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 January 18, 2021

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5576
Canada Goose	2	5538
American Robin	3	5469
American Black Duck	4	5364
Mallard	5	5332
American Crow	6	5222
Black-capped Chickadee	7	5175
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5150
Song Sparrow	9	5097
Northern Mockingbird	10	4978
European Starling	11	4656
Northern Cardinal	12	4611
Blue Jay	13	4530
Mourning Dove	14	4492
Northern Harrier	15	4440
Gadwall	16	4371
American Goldfinch	17	4151
Ring-billed Gull	18	4145
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3933
Green-winged Teal	20	3830
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Loon	21	3691
Greater Yellowlegs	22	3688
Great Egret	23	3682
House Sparrow	24	3631
Great Blue Heron	25	3451
Gray Catbird	26	3424
Rock Pigeon	27	3357
Common Eider	28	3327
Downy Woodpecker	29	3250
White-winged Scoter	30	3192
Red-winged Blackbird	31	3176
Mute Swan	32	3148
Eastern Towhee	33	3134
Tree Swallow	34	3028
Snowy Egret	35	3022
Black-bellied Plover	36	2893
Red-breasted Merganser	37	2878
Killdeer	38	2848
Common Grackle	39	2826
Cedar Waxwing	40	2825
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Osprey	41	2822
House Finch	42	2798
Northern Pintail	43	2627
Brown Thrasher	44	2571
White-throated Sparrow	45	2562
Savannah Sparrow	46	2554
Long-tailed Duck	47	2472
Sanderling	48	2425
Semipalmated Plover	49	2414
Semipalmated Sandpiper	50	2401
Bufflehead	51	2377
Dunlin	52	2371
Black Scoter	53	2361
Purple Finch	54	2356
Common Yellowthroat	55	2306
Marsh Wren	56	2295
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2255
Peregrine Falcon	57	2255
Lesser Yellowlegs	59	2237
American Tree Sparrow	60	2189
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2174
Eastern Kingbird	62	2150
Yellow-rumped Warbler	63	2145
Red-throated Loon	64	2081
Yellow Warbler	65	2057
Northern Gannet	66	2029
Common Tern	67	2005
Horned Grebe	68	1967
Least Sandpiper	69	1934
Northern Flicker	70	1921
Bobolink	71	1917
Turkey Vulture	72	1898
Wild Turkey	73	1884
Willet	74	1867
Short-billed Dowitcher	75	1828
Purple Martin	76	1819
Red-breasted Nuthatch	77	1808
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	1805
Common Goldeneye	79	1800
Least Tern	80	1784
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	1778
Field Sparrow	82	1741
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1727
Piping Plover	84	1712
Hooded Merganser	85	1707
Baltimore Oriole	85	1707
White-rumped Sandpiper	87	1671
American Wigeon	88	1667
Eastern Phoebe	89	1662
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1645
American Redstart	91	1575
Swamp Sparrow	92	1572
Bonaparte's Gull	93	1501
Bald Eagle	94	1473
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	1433
Cooper's Hawk	96	1417
Surf Scoter	97	1397
Horned Lark	98	1341
Rough-legged Hawk	99	1331
Snowy Owl	100	1314
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1302
Red-necked Grebe	102	1295
Willow Flycatcher	103	1291
Hermit Thrush	104	1278
Red-eyed Vireo	105	1263
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1229
Northern Shoveler	107	1190
Blue-winged Teal	108	1110
Bank Swallow	109	1109
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	1102
Snow Bunting	111	1083
Chipping Sparrow	112	997
Brant	113	959
Glossy Ibis	114	921
Sharp-shinned Hawk	115	916
Carolina Wren	116	892
American Kestrel	117	874
Greater Scaup	118	873
Black-and-white Warbler	119	867
Great Crested Flycatcher	120	835
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pectoral Sandpiper	121	800
Blackpoll Warbler	122	786
Belted Kingfisher	123	781
Razorbill	124	776
Stilt Sandpiper	125	772
Ruddy Turnstone	126	767
Seaside Sparrow	127	754
Black-throated Green Warbler	128	750
Northern Shrike	129	732
American Woodcock	130	724
Great Cormorant	131	722
Northern Parula	132	721
Laughing Gull	133	711
Red Knot	134	710
Palm Warbler	135	707
Pied-billed Grebe	136	698
Magnolia Warbler	137	680
American Bittern	138	657
Long-billed Dowitcher	139	655
Blue-headed Vireo	140	651
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Whimbrel	141	641
Black-throated Blue Warbler	142	634
Orchard Oriole	143	626
Least Bittern	144	602
White-breasted Nuthatch	145	598
Eastern Meadowlark	146	593
Virginia Rail	147	589
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	148	577
American Pipit	149	574
Pine Warbler	150	557
American Golden-Plover	151	555
Lesser Scaup	152	554
White-crowned Sparrow	153	552
Northern Waterthrush	153	552
Short-eared Owl	155	545
Hairy Woodpecker	156	541
Brown Creeper	156	541
Chimney Swift	158	515
Ruddy Duck	159	513
Common Raven	160	496
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	486
Sora	162	484
Snow Goose	163	481
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	164	461
Nashville Warbler	165	460
Ovenbird	166	439
House Wren	167	434
Tufted Titmouse	168	420
Roseate Tern	169	408
Chestnut-sided Warbler	170	405
Purple Sandpiper	171	392
Wood Duck	172	381
Wilson's Snipe	173	379
Eastern Wood-Pewee	174	374
Black-legged Kittiwake	175	368
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	176	364
Blackburnian Warbler	177	359
American Coot	178	356
Swainson's Thrush	179	353
Common Merganser	180	351
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Green Heron	181	348
Lapland Longspur	181	348
Hudsonian Godwit	183	340
Alder Flycatcher	183	340
Baird's Sandpiper	185	335
Great Horned Owl	185	335
Canada Warbler	187	332
Common Redpoll	188	325
Western Sandpiper	189	324
Scarlet Tanager	190	323
Black-billed Cuckoo	191	322
Least Flycatcher	192	314
Ring-necked Duck	193	311
Veery	194	310
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	195	308
Pine Siskin	196	302
Red-bellied Woodpecker	197	294
Warbling Vireo	198	284
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	281
Eurasian Wigeon	200	275
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Forster's Tern	201	271
Prairie Warbler	202	270
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	258
Bay-breasted Warbler	204	247
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	205	238
Wilson's Phalarope	206	228
Philadelphia Vireo	207	219
Tricolored Heron	208	214
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	213
Fox Sparrow	210	211
Solitary Sandpiper	211	199
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	198
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	213	196
Winter Wren	214	194
Clay-colored Sparrow	215	190
Cape May Warbler	216	189
Little Blue Heron	217	181
Lesser Black-backed Gull	218	174
Barred Owl	219	162
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	162
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wood Thrush	221	158
American Avocet	222	157
Redhead	223	152
Caspian Tern	224	147
Cliff Swallow	225	144
White-winged Crossbill	226	137
Mourning Warbler	226	137
Indigo Bunting	228	133
Tennessee Warbler	229	131
Iceland Gull	230	124
Fish Crow	230	124
Little Gull	232	123
Black Tern	232	123
King Rail	234	116
Red Crossbill	234	116
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	236	114
Common Gallinule	237	111
Dickcissel	238	105
Nelson's Sparrow	239	100
Blue-winged Warbler	240	99/18
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Marbled Godwit	241	96/18
King Eider	242	94/11
Black Guillemot	242	94/16
Orange-crowned Warbler	242	94/18
Clapper Rail	245	92/11
White-eyed Vireo	246	91/17
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	84/15
Rusty Blackbird	247	84/17
Common Nighthawk	249	79/18
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	72/18
Black Skimmer	251	71/11
Western Grebe	252	70/6
Manx Shearwater	253	65/18
Lark Sparrow	254	61/16
Ring-necked Pheasant	255	60/10
Red-shouldered Hawk	255	60/14
Connecticut Warbler	255	60/20
Yellow-throated Vireo	258	58/16
Great Shearwater	259	53/13
Parasitic Jaeger	260	52/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hooded Warbler	261	51/16
Vesper Sparrow	262	49/16
Glaucous Gull	263	48/14
Harlequin Duck	264	45/10
Gull-billed Tern	265	44/8
Northern Goshawk	265	44/17
Northern Saw-whet Owl	267	43/14
Summer Tanager	267	43/12
Cory's Shearwater	269	42/11
Eastern Bluebird	269	42/16
American Oystercatcher	271	41/16
Dovekie	271	41/13
Broad-winged Hawk	273	40/15
Gray-cheeked Thrush	273	40/16
Black-headed Gull	275	38/11
Thick-billed Murre	276	37/16
Royal Tern	277	36/11
Barrow's Goldeneye	278	34/7
Long-eared Owl	279	31/13
Arctic Tern	280	29/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Worm-eating Warbler	280	29/12
Western Kingbird	282	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	283	26/2
Red-necked Phalarope	283	26/10
Cattle Egret	285	25/8
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	285	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	287	24/5
Red Phalarope	287	24/7
Grasshopper Sparrow	287	24/8
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
Bohemian Waxwing	301	14/8
Evening Grosbeak	301	14/5
Hoary Redpoll	301	14/7
Ash-throated Flycatcher	305	13/3
Blue Grosbeak	305	13/5
Eastern Screech-Owl	307	12/8
Acadian Flycatcher	307	12/10
Green-tailed Towhee	307	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	310	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	310	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	310	11/7
Black-necked Stilt	313	10/2
Cave Swallow	313	10/6
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	10/5
Black Vulture	316	9/7
Cackling Goose	317	8/3
American White Pelican	317	8/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	317	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	317	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
Northern Wheatear	338	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	339	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	339	3/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sedge Wren	339	3/3
Western Tanager	339	3/1
Tundra Swan	343	2/1
Eared Grebe	343	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	343	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	343	2/2
Sabine's Gull	343	2/2
Little Egret	343	2/2
Western Meadowlark	343	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
Monk Parakeet	350	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	350	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-green Vireo	350	1
Townsend's Solitaire	350	1
Bicknell's Thrush	350	1
Sage Thrasher	350	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	350	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	350	1