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 19, 2022

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	5936
Canada Goose	2	5888
American Robin	3	5823
American Black Duck	4	5695
Mallard	5	5685
American Crow	6	5546
Black-capped Chickadee	7	5531
Great Black-backed Gull	8	5493
Song Sparrow	9	5444
Northern Mockingbird	10	5318
Northern Cardinal	11	4961
European Starling	12	4956
Blue Jay	13	4844
Mourning Dove	14	4801
Northern Harrier	15	4712
Gadwall	16	4665
American Goldfinch	17	4436
Ring-billed Gull	18	4398
Double-crested Cormorant	19	4181
Green-winged Teal	20	4102
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	3941
Common Loon	22	3927
Greater Yellowlegs	23	3916
Great Egret	24	3915
Gray Catbird	25	3712
Great Blue Heron	26	3669
Rock Pigeon	27	3641
Common Eider	28	3558
Downy Woodpecker	29	3521
White-winged Scoter	30	3442
Red-winged Blackbird	31	3433
Mute Swan	32	3432
Eastern Towhee	33	3334
Tree Swallow	34	3203
Snowy Egret	35	3201
House Finch	36	3105
Black-bellied Plover	37	3077
Killdeer	38	3063
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3059
Common Grackle	40	3026
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3025
Osprey	42	3007
Northern Pintail	43	2801
White-throated Sparrow	44	2766
Brown Thrasher	45	2717
Savannah Sparrow	46	2712
Long-tailed Duck	47	2653
Sanderling	48	2616
Semipalmated Plover	49	2582
Semipalmated Sandpiper	50	2565
Dunlin	51	2557
Black Scoter	52	2550
Bufflehead	53	2541
Purple Finch	54	2514
Marsh Wren	55	2496
Common Yellowthroat	56	2454
Peregrine Falcon	57	2421
Red-tailed Hawk	58	2391
Lesser Yellowlegs	59	2369
Yellow-rumped Warbler	60	2321
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2320
American Tree Sparrow	61	2320
Eastern Kingbird	63	2280
Red-throated Loon	64	2218
Yellow Warbler	65	2185
Northern Gannet	66	2159
Common Tern	67	2127
Horned Grebe	68	2110
Northern Flicker	69	2085
Least Sandpiper	70	2064
Bobolink	71	2045
Wild Turkey	72	2040
Turkey Vulture	73	2017
Willet	74	1996
Red-breasted Nuthatch	75	1957
Short-billed Dowitcher	76	1955
Purple Martin	77	1941
Common Goldeneye	78	1933
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	1932
Least Tern	80	1897
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	1874
Field Sparrow	82	1870
Dark-eyed Junco	83	1843
Piping Plover	84	1835
Hooded Merganser	85	1820
Baltimore Oriole	86	1816
Saltmarsh Sparrow	87	1788
White-rumped Sandpiper	88	1779
Eastern Phoebe	89	1776
Swamp Sparrow	90	1761
American Wigeon	91	1751
American Redstart	92	1690
Bald Eagle	93	1640
Cooper's Hawk	94	1555
Bonaparte's Gull	95	1547
Surf Scoter	96	1524
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1518
Horned Lark	98	1433
Snowy Owl	99	1409
Hermit Thrush	100	1408
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1405
Red-eyed Vireo	102	1394
Rough-legged Hawk	103	1384
Willow Flycatcher	104	1374
Red-necked Grebe	105	1352
Golden-crowned Kinglet	106	1303
Northern Shoveler	107	1252
Bank Swallow	108	1184
Blue-winged Teal	109	1179
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	110	1171
Snow Bunting	111	1145
Chipping Sparrow	112	1075
Carolina Wren	113	1027
Brant	114	1014
Sharp-shinned Hawk	115	956
Glossy Ibis	116	948
Great Crested Flycatcher	117	941
Greater Scaup	118	920
Black-and-white Warbler	118	920
American Kestrel	120	914
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	848
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	846
Stilt Sandpiper	123	842
Ruddy Turnstone	124	836
Blackpoll Warbler	125	833
Belted Kingfisher	126	831
Seaside Sparrow	127	819
Black-throated Green Warbler	128	791
Northern Parula	129	770
Great Cormorant	130	760
Palm Warbler	130	760
American Woodcock	132	752
Laughing Gull	133	750
Red Knot	134	746
Northern Shrike	134	746
Pied-billed Grebe	136	738
Magnolia Warbler	137	718
Long-billed Dowitcher	138	716
Least Bittern	139	710
Orchard Oriole	140	701
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	699
American Bittern	142	689
Whimbrel	143	667
Black-throated Blue Warbler	144	654
Pine Warbler	145	649
Virginia Rail	146	623
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	615
White-breasted Nuthatch	147	615
American Pipit	149	608
Common Raven	150	602
Eastern Meadowlark	151	597
White-crowned Sparrow	152	585
American Golden-Plover	153	584
Northern Waterthrush	154	582
Brown Creeper	155	577
Hairy Woodpecker	156	573
Lesser Scaup	157	565
Short-eared Owl	158	564
Chimney Swift	159	550
Ruddy Duck	160	524
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Wilson's Warbler	161	508
Snow Goose	162	501
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	163	496
Sora	164	489
Nashville Warbler	165	479
House Wren	166	476
Ovenbird	167	463
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	168	445
Tufted Titmouse	168	445
American Coot	170	436
Roseate Tern	171	434
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	428
Purple Sandpiper	173	413
Eastern Wood-Pewee	174	406
Wood Duck	175	400
Wilson's Snipe	176	385
Blackburnian Warbler	177	383
Swainson's Thrush	178	376
Black-legged Kittiwake	179	373
Common Merganser	180	367
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Horned Owl	181	363
Hudsonian Godwit	182	361
Alder Flycatcher	183	356
Green Heron	184	355
Lapland Longspur	185	352
Common Redpoll	186	347
Baird's Sandpiper	187	346
Canada Warbler	187	346
Red-bellied Woodpecker	189	340
Scarlet Tanager	189	340
Western Sandpiper	191	339
Least Flycatcher	192	336
Veery	193	330
Black-billed Cuckoo	194	326
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	195	320
Ring-necked Duck	196	317
Warbling Vireo	197	307
Pine Siskin	198	304
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	297
Prairie Warbler	200	290
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eurasian Wigeon	201	279
Forster's Tern	202	276
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	203	270
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	203	270
Bay-breasted Warbler	205	266
Fox Sparrow	206	251
Philadelphia Vireo	207	234
Wilson's Phalarope	208	230
Solitary Sandpiper	209	221
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	220
Tricolored Heron	211	214
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	212	208
Cape May Warbler	213	204
Winter Wren	214	202
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	215	199
Clay-colored Sparrow	216	197
Lesser Black-backed Gull	217	194
Little Blue Heron	218	193
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	219	168
Wood Thrush	220	166
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Avocet	221	162
Barred Owl	221	162
Caspian Tern	223	158
Redhead	224	153
Fish Crow	224	153
Red Crossbill	226	151
Cliff Swallow	227	147
Mourning Warbler	228	144
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	229	139
White-winged Crossbill	229	139
Tennessee Warbler	231	137
Indigo Bunting	231	137
King Rail	233	134
Black Tern	234	129
Iceland Gull	235	127
Black Guillemot	236	125
Little Gull	237	124
Dickcissel	238	122
Common Gallinule	239	118
Nelson's Sparrow	240	113
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-winged Warbler	241	103
King Eider	242	98/11
Orange-crowned Warbler	242	98/19
Yellow-throated Vireo	244	97/17
Clapper Rail	245	96/12
Marbled Godwit	245	96/18
White-eyed Vireo	245	96/18
Rusty Blackbird	248	89/18
Common Nighthawk	249	84/19
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	84/15
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	77/19
Black Skimmer	252	76/12
Western Grebe	253	70/6
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	68/12
Manx Shearwater	255	65/18
Lark Sparrow	255	65/17
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	63/15
Connecticut Warbler	257	63/21
Harlequin Duck	259	56/10
Parasitic Jaeger	260	54/17
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Shearwater	261	53/13
Hooded Warbler	261	53/17
Vesper Sparrow	263	49/16
American Oystercatcher	264	48/17
Glaucous Gull	264	48/14
Eastern Bluebird	266	46/17
Gull-billed Tern	267	44/8
Northern Goshawk	267	44/17
Summer Tanager	267	44/13
Northern Saw-whet Owl	270	43/14
Cory's Shearwater	271	42/11
Gray-cheeked Thrush	271	42/17
Dovekie	273	41/13
Broad-winged Hawk	273	41/16
Western Kingbird	275	40/10
Thick-billed Murre	276	39/17
Black-headed Gull	276	39/12
Royal Tern	278	37/12
Barrow's Goldeneye	279	35/7
Long-eared Owl	280	32/14
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	281	31/12
Worm-eating Warbler	282	29/12
Red-necked Phalarope	283	28/11
Red Phalarope	283	28/8
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	287	25/2
Curlew Sandpiper	288	24/5
Grasshopper Sparrow	288	24/8
White-faced Ibis	290	22/7
Canvasback	291	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	291	21/10
Sooty Shearwater	293	20/12
Black Rail	294	18/1
Upland Sandpiper	294	18/9
Ruff	296	17/9
Pine Grosbeak	296	17/5
Prothonotary Warbler	296	17/10
Common Murre	299	16/9
Hoary Redpoll	299	16/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pacific Loon	301	15/6
Ross's Goose	302	14/4
Bohemian Waxwing	302	14/8
Evening Grosbeak	302	14/5
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
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
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
Golden Eagle	326	6/5
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
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