247	121
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	113
Common Nighthawk	250	107
Marbled Godwit	251	104
Olive-sided Flycatcher	252	100
Red-shouldered Hawk	253	95/20
Cory's Shearwater	254	90/15
Black Skimmer	255	87/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	256	85/13
Lark Sparrow	257	84/22
Manx Shearwater	258	81/23
Broad-winged Hawk	259	79/21
Connecticut Warbler	260	74/26
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Bluebird	261	72/22
Western Grebe	262	71/7
Harlequin Duck	263	63/14
Hooded Warbler	263	63/22
Parasitic Jaeger	265	62/21
Vesper Sparrow	266	60/20
Great Shearwater	267	59/16
Dovekie	268	55/18
Glaucous Gull	269	53/18
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	52/20
Thick-billed Murre	271	50/21
Northern Goshawk	272	48/18
Summer Tanager	272	48/15
Red-necked Phalarope	274	46/16
Gull-billed Tern	275	44/8
Northern Saw-whet Owl	276	43/14
Western Kingbird	276	43/11
Arctic Tern	278	42/17
Royal Tern	279	41/14
Black-headed Gull	280	40/13
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barrow's Goldeneye	281	35/7
Long-eared Owl	282	34/15
Worm-eating Warbler	283	33/15
Ruff	284	30/12
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Sooty Shearwater	286	29/16
Bohemian Waxwing	286	29/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	288	28/4
Ross's Goose	289	27/5
Cattle Egret	289	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	291	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	291	26/6
White-faced Ibis	291	26/9
Grasshopper Sparrow	294	25/9
Canvasback	295	22/9
Upland Sandpiper	295	22/12
Blue Grosbeak	295	22/8
Black-necked Stilt	298	21/3
Prothonotary Warbler	298	21/11
Kentucky Warbler	298	21/10
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Murre	301	19/11
Black Rail	302	18/1
Pacific Loon	303	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	303	17/5
Acadian Flycatcher	305	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	305	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	305	16/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	308	13/8
Black Vulture	308	13/9
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	13/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	308	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	312	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	312	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	314	11/1
Swainson's Hawk	314	11/3
Cave Swallow	314	11/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	314	11/11
Yellow-throated Warbler	314	11/6
Golden Eagle	319	9/8
Cerulean Warbler	319	9/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cackling Goose	321	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	321	8/3
American White Pelican	321	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	321	8/5
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
Pileated Woodpecker	339	4/4
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	342	3/3
Mississippi Kite	342	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	342	3/1
Western Tanager	342	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