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 February 4, 2012

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Canada Goose	1	2703
Herring Gull	2	2684
American Robin	3	2643
American Crow	4	2599
American Black Duck	5	2582
Mallard	6	2557
Great Black-backed Gull	7	2462
Song Sparrow	8	2420
Black-capped Chickadee	9	2419
Northern Mockingbird	10	2354
Northern Harrier	11	2326
Gadwall	12	2262
European Starling	13	2247
Mourning Dove	14	2112
Northern Cardinal	15	2074
Ring-billed Gull	16	2042
Blue Jay	17	2038
American Goldfinch	18	1929
Double-crested Cormorant	19	1925
Green-winged Teal	20	1897
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Greater Yellowlegs	21	1842
Great Egret	22	1803
Common Loon	23	1768
Great Blue Heron	24	1682
Gray Catbird	25	1664
Mute Swan	26	1613
White-winged Scoter	27	1562
Snowy Egret	28	1515
Red-winged Blackbird	29	1507
Common Eider	30	1499
Eastern Towhee	31	1494
Tree Swallow	32	1476
Red-breasted Merganser	33	1413
House Sparrow	34	1412
Savannah Sparrow	35	1389
Downy Woodpecker	36	1372
Black-bellied Plover	37	1367
Common Grackle	38	1353
Cedar Waxwing	39	1351
Northern Pintail	40	1335
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Killdeer	41	1333
Rock Pigeon	41	1333
Brown Thrasher	43	1307
Osprey	44	1297
White-throated Sparrow	45	1290
Long-tailed Duck	46	1150
House Finch	47	1148
Semipalmated Sandpiper	48	1147
Marsh Wren	48	1147
American Tree Sparrow	50	1142
Semipalmated Plover	51	1132
Lesser Yellowlegs	52	1122
Common Yellowthroat	53	1106
Bufflehead	54	1103
Sanderling	55	1079
Eastern Kingbird	56	1059
Red-throated Loon	57	1057
Peregrine Falcon	57	1057
Black Scoter	59	1054
Yellow-rumped Warbler	60	1040
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Northern Gannet	61	1036
Common Tern	62	1031
Yellow Warbler	62	1031
Purple Finch	62	1031
Barn Swallow	65	999
Dunlin	66	993
Horned Grebe	67	972
Least Sandpiper	68	961
Bobolink	69	948
Merlin	70	930
Brown-headed Cowbird	71	922
Willet	72	921
Purple Martin	73	917
Bonaparte's Gull	74	881
Hooded Merganser	75	878
Turkey Vulture	76	864
Field Sparrow	77	859
Common Goldeneye	78	857
Short-billed Dowitcher	79	846
Dark-eyed Junco	79	846
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Red-tailed Hawk	81	825
American Wigeon	82	821
White-rumped Sandpiper	83	813
Least Tern	84	810
Northern Flicker	85	806
Blue-winged Teal	86	801
Saltmarsh Sparrow	87	798
Horned Lark	88	787
Baltimore Oriole	89	773
Eastern Phoebe	90	755
American Redstart	91	737
Red-breasted Nuthatch	92	715
Piping Plover	93	693
Red-necked Grebe	94	673
Black-crowned Night-Heron	95	664
Surf Scoter	96	637
Snowy Owl	97	634
Rough-legged Hawk	98	631
Swamp Sparrow	99	623
Willow Flycatcher	100	599
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Golden-crowned Kinglet	100	599
Snow Bunting	102	584
Cooper's Hawk	103	578
Spotted Sandpiper	104	566
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	104	566
Bank Swallow	106	555
American Kestrel	107	534
Northern Shoveler	108	530
Sharp-shinned Hawk	109	523
Eastern Meadowlark	110	512
Hermit Thrush	111	510
Brant	112	496
Northern Shrike	113	493
Red-eyed Vireo	114	475
Black-and-white Warbler	115	473
Glossy Ibis	116	471
Greater Scaup	117	453
American Bittern	118	448
Snow Goose	119	436
Chipping Sparrow	120	434
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Virginia Rail	121	420
Pectoral Sandpiper	122	410
Blackpoll Warbler	123	409
Bald Eagle	124	408
Black-throated Green Warbler	125	405
Sora	126	403
Carolina Wren	127	400
Ruddy Turnstone	128	399
Laughing Gull	129	392
Whimbrel	130	386
Belted Kingfisher	131	385
Northern Parula	132	382
Great Cormorant	132	382
American Woodcock	134	376
Palm Warbler	135	375
Red Knot	136	371
Magnolia Warbler	137	367
Pied-billed Grebe	138	365
American Pipit	139	357
Black-throated Blue Warbler	140	353
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Long-billed Dowitcher	141	348
Seaside Sparrow	142	340
Stilt Sandpiper	143	336
Least Bittern	144	329
Blue-headed Vireo	145	328
Razorbill	146	312
Short-eared Owl	147	309
Northern Waterthrush	148	296
American Golden-Plover	149	290
White-crowned Sparrow	150	289
Wild Turkey	151	286
Brown Creeper	152	284
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	153	283
Great Crested Flycatcher	154	276
Chimney Swift	155	274
Wilson's Warbler	155	274
Lesser Scaup	157	259
Nashville Warbler	158	258
Black-legged Kittiwake	159	249
Ruddy Duck	160	247
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Purple Sandpiper	161	242
Wilson's Snipe	161	242
American Coot	163	234
House Wren	164	232
Ovenbird	165	229
Lapland Longspur	166	228
Common Merganser	167	222
Wood Duck	168	221
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	169	220
Green Heron	170	211
Chestnut-sided Warbler	171	209
Great Horned Owl	172	198
Blackburnian Warbler	172	198
Roseate Tern	174	194
Ring-necked Duck	175	189
White-breasted Nuthatch	176	181
Canada Warbler	176	181
Baird's Sandpiper	178	178
Eastern Wood-Pewee	178	178
Forster's Tern	180	176
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orchard Oriole	181	174
Western Sandpiper	182	171
Scarlet Tanager	183	166
Hudsonian Godwit	184	164
Common Redpoll	184	164
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	186	162
Pine Warbler	186	162
Least Flycatcher	188	158
Black-billed Cuckoo	189	157
Hairy Woodpecker	190	155
Swainson's Thrush	191	149
Veery	192	147
Tufted Titmouse	193	146
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	194	142
Wilson's Phalarope	195	141
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	196	138
Prairie Warbler	197	136
Warbling Vireo	198	134
Alder Flycatcher	199	132
Tricolored Heron	200	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eurasian Wigeon	201	129
Red-bellied Woodpecker	202	127
Pine Siskin	202	127
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	204	125
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	205	123
Eastern Whip-poor-will	206	117
Philadelphia Vireo	207	116
King Rail	208	114
Little Blue Heron	209	113
Bay-breasted Warbler	209	113
Winter Wren	211	112
Little Gull	212	109
Lincoln's Sparrow	213	107
Solitary Sandpiper	214	105
Redhead	215	103
Wood Thrush	216	101
Fox Sparrow	217	95/10
Iceland Gull	218	94/11
Clay-colored Sparrow	218	94/10
Clapper Rail	220	88/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	221	87/10
Cliff Swallow	222	86/10
Indigo Bunting	223	82/10
Mourning Warbler	224	77/10
Black Tern	225	74/10
Caspian Tern	226	72/10
Cape May Warbler	227	69/9
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	228	67/10
Lesser Black-backed Gull	228	67/9
White-winged Crossbill	230	63/6
Ring-necked Pheasant	231	58/9
Common Nighthawk	232	55/9
Tennessee Warbler	233	54/9
Blue-winged Warbler	234	53/9
Marbled Godwit	235	52/9
Orange-crowned Warbler	236	51/9
Rusty Blackbird	237	50/10
Yellow-breasted Chat	238	46/8
Manx Shearwater	239	43/9
Connecticut Warbler	240	42/11
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Dickcissel	241	40/9
Nelson's Sparrow	242	38/9
White-eyed Vireo	243	37/8
Hooded Warbler	244	36/10
Northern Goshawk	245	35/12
Parasitic Jaeger	245	35/8
Olive-sided Flycatcher	245	35/9
Yellow-throated Vireo	245	35/8
Black-headed Gull	249	34/9
Fish Crow	249	34/8
Barrow's Goldeneye	251	33/6
Great Shearwater	252	32/8
Black Skimmer	252	32/4
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	254	30/7
Glaucous Gull	254	30/6
Black Guillemot	256	27/9
Red-shouldered Hawk	257	26/7
Vesper Sparrow	257	26/7
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	259	25/2
Eastern Bluebird	260	24/9
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lark Sparrow	261	23/7
Summer Tanager	261	23/5
Broad-winged Hawk	263	22/7
Curlew Sandpiper	263	22/3
Cattle Egret	265	21/5
Dovekie	265	21/8
King Eider	267	20/4
American Avocet	267	20/5
Arctic Tern	267	20/6
Common Raven	270	19/5
Worm-eating Warbler	270	19/6
Black Rail	272	18/1
American Oystercatcher	272	18/8
Long-eared Owl	272	18/6
Red Crossbill	272	18/3
Gull-billed Tern	276	17/4
Harlequin Duck	277	16/6
Western Grebe	278	15/4
Thick-billed Murre	278	15/8
Gray-cheeked Thrush	278	15/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-faced Ibis	281	14/3
Red-necked Phalarope	281	14/5
Barred Owl	281	14/5
Northern Saw-whet Owl	281	14/6
Kentucky Warbler	285	13/6
Upland Sandpiper	286	12/5
Red Phalarope	286	12/4
Royal Tern	286	12/5
Western Kingbird	286	12/4
Green-tailed Towhee	286	12/1
Pine Grosbeak	286	12/2
Sooty Shearwater	292	11/7
Black-tailed Godwit	292	11/1
Ash-throated Flycatcher	292	11/2
Blue Grosbeak	292	11/3
Leach's Storm-Petrel	296	10/6
Ruff	296	10/5
Cory's Shearwater	298	9/4
Pomarine Jaeger	298	9/5
Bohemian Waxwing	298	9/4
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canvasback	301	8/3
Common Murre	301	8/4
Yellow-throated Warbler	301	8/4
Grasshopper Sparrow	301	8/4
Hoary Redpoll	301	8/4
Ross's Goose	306	7/1
Cackling Goose	306	7/2
Gyrfalcon	306	7/5
Cave Swallow	306	7/4
Prothonotary Warbler	306	7/4
Swainson's Warbler	306	7/1
Acadian Flycatcher	312	6/5
Louisiana Waterthrush	312	6/6
Golden-winged Warbler	312	6/3
Northern Fulmar	315	5/3
Black Vulture	315	5/3
Pacific Golden-Plover	315	5/1
Thayer's Gull	315	5/1
Atlantic Puffin	315	5/3
Franklin's Gull	320	4/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Screech-Owl	320	4/3
Red-headed Woodpecker	320	4/2
Cerulean Warbler	320	4/3
Pacific Loon	324	3/2
Golden Eagle	324	3/2
Say's Phoebe	324	3/2
Loggerhead Shrike	324	3/1
Eared Grebe	328	2/1
American White Pelican	328	2/2
Sandhill Crane	328	2/2
Sabine's Gull	328	2/2
Long-tailed Jaeger	328	2/2
Ringed Turtle-Dove	328	2/1
Chuck-will's-widow	328	2/2
Northern Wheatear	328	2/1
Little Egret	336	1
White Ibis	336	1
Eurasian Kestrel	336	1
Northern Lapwing	336	1
Wilson's Plover	336	1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sandwich Tern	336	1
Elegant Tern	336	1
Yellow-green Vireo	336	1
Sedge Wren	336	1
Bicknell's Thrush	336	1
Sage Thrasher	336	1
Chestnut-collared Longspur	336	1
Yellow-headed Blackbird	336	1
Evening Grosbeak	336	1