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 May 16, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7479
Canada Goose	2	7421
American Robin	3	7343
Mallard	4	7196
American Black Duck	5	7187
Black-capped Chickadee	6	7054
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6969
Song Sparrow	8	6943
American Crow	9	6936
Northern Mockingbird	10	6757
Northern Cardinal	11	6453
European Starling	12	6291
Blue Jay	13	6280
Mourning Dove	14	6202
Northern Harrier	15	5982
Gadwall	16	5957
American Goldfinch	17	5726
Ring-billed Gull	18	5625
Green-winged Teal	19	5304
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5271
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5250
Common Loon	22	5194
Great Egret	23	4923
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4875
Rock Pigeon	25	4855
Downy Woodpecker	26	4690
Gray Catbird	27	4687
Common Eider	28	4683
Great Blue Heron	29	4635
Mute Swan	30	4596
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4501
White-winged Scoter	32	4489
House Finch	33	4471
Eastern Towhee	34	4293
Tree Swallow	35	3989
Killdeer	36	3976
Snowy Egret	37	3972
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3959
Common Grackle	39	3929
Osprey	40	3835
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cedar Waxwing	41	3792
Black-bellied Plover	42	3760
White-throated Sparrow	43	3653
Northern Pintail	44	3578
Long-tailed Duck	45	3576
Black Scoter	46	3490
Sanderling	47	3467
Brown Thrasher	48	3406
Dunlin	49	3360
Savannah Sparrow	50	3357
Bufflehead	51	3338
Purple Finch	52	3268
Semipalmated Plover	53	3260
Semipalmated Sandpiper	54	3247
Marsh Wren	55	3222
Yellow-rumped Warbler	56	3121
Common Yellowthroat	57	3110
Red-tailed Hawk	58	3007
Peregrine Falcon	59	2998
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2986
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2959
Barn Swallow	62	2955
Northern Flicker	63	2940
Red-throated Loon	64	2902
Eastern Kingbird	65	2810
Horned Grebe	66	2790
Yellow Warbler	67	2751
Northern Gannet	68	2704
Wild Turkey	69	2682
Common Tern	70	2664
Red-breasted Nuthatch	71	2633
Turkey Vulture	72	2627
Least Sandpiper	73	2600
Swamp Sparrow	74	2583
Common Goldeneye	75	2578
Willet	76	2543
Bobolink	77	2511
Dark-eyed Junco	78	2483
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2482
Purple Martin	80	2474
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2457
Piping Plover	82	2446
Field Sparrow	83	2433
Short-billed Dowitcher	84	2417
Hooded Merganser	85	2402
Bald Eagle	86	2360
Least Tern	87	2356
Baltimore Oriole	88	2326
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2287
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2285
Eastern Phoebe	91	2278
Surf Scoter	92	2237
American Redstart	93	2219
Cooper's Hawk	94	2167
American Wigeon	95	2099
Hermit Thrush	96	1959
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1938
Black-crowned Night-Heron	98	1925
Horned Lark	99	1826
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1744
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1739
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1736
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1722
Carolina Wren	104	1687
Red-necked Grebe	105	1679
Snowy Owl	106	1567
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1534
Northern Shoveler	108	1527
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1505
Bank Swallow	110	1438
Chipping Sparrow	111	1426
Snow Bunting	112	1374
Great Crested Flycatcher	113	1362
Blue-winged Teal	114	1356
Brant	115	1342
Common Raven	116	1335
Greater Scaup	117	1301
Sharp-shinned Hawk	118	1198
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1190
Glossy Ibis	120	1164
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1152
American Kestrel	122	1139
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1117
Belted Kingfisher	124	1116
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1073
Orchard Oriole	126	1063
Least Bittern	127	1046
Seaside Sparrow	128	1042
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1036
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1028
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1012
Northern Parula	132	1008
White-breasted Nuthatch	133	1004
Palm Warbler	134	999
Laughing Gull	135	998
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	980
Pied-billed Grebe	137	963
American Woodcock	138	928
Magnolia Warbler	139	906
Blue-headed Vireo	140	895
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	872
House Wren	142	851
Red Knot	143	849
Virginia Rail	144	822
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	818
Lesser Scaup	146	815
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	814
American Bittern	148	810
Brown Creeper	149	807
Hairy Woodpecker	150	797
Pine Warbler	151	796
Whimbrel	152	792
Northern Shrike	153	778
American Pipit	154	772
Tufted Titmouse	155	765
Short-eared Owl	156	745
American Golden-Plover	157	730
Northern Waterthrush	158	723
Chimney Swift	159	718
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	710
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	699
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	162	647
Ruddy Duck	163	645
Eastern Meadowlark	164	641
Ovenbird	165	640
Eastern Wood-Pewee	166	634
Roseate Tern	167	629
Wilson's Warbler	168	625
American Coot	169	623
Nashville Warbler	170	621
Snow Goose	171	556
Red-bellied Woodpecker	172	555
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	544
Common Merganser	174	530
Sora	174	530
Purple Sandpiper	176	520
Wilson's Snipe	177	496
Wood Duck	178	487
Blackburnian Warbler	179	483
Swainson's Thrush	180	481
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	181	447
Alder Flycatcher	182	446
Least Flycatcher	183	443
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	184	438
Canada Warbler	185	435
Veery	186	423
Green Heron	187	419
Scarlet Tanager	188	417
Ring-necked Duck	189	416
Pine Siskin	190	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	191	407
Hudsonian Godwit	192	405
Lapland Longspur	193	400
Great Horned Owl	194	393
Warbling Vireo	194	393
Baird's Sandpiper	196	391
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	391
Eastern Whip-poor-will	198	388
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	382
Prairie Warbler	200	380
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Sandpiper	201	368
Common Redpoll	202	354
Fox Sparrow	203	335
Fish Crow	204	330
Forster's Tern	205	325
Eurasian Wigeon	206	317
Cape May Warbler	207	311
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	302
Tricolored Heron	209	298
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	297
Lesser Black-backed Gull	211	287
Barred Owl	211	287
Philadelphia Vireo	213	285
Solitary Sandpiper	214	280
Wilson's Phalarope	215	266
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	264
Winter Wren	217	257
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	253
American Avocet	219	252
Black Guillemot	220	245
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	234
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	217
Wood Thrush	224	214
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	225	211
Tennessee Warbler	226	205
Caspian Tern	227	195
King Rail	228	188
Mourning Warbler	229	182
Common Gallinule	230	181
Indigo Bunting	231	180
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	172
Cliff Swallow	233	170
Dickcissel	233	170
Nelson's Sparrow	235	169
Iceland Gull	236	166
Clapper Rail	237	164
Black Tern	238	155
Redhead	239	153
White-winged Crossbill	240	148
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	140
White-eyed Vireo	242	136
Little Gull	243	125
King Eider	244	122
Rusty Blackbird	245	121
Blue-winged Warbler	245	121
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	117
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	112
American Oystercatcher	249	104
Marbled Godwit	250	100
Common Nighthawk	251	96/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	251	96/23
Cory's Shearwater	253	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	85/15
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	83/20
Broad-winged Hawk	257	79/21
Lark Sparrow	258	77/21
Manx Shearwater	259	76/22
Connecticut Warbler	260	73/25
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Bluebird	261	72/22
Western Grebe	262	71/7
Harlequin Duck	263	63/14
Parasitic Jaeger	264	62/21
Hooded Warbler	264	62/21
Vesper Sparrow	266	60/20
Great Shearwater	267	58/15
Dovekie	268	55/18
Glaucous Gull	269	52/17
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	52/20
Thick-billed Murre	271	50/21
Northern Goshawk	272	48/18
Summer Tanager	272	48/15
Red-necked Phalarope	274	45/15
Gull-billed Tern	275	44/8
Northern Saw-whet Owl	276	43/14
Western Kingbird	276	43/11
Black-headed Gull	278	40/13
Arctic Tern	278	40/16
Royal Tern	278	40/13
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barrow's Goldeneye	281	35/7
Long-eared Owl	282	34/15
Worm-eating Warbler	283	32/14
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Bohemian Waxwing	285	29/12
Ruff	286	28/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	28/4
Ross's Goose	288	27/5
Cattle Egret	288	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	290	26/2
Curlew Sandpiper	290	26/6
Sooty Shearwater	292	25/15
Grasshopper Sparrow	292	25/9
White-faced Ibis	294	24/9
Canvasback	295	22/9
Upland Sandpiper	295	22/12
Black-necked Stilt	297	21/3
Prothonotary Warbler	297	21/11
Kentucky Warbler	297	21/10
Blue Grosbeak	297	21/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Murre	301	19/11
Black Rail	302	18/1
Pacific Loon	303	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	303	17/5
Acadian Flycatcher	305	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	305	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	305	16/7
Ash-throated Flycatcher	308	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	309	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	309	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	309	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	312	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	312	11/7
Swainson's Hawk	312	11/3
Cave Swallow	312	11/7
Louisiana Waterthrush	312	11/11
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	11/6
Black Vulture	318	10/8
Golden Eagle	319	9/8
Cackling Goose	320	8/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Common Ringed Plover	320	8/3
American White Pelican	320	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	320	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	320	8/6
Sandhill Crane	325	7/7
Northern Fulmar	325	7/5
Red-headed Woodpecker	325	7/4
Gyrfalcon	325	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	325	7/1
Wilson's Plover	330	6/3
Red-necked Stint	330	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	330	6/4
Sandwich Tern	330	6/2
Say's Phoebe	330	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	330	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	336	5/1
Franklin's Gull	336	5/4
Brown Pelican	336	5/1
Pileated Woodpecker	339	4/4
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
Chuck-will's-widow	342	3/3
Mississippi Kite	342	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	342	3/1
Western Tanager	342	3/1
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	346	2/2
Tundra Swan	346	2/1
Eared Grebe	346	2/1
Ringed Turtle-Dove	346	2/1
Northern Lapwing	346	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	346	2/2
Sabine's Gull	346	2/2
Little Egret	346	2/2
Western Meadowlark	346	2/1
White-winged Dove	355	1
Purple Gallinule	355	1
Elegant Tern	355	1
Neotropic Cormorant	355	1
White Ibis	355	1
Prairie Falcon	355	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monk Parakeet	355	1
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	355	1
Yellow-green Vireo	355	1
Sage Thrasher	355	1
Townsend's Solitaire	355	1
Bicknell's Thrush	355	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	355	1
Lark Bunting	355	1
Black-throated Gray Warbler	355	1