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 August 1, 2020

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5410
Canada Goose	2	5378
American Robin	3	5307
American Black Duck	4	5206
Mallard	5	5167
American Crow	6	5090
Black-capped Chickadee	7	5012
Great Black-backed Gull	8	4986
Song Sparrow	9	4936
Northern Mockingbird	10	4817
European Starling	11	4514
Northern Cardinal	12	4459
Blue Jay	13	4374
Mourning Dove	14	4361
Northern Harrier	15	4299
Gadwall	16	4254
American Goldfinch	17	4014
Ring-billed Gull	18	3999
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3810
Green-winged Teal	20	3707
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3582
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3578
Great Egret	23	3551
House Sparrow	24	3537
Great Blue Heron	25	3332
Gray Catbird	26	3296
Rock Pigeon	27	3224
Common Eider	28	3180
Downy Woodpecker	29	3108
Red-winged Blackbird	30	3098
Mute Swan	31	3081
White-winged Scoter	32	3057
Eastern Towhee	33	3054
Tree Swallow	34	2965
Snowy Egret	35	2948
Common Grackle	36	2792
Red-breasted Merganser	37	2788
Killdeer	38	2787
Black-bellied Plover	39	2773
Osprey	40	2758
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2716
House Finch	42	2706
Brown Thrasher	43	2525
Northern Pintail	44	2506
Savannah Sparrow	45	2502
White-throated Sparrow	46	2457
Long-tailed Duck	47	2385
Semipalmated Sandpiper	48	2318
Semipalmated Plover	49	2316
Purple Finch	50	2306
Bufflehead	51	2298
Sanderling	52	2297
Black Scoter	53	2254
Dunlin	53	2254
Common Yellowthroat	55	2240
Marsh Wren	56	2237
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2200
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	2159
Peregrine Falcon	59	2133
Barn Swallow	60	2123
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2122
Eastern Kingbird	62	2105
Yellow-rumped Warbler	63	2077
Yellow Warbler	64	2027
Red-throated Loon	65	2001
Common Tern	66	1973
Northern Gannet	67	1953
Horned Grebe	68	1909
Bobolink	69	1891
Least Sandpiper	70	1871
Northern Flicker	71	1856
Willet	72	1851
Turkey Vulture	73	1829
Wild Turkey	74	1818
Brown-headed Cowbird	75	1797
Purple Martin	75	1797
Short-billed Dowitcher	77	1755
Least Tern	78	1754
Common Goldeneye	79	1750
Merlin	80	1727
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	1707
Piping Plover	82	1679
Baltimore Oriole	83	1674
Red-breasted Nuthatch	84	1669
Dark-eyed Junco	85	1653
Hooded Merganser	86	1649
Saltmarsh Sparrow	87	1627
American Wigeon	88	1613
Eastern Phoebe	89	1602
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	1580
American Redstart	91	1557
Swamp Sparrow	92	1522
Bonaparte's Gull	93	1470
Bald Eagle	94	1405
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1376
Surf Scoter	96	1329
Cooper's Hawk	97	1313
Rough-legged Hawk	97	1313
Horned Lark	99	1295
Willow Flycatcher	100	1282
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snowy Owl	101	1278
Red-necked Grebe	102	1262
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1257
Red-eyed Vireo	104	1215
Hermit Thrush	105	1197
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1185
Northern Shoveler	107	1175
Bank Swallow	108	1092
Blue-winged Teal	109	1085
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	1072
Snow Bunting	111	1032
Chipping Sparrow	112	972
Brant	113	944
Glossy Ibis	114	913
Sharp-shinned Hawk	115	906
American Kestrel	116	873
Black-and-white Warbler	117	855
Greater Scaup	118	851
Great Crested Flycatcher	119	822
Carolina Wren	120	789
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blackpoll Warbler	121	769
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	757
Seaside Sparrow	123	753
Stilt Sandpiper	124	749
Ruddy Turnstone	125	744
Belted Kingfisher	126	743
Black-throated Green Warbler	127	738
Razorbill	128	735
Northern Shrike	129	732
Great Cormorant	130	707
Northern Parula	131	704
American Woodcock	132	700
Palm Warbler	133	689
Laughing Gull	134	669
Magnolia Warbler	134	669
Red Knot	136	656
American Bittern	137	649
Pied-billed Grebe	138	646
Blue-headed Vireo	139	633
Orchard Oriole	140	625
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-throated Blue Warbler	141	621
Whimbrel	142	618
Eastern Meadowlark	143	591
Long-billed Dowitcher	144	587
Least Bittern	145	580
Virginia Rail	146	579
White-breasted Nuthatch	147	571
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	558
American Pipit	149	557
Lesser Scaup	150	550
Pine Warbler	151	546
Northern Waterthrush	152	544
Short-eared Owl	153	529
White-crowned Sparrow	154	528
American Golden-Plover	155	519
Brown Creeper	156	518
Ruddy Duck	157	513
Chimney Swift	158	504
Hairy Woodpecker	159	493
Wilson's Warbler	160	481
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sora	161	473
Snow Goose	162	466
Nashville Warbler	163	456
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	450
Common Raven	165	441
Ovenbird	166	436
House Wren	167	431
Tufted Titmouse	168	415
Roseate Tern	169	406
Chestnut-sided Warbler	170	401
Purple Sandpiper	171	384
Wood Duck	172	370
Wilson's Snipe	173	369
Eastern Wood-Pewee	174	364
Black-legged Kittiwake	175	363
Blackburnian Warbler	176	354
Common Merganser	177	349
American Coot	178	344
Lapland Longspur	179	338
Alder Flycatcher	180	334
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	181	333
Swainson's Thrush	182	329
Canada Warbler	182	329
Green Heron	184	326
Baird's Sandpiper	185	324
Black-billed Cuckoo	186	321
Scarlet Tanager	187	314
Hudsonian Godwit	188	312
Least Flycatcher	189	310
Ring-necked Duck	190	309
Western Sandpiper	191	307
Great Horned Owl	192	306
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	193	302
Veery	194	294
Warbling Vireo	195	281
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	279
Common Redpoll	197	276
Eurasian Wigeon	198	274
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	271
Prairie Warbler	200	267
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Forster's Tern	201	262
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	202	254
Pine Siskin	203	249
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	240
Wilson's Phalarope	205	224
Tricolored Heron	206	214
Fox Sparrow	207	210
Philadelphia Vireo	208	203
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	209	202
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	202
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	211	197
Solitary Sandpiper	212	191
Winter Wren	212	191
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	214	188
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	181
Cape May Warbler	216	173
Little Blue Heron	216	173
Lesser Black-backed Gull	218	161
Barred Owl	218	161
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	220	159
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Thrush	221	158
Redhead	222	152
Cliff Swallow	223	140
American Avocet	224	137
Caspian Tern	224	137
Mourning Warbler	226	134
White-winged Crossbill	227	131
Indigo Bunting	228	126
Iceland Gull	229	124
Fish Crow	229	124
Tennessee Warbler	229	124
Little Gull	232	123
Black Tern	233	118
King Rail	234	116
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	235	114
Common Gallinule	236	111
Blue-winged Warbler	237	98/18
Dickcissel	238	97/16
Marbled Godwit	239	93/17
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	92/18
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-eyed Vireo	241	91/17
Clapper Rail	242	90/10
King Eider	243	89/9
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	76/18
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	72/18
Black Skimmer	251	71/11
Western Grebe	252	70/6
Manx Shearwater	253	65/18
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	60/14
Connecticut Warbler	256	58/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	257	57/16
Lark Sparrow	258	56/16
Hooded Warbler	259	51/16
Parasitic Jaeger	260	50/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Glaucous Gull	261	48/14
Great Shearwater	261	48/12
Vesper Sparrow	261	48/16
Gull-billed Tern	264	44/8
Northern Goshawk	264	44/17
Summer Tanager	266	43/12
American Oystercatcher	267	41/16
Eastern Bluebird	268	40/16
Dovekie	269	39/13
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
Royal Tern	275	35/11
Gray-cheeked Thrush	275	35/15
Barrow's Goldeneye	277	33/6
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
Greater White-fronted Goose	282	26/2
Red-necked Phalarope	283	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	283	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	285	24/5
Red Phalarope	285	24/7
Cattle Egret	285	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	285	24/8
Harlequin Duck	289	23/8
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Canvasback	292	20/7
Sooty Shearwater	293	19/11
Black Rail	294	18/1
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
American White Pelican	316	8/7
Evening Grosbeak	316	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	316	8/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	321	7/2
Red-headed Woodpecker	321	7/4
Gyrfalcon	321	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	321	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	321	7/5
Sandhill Crane	326	6/6
Wilson's Plover	326	6/3
Red-necked Stint	326	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	326	6/4
Sandwich Tern	326	6/2
Northern Fulmar	326	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	332	5/1
Franklin's Gull	332	5/4
Brown Pelican	332	5/1
Golden Eagle	332	5/4
Say's Phoebe	332	5/3
Yellow-headed Blackbird	332	5/4
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