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 20, 2024

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	6958
Canada Goose	2	6905
American Robin	3	6829
Mallard	4	6697
American Black Duck	5	6683
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6545
American Crow	7	6511
Great Black-backed Gull	8	6488
Song Sparrow	9	6451
Northern Mockingbird	10	6280
Northern Cardinal	11	5952
European Starling	12	5848
Blue Jay	13	5802
Mourning Dove	14	5727
Gadwall	15	5572
Northern Harrier	16	5523
American Goldfinch	17	5304
Ring-billed Gull	18	5211
Green-winged Teal	19	4956
Double-crested Cormorant	20	4938
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4825
Common Loon	22	4770
Great Egret	23	4613
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4596
Rock Pigeon	25	4455
Gray Catbird	26	4412
Great Blue Heron	27	4345
Mute Swan	28	4282
Downy Woodpecker	29	4278
Common Eider	30	4267
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4184
White-winged Scoter	32	4138
House Finch	33	4038
Eastern Towhee	34	4001
Tree Swallow	35	3752
Snowy Egret	36	3738
Killdeer	37	3704
Common Grackle	38	3648
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3608
Osprey	40	3594
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3563
Cedar Waxwing	42	3533
White-throated Sparrow	43	3334
Northern Pintail	44	3330
Long-tailed Duck	45	3231
Brown Thrasher	46	3209
Sanderling	47	3189
Savannah Sparrow	48	3178
Black Scoter	49	3116
Semipalmated Plover	50	3063
Dunlin	50	3063
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3058
Marsh Wren	53	3030
Bufflehead	54	3027
Purple Finch	55	2998
Common Yellowthroat	56	2934
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	2863
Red-tailed Hawk	58	2844
Peregrine Falcon	59	2837
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2808
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2772
American Tree Sparrow	62	2697
Red-throated Loon	63	2669
Eastern Kingbird	64	2663
Northern Flicker	65	2641
Yellow Warbler	66	2589
Horned Grebe	67	2543
Northern Gannet	68	2523
Common Tern	69	2519
Least Sandpiper	70	2434
Turkey Vulture	71	2433
Wild Turkey	72	2424
Bobolink	73	2386
Willet	74	2378
Red-breasted Nuthatch	75	2342
Swamp Sparrow	76	2335
Common Goldeneye	77	2315
Purple Martin	78	2312
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2305
Short-billed Dowitcher	80	2293
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	2292
Merlin	82	2260
Piping Plover	83	2252
Least Tern	84	2239
Dark-eyed Junco	85	2216
Hooded Merganser	86	2202
Baltimore Oriole	87	2177
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2151
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	2137
Eastern Phoebe	90	2132
Bald Eagle	91	2110
American Redstart	92	2068
American Wigeon	93	1994
Surf Scoter	94	1980
Cooper's Hawk	95	1976
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1826
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1809
Hermit Thrush	98	1759
Horned Lark	99	1677
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1672
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1651
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1648
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1595
Red-necked Grebe	104	1549
Rough-legged Hawk	105	1483
Snowy Owl	106	1479
Carolina Wren	107	1474
Northern Shoveler	108	1430
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1414
Bank Swallow	110	1380
Blue-winged Teal	111	1305
Chipping Sparrow	112	1294
Snow Bunting	113	1280
Great Crested Flycatcher	114	1245
Brant	115	1195
Greater Scaup	116	1165
Sharp-shinned Hawk	117	1115
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1110
Glossy Ibis	119	1065
American Kestrel	120	1055
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1054
Stilt Sandpiper	122	1050
Common Raven	123	1040
Belted Kingfisher	124	1023
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1013
Blackpoll Warbler	126	975
Seaside Sparrow	127	973
Long-billed Dowitcher	128	972
Least Bittern	129	967
Orchard Oriole	129	967
Ruddy Turnstone	131	959
Northern Parula	132	935
Pied-billed Grebe	133	923
Palm Warbler	134	922
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	916
Laughing Gull	136	912
White-breasted Nuthatch	137	888
American Woodcock	138	847
Magnolia Warbler	139	835
Blue-headed Vireo	140	825
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	823
Red Knot	142	815
Virginia Rail	143	812
American Bittern	144	783
Northern Shrike	145	771
House Wren	146	763
Pine Warbler	147	761
Black-throated Blue Warbler	148	760
Whimbrel	149	755
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	150	749
Lesser Scaup	151	744
Brown Creeper	152	720
American Pipit	153	717
Northern Waterthrush	154	674
White-crowned Sparrow	155	668
American Golden-Plover	156	667
Chimney Swift	157	662
Tufted Titmouse	158	652
Short-eared Owl	159	649
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	640
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hairy Woodpecker	161	635
Ruddy Duck	162	626
Eastern Meadowlark	162	626
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	603
Wilson's Warbler	165	584
Eastern Wood-Pewee	166	571
Nashville Warbler	167	570
Roseate Tern	168	567
American Coot	169	560
Ovenbird	170	559
Sora	171	525
Snow Goose	172	518
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	500
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	496
Purple Sandpiper	175	477
Common Merganser	176	464
Wood Duck	177	455
Blackburnian Warbler	178	450
Swainson's Thrush	179	447
Wilson's Snipe	180	424
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	415
Alder Flycatcher	182	411
Green Heron	183	408
Black-legged Kittiwake	184	403
Least Flycatcher	185	401
Veery	186	396
Hudsonian Godwit	187	395
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	188	392
Scarlet Tanager	188	392
Pine Siskin	190	385
Baird's Sandpiper	191	384
Great Horned Owl	192	381
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	380
Ring-necked Duck	194	378
Lapland Longspur	195	376
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	365
Western Sandpiper	197	363
Warbling Vireo	198	359
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	358
Common Redpoll	200	353
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	346
Bay-breasted Warbler	202	344
Forster's Tern	203	316
Fox Sparrow	204	294
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	293
Eurasian Wigeon	206	284
Cape May Warbler	207	282
Lincoln's Sparrow	208	270
Philadelphia Vireo	209	268
Solitary Sandpiper	210	264
Tricolored Heron	210	264
Lesser Black-backed Gull	212	253
Wilson's Phalarope	213	248
Fish Crow	214	242
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	242
Clay-colored Sparrow	216	239
Winter Wren	217	235
American Avocet	218	234
Barred Owl	219	230
Black Guillemot	220	222
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	221
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	215
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	198
Wood Thrush	225	192
Tennessee Warbler	226	189
Caspian Tern	227	187
King Rail	228	182
Common Gallinule	229	176
Mourning Warbler	230	169
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	231	162
Cliff Swallow	232	161
Indigo Bunting	232	161
Iceland Gull	234	154
Redhead	235	153
Dickcissel	235	153
Black Tern	237	152
Nelson's Sparrow	238	148
White-winged Crossbill	239	144
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Gull	241	124
White-eyed Vireo	242	118
King Eider	243	117
Blue-winged Warbler	244	116
Rusty Blackbird	245	115
Clapper Rail	246	110
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	106
Marbled Godwit	248	100
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	98/17
Common Nighthawk	250	91/22
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	91/22
Cory's Shearwater	252	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	253	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	83/14
Broad-winged Hawk	255	77/19
Lark Sparrow	256	76/20
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	75/18
Western Grebe	258	71/7
Manx Shearwater	259	70/21
Connecticut Warbler	260	67/24
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Oystercatcher	261	66/20
Eastern Bluebird	262	64/20
Hooded Warbler	263	61/20
Parasitic Jaeger	264	60/20
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	267	54/18
Dovekie	268	53/16
Glaucous Gull	269	51/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	270	50/19
Summer Tanager	271	45/14
Gull-billed Tern	272	44/8
Northern Goshawk	272	44/17
Thick-billed Murre	274	43/18
Northern Saw-whet Owl	274	43/14
Red-necked Phalarope	276	41/14
Black-headed Gull	277	40/13
Royal Tern	277	40/13
Western Kingbird	277	40/10
Barrow's Goldeneye	280	35/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	34/15
Long-eared Owl	282	33/14
Red Phalarope	283	30/9
Worm-eating Warbler	283	30/13
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	286	26/6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	26/3
Grasshopper Sparrow	289	25/9
Sooty Shearwater	290	23/14
White-faced Ibis	291	22/7
Canvasback	292	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	292	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	20/11
Black Rail	295	18/1
Ruff	295	18/10
Common Murre	295	18/10
Bohemian Waxwing	295	18/11
Pacific Loon	299	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	299	17/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	299	17/10
Acadian Flycatcher	302	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	302	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	302	16/7
Blue Grosbeak	302	16/6
Ross's Goose	306	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	307	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	308	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	311	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	311	11/7
Cave Swallow	311	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	314	10/2
Louisiana Waterthrush	314	10/10
Yellow-throated Warbler	314	10/5
Black Vulture	317	9/7
Cackling Goose	318	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	318	8/3
American White Pelican	318	8/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Golden Eagle	318	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	318	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	318	8/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	324	7/4
Gyrfalcon	324	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	324	7/1
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
Say's Phoebe	327	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	327	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	335	5/1
Franklin's Gull	335	5/4
Brown Pelican	335	5/1
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
Mississippi Kite	340	3/3
Swainson's Hawk	340	3/2
Loggerhead Shrike	340	3/1
Western Tanager	340	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	345	2/2
Tundra Swan	345	2/1
Eared Grebe	345	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	345	2/1
Northern Lapwing	345	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	345	2/2
Sabine's Gull	345	2/2
Little Egret	345	2/2
Pileated Woodpecker	345	2/2
Western Meadowlark	345	2/1
White-winged Dove	355	1
Elegant Tern	355	1
Neotropic Cormorant	355	1
White Ibis	355	1
Prairie Falcon	355	1
Monk Parakeet	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
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