Tom’s Birding Page

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 June 7, 2023

 Species n N  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Herring Gull  1  6433 
Canada Goose  2  6381 
American Robin  3  6306 
American Black Duck  4  6179 
Mallard  5  6173 
Black-capped Chickadee  6  6022 
American Crow  7  6005 
Great Black-backed Gull  8  5972 
Song Sparrow  9  5930 
Northern Mockingbird  10  5773 
Northern Cardinal  11  5436 
European Starling  12  5359 
Blue Jay  13  5309 
Mourning Dove  14  5237 
Northern Harrier  15  5113 
Gadwall  16  5075 
American Goldfinch  17  4818 
Ring-billed Gull  18  4753 
Double-crested Cormorant  19  4509 
Green-winged Teal  20  4473 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
House Sparrow  21  4375 
Common Loon  22  4307 
Great Egret  23  4221 
Greater Yellowlegs  24  4209 
Rock Pigeon  25  4066 
Gray Catbird  26  3997 
Great Blue Heron  27  3969 
Downy Woodpecker  28  3901 
Common Eider  29  3867 
Mute Swan  30  3857 
White-winged Scoter  31  3823 
Red-winged Blackbird  32  3785 
Eastern Towhee  33  3624 
House Finch  34  3555 
Tree Swallow  35  3452 
Snowy Egret  36  3419 
Killdeer  37  3361 
Red-breasted Merganser  38  3352 
Common Grackle  39  3322 
Black-bellied Plover  40  3277 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Osprey  41  3263 
Cedar Waxwing  42  3226 
White-throated Sparrow  43  3052 
Northern Pintail  44  3023 
Long-tailed Duck  45  2957 
Brown Thrasher  46  2941 
Savannah Sparrow  47  2912 
Sanderling  48  2853 
Black Scoter  49  2851 
Bufflehead  50  2804 
Dunlin  51  2769 
Semipalmated Plover  52  2760 
Semipalmated Sandpiper  53  2752 
Purple Finch  54  2747 
Marsh Wren  55  2715 
Common Yellowthroat  56  2641 
Red-tailed Hawk  57  2592 
Peregrine Falcon  58  2591 
Yellow-rumped Warbler  59  2571 
Lesser Yellowlegs  60  2539 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
American Tree Sparrow  61  2538 
Barn Swallow  62  2514 
Eastern Kingbird  63  2440 
Red-throated Loon  64  2438 
Yellow Warbler  65  2350 
Horned Grebe  66  2336 
Northern Flicker  67  2319 
Northern Gannet  68  2314 
Common Tern  69  2286 
Red-breasted Nuthatch  70  2250 
Wild Turkey  71  2234 
Least Sandpiper  72  2213 
Turkey Vulture  72  2213 
Bobolink  74  2186 
Willet  75  2169 
Common Goldeneye  76  2162 
Brown-headed Cowbird  77  2140 
Purple Martin  78  2108 
Short-billed Dowitcher  79  2077 
Merlin  80  2065 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Field Sparrow  81  2047 
Least Tern  82  2037 
Dark-eyed Junco  83  2035 
Piping Plover  84  2034 
Hooded Merganser  85  2024 
Swamp Sparrow  86  1997 
Baltimore Oriole  87  1967 
Eastern Phoebe  88  1939 
Saltmarsh Sparrow  89  1931 
White-rumped Sandpiper  90  1909 
Bald Eagle  91  1885 
American Redstart  92  1844 
American Wigeon  93  1829 
Surf Scoter  94  1760 
Cooper's Hawk  95  1744 
Black-crowned Night-Heron  96  1633 
Bonaparte's Gull  97  1594 
Hermit Thrush  98  1582 
Horned Lark  99  1571 
Red-eyed Vireo  100  1554 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Spotted Sandpiper  101  1492 
Willow Flycatcher  102  1486 
Snowy Owl  103  1476 
Red-necked Grebe  104  1454 
Rough-legged Hawk  105  1446 
Golden-crowned Kinglet  106  1415 
Northern Shoveler  107  1312 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  108  1302 
Bank Swallow  109  1270 
Blue-winged Teal  110  1224 
Snow Bunting  111  1211 
Chipping Sparrow  112  1180 
Carolina Wren  113  1116 
Brant  114  1115 
Great Crested Flycatcher  115  1059 
Sharp-shinned Hawk  116  1029 
American Kestrel  117  1016 
Black-and-white Warbler  118  1002 
Glossy Ibis  119  997 
Greater Scaup  120  982 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Razorbill  121  968 
Pectoral Sandpiper  122  906 
Blackpoll Warbler  123  904 
Stilt Sandpiper  124  898 
Seaside Sparrow  125  896 
Belted Kingfisher  126  895 
Ruddy Turnstone  127  887 
Northern Parula  128  862 
Black-throated Green Warbler  129  856 
Palm Warbler  130  853 
Orchard Oriole  131  824 
Common Raven  132  814 
American Woodcock  133  802 
Great Cormorant  134  792 
Long-billed Dowitcher  135  790 
Laughing Gull  135  790 
Least Bittern  137  788 
Pied-billed Grebe  138  780 
Magnolia Warbler  139  777 
Northern Shrike  140  763 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Blue-headed Vireo  141  758 
Red Knot  142  754 
White-breasted Nuthatch  142  754 
Pine Warbler  144  729 
American Bittern  145  717 
Black-throated Blue Warbler  146  710 
Virginia Rail  147  702 
Whimbrel  148  695 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  149  675 
Brown Creeper  150  671 
White-crowned Sparrow  151  635 
Northern Waterthrush  152  633 
American Pipit  153  628 
Hairy Woodpecker  154  620 
Eastern Meadowlark  155  607 
American Golden-Plover  156  602 
Chimney Swift  157  594 
Lesser Scaup  158  589 
Short-eared Owl  159  587 
Tufted Titmouse  160  580 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
House Wren  161  579 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  162  556 
Wilson's Warbler  163  550 
Ruddy Duck  164  537 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  165  529 
Nashville Warbler  166  520 
Ovenbird  167  513 
Snow Goose  168  510 
American Coot  169  503 
Sora  170  501 
Roseate Tern  171  472 
Chestnut-sided Warbler  172  469 
Eastern Wood-Pewee  173  467 
Purple Sandpiper  174  451 
Wood Duck  175  431 
Swainson's Thrush  176  422 
Blackburnian Warbler  177  421 
Red-bellied Woodpecker  178  415 
Common Merganser  179  412 
Wilson's Snipe  180  409 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Black-legged Kittiwake  181  398 
Alder Flycatcher  182  390 
Canada Warbler  183  387 
Veery  184  370 
Green Heron  185  369 
Great Horned Owl  185  369 
Least Flycatcher  185  369 
Scarlet Tanager  188  368 
Hudsonian Godwit  189  367 
Ring-necked Duck  190  363 
Lapland Longspur  191  360 
Baird's Sandpiper  192  354 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  192  354 
Common Redpoll  194  352 
Western Sandpiper  195  345 
Black-billed Cuckoo  196  342 
Warbling Vireo  197  334 
Pine Siskin  198  330 
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  199  326 
Prairie Warbler  200  321 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Eastern Whip-poor-will  201  307 
Bay-breasted Warbler  202  297 
Fox Sparrow  203  282 
Eurasian Wigeon  204  281 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  204  281 
Forster's Tern  204  281 
Philadelphia Vireo  207  252 
Lincoln's Sparrow  208  248 
Tricolored Heron  209  247 
Cape May Warbler  210  240 
Solitary Sandpiper  211  238 
Wilson's Phalarope  211  238 
American Avocet  213  231 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  214  221 
Winter Wren  215  220 
Clay-colored Sparrow  216  218 
Barred Owl  217  213 
Red Crossbill  218  211 
Lesser Black-backed Gull  219  210 
Buff-breasted Sandpiper  220  208 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Little Blue Heron  221  206 
Fish Crow  221  206 
Wood Thrush  223  184 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  224  178 
Caspian Tern  225  171 
Tennessee Warbler  226  168 
King Rail  227  166 
Mourning Warbler  228  159 
Cliff Swallow  229  154 
Redhead  230  153 
Indigo Bunting  231  149 
Iceland Gull  232  148 
Black Guillemot  233  146 
Black Tern  234  145 
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  235  140 
White-winged Crossbill  235  140 
Dickcissel  237  135 
Common Gallinule  238  132 
Nelson's Sparrow  239  126 
Little Gull  240  124 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
King Eider  241  116 
Blue-winged Warbler  242  108 
Orange-crowned Warbler  243  104 
White-eyed Vireo  244  103 
Yellow-throated Vireo  244  103 
Clapper Rail  246  101 
Rusty Blackbird  246  101 
Marbled Godwit  248  99/19 
Yellow-breasted Chat  249  98/17 
Common Nighthawk  250  87/20 
Ring-necked Pheasant  251  84/12 
Olive-sided Flycatcher  252  83/21 
Black Skimmer  253  80/13 
Lark Sparrow  254  72/18 
Western Grebe  255  71/7 
Manx Shearwater  256  66/19 
Red-shouldered Hawk  257  65/17 
Connecticut Warbler  258  64/22 
Parasitic Jaeger  259  58/18 
Harlequin Duck  260  57/11 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Hooded Warbler  260  57/19 
Great Shearwater  262  54/14 
Eastern Bluebird  263  53/19 
Vesper Sparrow  263  53/17 
American Oystercatcher  265  52/19 
Dovekie  266  51/14 
Glaucous Gull  267  48/14 
Gray-cheeked Thrush  268  47/18 
Cory's Shearwater  269  45/12 
Summer Tanager  269  45/14 
Gull-billed Tern  271  44/8 
Northern Goshawk  271  44/17 
Thick-billed Murre  273  43/18 
Northern Saw-whet Owl  273  43/14 
Broad-winged Hawk  275  42/17 
Western Kingbird  276  40/10 
Black-headed Gull  277  39/12 
Royal Tern  278  38/13 
Barrow's Goldeneye  279  35/7 
Long-eared Owl  280  33/14 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Red-necked Phalarope  281  32/13 
Arctic Tern  281  32/13 
Red Phalarope  283  30/9 
Worm-eating Warbler  284  29/12 
Cattle Egret  285  27/9 
Greater White-fronted Goose  286  26/2 
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  287  25/2 
Grasshopper Sparrow  287  25/9 
Curlew Sandpiper  289  24/5 
White-faced Ibis  290  22/7 
Canvasback  291  21/8 
Sooty Shearwater  291  21/13 
Kentucky Warbler  291  21/10 
Upland Sandpiper  294  19/10 
Black Rail  295  18/1 
Ruff  296  17/9 
Common Murre  296  17/10 
Pine Grosbeak  296  17/5 
Prothonotary Warbler  296  17/10 
Pacific Loon  300  16/7 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Bohemian Waxwing  300  16/9 
Evening Grosbeak  300  16/6 
Hoary Redpoll  300  16/7 
Ross's Goose  304  14/4 
Acadian Flycatcher  304  14/11 
Ash-throated Flycatcher  306  13/3 
Blue Grosbeak  306  13/5 
Eastern Screech-Owl  308  12/8 
Green-tailed Towhee  308  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 
Louisiana Waterthrush  316  9/9 
Cackling Goose  318  8/3 
American White Pelican  318  8/7 
Golden-winged Warbler  318  8/5 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Common Ringed Plover  321  7/2 
Golden Eagle  321  7/6 
Red-headed Woodpecker  321  7/4 
Gyrfalcon  321  7/5 
Swainson's Warbler  321  7/1 
Cerulean Warbler  321  7/5 
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 
Pacific Golden-Plover  333  5/1 
Franklin's Gull  333  5/4 
Brown Pelican  333  5/1 
Say's Phoebe  333  5/3 
Yellow-headed Blackbird  333  5/4 
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
Loggerhead Shrike  340  3/1 
Western Tanager  340  3/1 
Tundra Swan  343  2/1 
Eared Grebe  343  2/1 
Ringed Turtle-Dove  343  2/1 
Northern Lapwing  343  2/2 
Long-tailed Jaeger  343  2/2 
Sabine's Gull  343  2/2 
Little Egret  343  2/2 
Mississippi Kite  343  2/2 
Western Meadowlark  343  2/1 
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  352 
Elegant Tern  352 
Neotropic Cormorant  352 
White Ibis  352 
Swainson's Hawk  352 
Pileated Woodpecker  352 
Prairie Falcon  352 
Monk Parakeet  352 
Fork-tailed Flycatcher  352 
 Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
Yellow-green Vireo  352 
Sage Thrasher  352 
Townsend's Solitaire  352 
Bicknell's Thrush  352 
Chestnut-collared Longspur  352 
Black-throated Gray Warbler  352 

Total reports are 906,072. Total sightings are 408,846.

June 7, 2023, Tom Wetmore