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 14, 2019

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	4908
Canada Goose	2	4879
American Robin	3	4819
American Crow	4	4732
American Black Duck	5	4727
Mallard	6	4683
Great Black-backed Gull	7	4534
Black-capped Chickadee	8	4530
Song Sparrow	9	4473
Northern Mockingbird	10	4398
European Starling	11	4117
Northern Cardinal	12	4023
Northern Harrier	13	3977
Blue Jay	14	3968
Mourning Dove	15	3930
Gadwall	16	3894
Ring-billed Gull	17	3666
American Goldfinch	18	3613
Double-crested Cormorant	19	3480
Green-winged Teal	20	3400
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	3287
Common Loon	22	3274
Great Egret	23	3223
House Sparrow	24	3159
Great Blue Heron	25	3071
Gray Catbird	26	2982
Rock Pigeon	27	2931
Common Eider	28	2831
Downy Woodpecker	29	2824
Mute Swan	30	2800
White-winged Scoter	31	2778
Eastern Towhee	32	2775
Red-winged Blackbird	33	2760
Snowy Egret	34	2705
Tree Swallow	35	2680
Black-bellied Plover	36	2568
Red-breasted Merganser	37	2526
Common Grackle	38	2497
Osprey	39	2481
Killdeer	40	2479
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	2472
House Finch	42	2365
Northern Pintail	43	2328
Brown Thrasher	44	2313
Savannah Sparrow	45	2310
White-throated Sparrow	46	2234
Long-tailed Duck	47	2147
Semipalmated Plover	48	2130
Semipalmated Sandpiper	49	2125
Purple Finch	50	2098
Sanderling	51	2090
Dunlin	52	2064
Bufflehead	53	2061
Marsh Wren	54	2020
Common Yellowthroat	55	2013
Black Scoter	56	1996
Red-tailed Hawk	57	1981
Lesser Yellowlegs	58	1979
Peregrine Falcon	59	1968
American Tree Sparrow	60	1953
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	1920
Eastern Kingbird	62	1897
Red-throated Loon	63	1887
Yellow-rumped Warbler	64	1855
Northern Gannet	65	1826
Yellow Warbler	65	1826
Common Tern	67	1794
Horned Grebe	68	1753
Least Sandpiper	69	1715
Bobolink	70	1700
Northern Flicker	71	1679
Willet	72	1660
Turkey Vulture	73	1637
Brown-headed Cowbird	74	1610
Merlin	75	1609
Short-billed Dowitcher	76	1605
Purple Martin	77	1597
Red-breasted Nuthatch	78	1581
Wild Turkey	79	1570
Least Tern	80	1567
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Dark-eyed Junco	81	1538
Hooded Merganser	82	1536
Common Goldeneye	83	1533
Field Sparrow	84	1521
Baltimore Oriole	85	1510
American Wigeon	86	1500
Piping Plover	87	1484
White-rumped Sandpiper	88	1476
Eastern Phoebe	89	1475
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	1449
Bonaparte's Gull	91	1430
American Redstart	92	1388
Swamp Sparrow	93	1313
Black-crowned Night-Heron	94	1277
Bald Eagle	95	1229
Horned Lark	96	1225
Cooper's Hawk	97	1201
Red-necked Grebe	98	1200
Surf Scoter	99	1194
Rough-legged Hawk	100	1193
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snowy Owl	101	1169
Willow Flycatcher	102	1133
Spotted Sandpiper	103	1126
Golden-crowned Kinglet	104	1102
Red-eyed Vireo	105	1077
Northern Shoveler	106	1074
Hermit Thrush	107	1073
Blue-winged Teal	108	1038
Bank Swallow	109	999
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	992
Snow Bunting	111	970
Chipping Sparrow	112	879
Glossy Ibis	113	868
Sharp-shinned Hawk	114	859
Brant	115	849
American Kestrel	116	808
Black-and-white Warbler	117	795
Greater Scaup	118	760
Blackpoll Warbler	119	708
Stilt Sandpiper	120	707
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pectoral Sandpiper	121	702
Belted Kingfisher	122	689
Great Crested Flycatcher	123	686
Razorbill	124	685
Ruddy Turnstone	125	682
Seaside Sparrow	126	679
Great Cormorant	127	673
Black-throated Green Warbler	128	672
American Woodcock	129	653
Northern Shrike	129	653
Northern Parula	131	643
Palm Warbler	132	631
American Bittern	133	625
Red Knot	134	623
Laughing Gull	134	623
Magnolia Warbler	136	619
Pied-billed Grebe	137	617
Blue-headed Vireo	138	586
Carolina Wren	139	584
Whimbrel	140	583
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Meadowlark	141	580
Black-throated Blue Warbler	142	573
Virginia Rail	143	556
American Pipit	144	530
Lesser Scaup	145	520
Long-billed Dowitcher	146	516
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	513
Least Bittern	148	506
Ruddy Duck	149	503
White-breasted Nuthatch	149	503
Brown Creeper	151	500
Orchard Oriole	152	498
Snow Goose	153	495
Northern Waterthrush	153	495
White-crowned Sparrow	155	493
American Golden-Plover	156	481
Short-eared Owl	157	477
Pine Warbler	158	469
Chimney Swift	159	460
Sora	160	456
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	447
Nashville Warbler	162	422
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	414
Hairy Woodpecker	164	397
Tufted Titmouse	165	391
Ovenbird	166	390
House Wren	167	388
Purple Sandpiper	168	370
Roseate Tern	169	366
Chestnut-sided Warbler	170	364
Black-legged Kittiwake	171	361
Wilson's Snipe	172	359
Lapland Longspur	173	332
Wood Duck	174	328
Common Merganser	175	326
Common Raven	176	322
Blackburnian Warbler	176	322
American Coot	178	319
Eastern Wood-Pewee	179	317
Canada Warbler	180	307
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-billed Cuckoo	181	304
Green Heron	182	303
Baird's Sandpiper	183	299
Great Horned Owl	184	296
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	185	295
Swainson's Thrush	186	289
Scarlet Tanager	187	288
Hudsonian Godwit	188	284
Eurasian Wigeon	189	270
Least Flycatcher	189	270
Ring-necked Duck	191	269
Common Redpoll	192	268
Western Sandpiper	193	265
Veery	194	263
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	195	259
Red-bellied Woodpecker	196	258
Forster's Tern	197	256
Warbling Vireo	198	254
Alder Flycatcher	199	251
Pine Siskin	200	244
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	241
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	202	239
Eastern Whip-poor-will	203	238
Wilson's Phalarope	204	210
Bay-breasted Warbler	205	200
Tricolored Heron	206	197
Fox Sparrow	207	195
Philadelphia Vireo	208	191
Lincoln's Sparrow	209	183
Solitary Sandpiper	210	182
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	211	180
Clay-colored Sparrow	211	180
Winter Wren	213	178
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	214	176
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	215	173
Little Blue Heron	216	167
Redhead	217	151
Barred Owl	218	149
Cape May Warbler	219	148
Wood Thrush	220	147
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	221	144
Lesser Black-backed Gull	222	142
Cliff Swallow	223	135
White-winged Crossbill	224	131
Little Gull	225	123
Mourning Warbler	225	123
Caspian Tern	227	121
American Avocet	228	119
Indigo Bunting	228	119
Iceland Gull	230	118
King Rail	231	116
Common Gallinule	232	111
Black Tern	232	111
Tennessee Warbler	234	100
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	235	98/16
Fish Crow	236	97/15
Dickcissel	237	93/15
Blue-winged Warbler	238	90/16
Clapper Rail	239	88/9
Marbled Godwit	239	88/16
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	239	88/16
Black Guillemot	242	87/15
Red Crossbill	243	84/9
Rusty Blackbird	244	81/16
White-eyed Vireo	245	79/15
Nelson's Sparrow	246	77/16
Common Nighthawk	247	73/16
Western Grebe	248	70/6
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	69/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	250	60/10
Manx Shearwater	250	60/16
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	60/16
Black Skimmer	253	57/9
Red-shouldered Hawk	254	56/12
Connecticut Warbler	254	56/18
Lark Sparrow	256	51/14
Hooded Warbler	256	51/16
King Eider	258	50/9
Great Shearwater	259	48/12
Yellow-throated Vireo	259	48/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Parasitic Jaeger	261	46/14
Glaucous Gull	262	44/12
Northern Goshawk	262	44/17
Vesper Sparrow	262	44/14
Black-headed Gull	265	38/11
Summer Tanager	265	38/10
Cory's Shearwater	267	37/10
Dovekie	268	36/13
Eastern Bluebird	268	36/14
Broad-winged Hawk	270	35/13
Gull-billed Tern	271	34/7
Gray-cheeked Thrush	271	34/14
Barrow's Goldeneye	273	33/6
American Oystercatcher	274	32/14
Northern Saw-whet Owl	275	31/12
Thick-billed Murre	276	29/14
Arctic Tern	277	28/10
Long-eared Owl	277	28/12
Royal Tern	279	27/9
Worm-eating Warbler	279	27/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Phalarope	281	25/9
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	281	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	283	24/5
Red Phalarope	283	24/7
Cattle Egret	283	24/7
Western Kingbird	283	24/8
Grasshopper Sparrow	283	24/8
Harlequin Duck	288	23/8
Canvasback	289	20/7
White-faced Ibis	290	19/6
Kentucky Warbler	290	19/8
Black Rail	292	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	293	17/8
Sooty Shearwater	293	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	293	17/5
Ruff	296	16/8
Common Murre	297	15/8
Prothonotary Warbler	297	15/9
Pacific Loon	299	14/5
Ross's Goose	300	13/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bohemian Waxwing	300	13/7
Hoary Redpoll	302	12/6
Green-tailed Towhee	302	12/1
Blue Grosbeak	302	12/4
Black-tailed Godwit	305	11/1
Pomarine Jaeger	305	11/7
Leach's Storm-Petrel	305	11/7
Eastern Screech-Owl	305	11/7
Acadian Flycatcher	305	11/9
Ash-throated Flycatcher	305	11/2
Black-necked Stilt	311	10/2
Cave Swallow	311	10/6
Cackling Goose	313	8/3
Black Vulture	313	8/6
Evening Grosbeak	313	8/4
Louisiana Waterthrush	313	8/8
Golden-winged Warbler	313	8/5
Yellow-throated Warbler	313	8/4
American White Pelican	319	7/6
Red-headed Woodpecker	319	7/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Gyrfalcon	319	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	319	7/1
Cerulean Warbler	319	7/5
Atlantic Puffin	324	6/4
Sandwich Tern	324	6/2
Northern Fulmar	324	6/4
Pacific Golden-Plover	327	5/1
Franklin's Gull	327	5/4
Thayer's Gull	327	5/1
Brown Pelican	327	5/1
Say's Phoebe	327	5/3
Sandhill Crane	332	4/4
Common Ringed Plover	332	4/1
Golden Eagle	332	4/3
Loggerhead Shrike	335	3/1
Western Tanager	335	3/1
Greater White-fronted Goose	337	2/1
Eared Grebe	337	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	337	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	337	2/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-necked Stint	337	2/1
Long-tailed Jaeger	337	2/2
Sabine's Gull	337	2/2
Sedge Wren	337	2/2
Northern Wheatear	337	2/1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	337	2/2
Western Meadowlark	337	2/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	348	1
Northern Lapwing	348	1
Wilson's Plover	348	1
Elegant Tern	348	1
Little Egret	348	1
White Ibis	348	1
Mississippi Kite	348	1
Swainson's Hawk	348	1
Pileated Woodpecker	348	1
Prairie Falcon	348	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	348	1
Yellow-green Vireo	348	1
Townsend's Solitaire	348	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bicknell's Thrush	348	1
Sage Thrasher	348	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	348	1