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 September 12, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7244
Canada Goose	2	7189
American Robin	3	7115
Mallard	4	6979
American Black Duck	5	6955
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6825
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6754
Song Sparrow	8	6727
American Crow	9	6718
Northern Mockingbird	10	6545
Northern Cardinal	11	6227
European Starling	12	6090
Blue Jay	13	6062
Mourning Dove	14	5984
Gadwall	15	5794
Northern Harrier	16	5746
American Goldfinch	17	5533
Ring-billed Gull	18	5434
Green-winged Teal	19	5153
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5130
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5073
Common Loon	22	4998
Great Egret	23	4788
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4763
Rock Pigeon	25	4655
Gray Catbird	26	4579
Great Blue Heron	27	4519
Common Eider	28	4503
Mute Swan	29	4478
Downy Woodpecker	29	4478
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4386
White-winged Scoter	32	4296
House Finch	33	4261
Eastern Towhee	34	4166
Tree Swallow	35	3913
Snowy Egret	36	3894
Killdeer	37	3889
Common Grackle	38	3842
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3779
Osprey	40	3764
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3667
Cedar Waxwing	42	3661
White-throated Sparrow	43	3447
Northern Pintail	44	3430
Long-tailed Duck	45	3401
Brown Thrasher	46	3346
Sanderling	47	3335
Black Scoter	48	3314
Savannah Sparrow	49	3242
Dunlin	50	3198
Semipalmated Plover	51	3181
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3177
Bufflehead	53	3171
Marsh Wren	54	3169
Purple Finch	55	3128
Common Yellowthroat	56	3068
Lesser Yellowlegs	57	2928
Peregrine Falcon	57	2928
Red-tailed Hawk	59	2922
Barn Swallow	60	2913
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yellow-rumped Warbler	61	2908
American Tree Sparrow	62	2820
Northern Flicker	63	2806
Eastern Kingbird	64	2798
Red-throated Loon	65	2768
Yellow Warbler	66	2720
Horned Grebe	67	2654
Common Tern	68	2647
Northern Gannet	69	2611
Wild Turkey	70	2573
Least Sandpiper	71	2551
Turkey Vulture	72	2545
Willet	73	2515
Swamp Sparrow	74	2491
Bobolink	75	2490
Common Goldeneye	76	2448
Purple Martin	77	2440
Red-breasted Nuthatch	78	2435
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2421
Short-billed Dowitcher	80	2393
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Piping Plover	81	2386
Merlin	82	2369
Field Sparrow	83	2365
Least Tern	84	2350
Hooded Merganser	85	2313
Dark-eyed Junco	86	2307
Baltimore Oriole	87	2300
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2258
Bald Eagle	89	2239
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2218
Eastern Phoebe	91	2204
American Redstart	92	2191
Surf Scoter	93	2085
Cooper's Hawk	94	2043
American Wigeon	95	2029
Black-crowned Night-Heron	96	1913
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1908
Hermit Thrush	98	1858
Willow Flycatcher	99	1738
Horned Lark	100	1728
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bonaparte's Gull	101	1726
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1726
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1639
Red-necked Grebe	104	1615
Carolina Wren	105	1590
Snowy Owl	106	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1511
Northern Shoveler	108	1467
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1447
Bank Swallow	110	1433
Chipping Sparrow	111	1358
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1347
Blue-winged Teal	113	1339
Snow Bunting	114	1313
Brant	115	1262
Greater Scaup	116	1218
Common Raven	117	1171
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1156
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1144
Glossy Ibis	120	1137
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1114
Stilt Sandpiper	122	1097
American Kestrel	122	1097
Belted Kingfisher	124	1065
Orchard Oriole	125	1051
Pectoral Sandpiper	126	1043
Least Bittern	127	1039
Seaside Sparrow	127	1039
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1012
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1007
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1005
Laughing Gull	132	985
Northern Parula	133	974
White-breasted Nuthatch	134	954
Black-throated Green Warbler	135	949
Palm Warbler	136	947
Pied-billed Grebe	137	935
American Woodcock	138	877
Magnolia Warbler	139	875
Great Cormorant	140	851
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	850
Red Knot	142	840
House Wren	143	829
Virginia Rail	144	816
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	145	800
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	788
American Bittern	147	787
Whimbrel	148	780
Northern Shrike	149	778
Lesser Scaup	150	776
Pine Warbler	151	772
Brown Creeper	152	741
American Pipit	153	724
Chimney Swift	154	710
Northern Waterthrush	155	709
American Golden-Plover	156	704
Short-eared Owl	157	702
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	158	698
Tufted Titmouse	159	690
Hairy Woodpecker	160	682
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	676
Ruddy Duck	162	645
Eastern Meadowlark	163	634
Eastern Wood-Pewee	164	630
Ovenbird	165	626
Roseate Tern	166	625
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	167	620
Wilson's Warbler	168	607
American Coot	169	599
Nashville Warbler	170	594
Snow Goose	171	551
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	532
Sora	173	526
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	513
Purple Sandpiper	175	491
Common Merganser	176	484
Swainson's Thrush	177	471
Blackburnian Warbler	178	470
Wood Duck	179	467
Wilson's Snipe	180	451
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	446
Canada Warbler	182	431
Least Flycatcher	183	429
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	424
Green Heron	185	418
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	186	417
Veery	187	414
Scarlet Tanager	188	411
Black-legged Kittiwake	189	405
Hudsonian Godwit	190	399
Black-billed Cuckoo	191	389
Baird's Sandpiper	191	389
Great Horned Owl	193	386
Pine Siskin	193	386
Ring-necked Duck	195	385
Eastern Whip-poor-will	196	382
Warbling Vireo	197	381
Lapland Longspur	198	380
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	368
Western Sandpiper	200	367
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	363
Common Redpoll	202	353
Forster's Tern	203	322
Fox Sparrow	204	312
Fish Crow	205	303
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	206	302
Eurasian Wigeon	207	296
Cape May Warbler	207	296
Tricolored Heron	209	291
Barred Owl	210	286
Lincoln's Sparrow	211	279
Lesser Black-backed Gull	212	277
Solitary Sandpiper	213	275
Philadelphia Vireo	214	271
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	215	258
Wilson's Phalarope	216	257
Winter Wren	217	245
Black Guillemot	218	244
Clay-colored Sparrow	219	239
American Avocet	220	234
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	224
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	217
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	211
Wood Thrush	225	207
Tennessee Warbler	226	197
Caspian Tern	227	191
King Rail	228	188
Common Gallinule	229	181
Mourning Warbler	230	180
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	231	172
Indigo Bunting	232	170
Cliff Swallow	233	166
Nelson's Sparrow	234	162
Dickcissel	235	159
Iceland Gull	236	158
Black Tern	237	155
Redhead	238	153
Clapper Rail	239	150
White-winged Crossbill	240	148
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Orange-crowned Warbler	241	131
White-eyed Vireo	242	126
Little Gull	243	125
King Eider	244	122
Blue-winged Warbler	245	120
Rusty Blackbird	246	115
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	110
Yellow-breasted Chat	248	108
Marbled Godwit	249	100
Common Nighthawk	250	96/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	96/23
American Oystercatcher	252	91/21
Cory's Shearwater	253	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	85/15
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	80/19
Broad-winged Hawk	257	78/20
Manx Shearwater	258	76/22
Lark Sparrow	258	76/20
Western Grebe	260	71/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Connecticut Warbler	261	69/25
Eastern Bluebird	262	67/21
Parasitic Jaeger	263	62/21
Hooded Warbler	263	62/21
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	267	57/19
Dovekie	268	54/17
Glaucous Gull	269	52/17
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	52/20
Summer Tanager	271	46/15
Thick-billed Murre	272	45/20
Red-necked Phalarope	273	44/15
Gull-billed Tern	273	44/8
Northern Goshawk	273	44/17
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	33/14
Worm-eating Warbler	283	32/14
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Cattle Egret	285	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	286	26/2
Ruff	286	26/11
Curlew Sandpiper	286	26/6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	26/3
Sooty Shearwater	290	25/15
Grasshopper Sparrow	290	25/9
White-faced Ibis	292	23/8
Upland Sandpiper	293	22/12
Canvasback	294	21/8
Black-necked Stilt	294	21/3
Kentucky Warbler	294	21/10
Common Murre	297	19/11
Black Rail	298	18/1
Bohemian Waxwing	298	18/11
Pacific Loon	300	17/8
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Pine Grosbeak	300	17/5
Prothonotary Warbler	300	17/10
Acadian Flycatcher	303	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	303	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	303	16/7
Blue Grosbeak	303	16/6
Ross's Goose	307	14/4
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
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	11/6
Louisiana Waterthrush	317	10/10
Black Vulture	318	9/7
Cackling Goose	319	8/3
Common Ringed Plover	319	8/3
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American White Pelican	319	8/7
Golden Eagle	319	8/7
Golden-winged Warbler	319	8/5
Cerulean Warbler	319	8/6
Sandhill Crane	325	7/7
Red-headed Woodpecker	325	7/4
Gyrfalcon	325	7/5
Swainson's Warbler	325	7/1
Wilson's Plover	329	6/3
Red-necked Stint	329	6/2
Atlantic Puffin	329	6/4
Sandwich Tern	329	6/2
Northern Fulmar	329	6/4
Say's Phoebe	329	6/4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	329	6/5
Pacific Golden-Plover	336	5/1
Franklin's Gull	336	5/4
Brown Pelican	336	5/1
Sedge Wren	339	4/4
Northern Wheatear	339	4/2
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Chuck-will's-widow	341	3/3
Mississippi Kite	341	3/3
Pileated Woodpecker	341	3/3
Loggerhead Shrike	341	3/1
Western Tanager	341	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