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 March 12, 2026

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7414
Canada Goose	2	7356
American Robin	3	7280
Mallard	4	7131
American Black Duck	5	7123
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6989
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6906
Song Sparrow	8	6878
American Crow	9	6874
Northern Mockingbird	10	6700
Northern Cardinal	11	6390
European Starling	12	6232
Blue Jay	13	6218
Mourning Dove	14	6139
Northern Harrier	15	5918
Gadwall	16	5896
American Goldfinch	17	5669
Ring-billed Gull	18	5573
Green-winged Teal	19	5239
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5213
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5189
Common Loon	22	5136
Great Egret	23	4867
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4833
Rock Pigeon	25	4802
Gray Catbird	26	4665
Common Eider	27	4633
Downy Woodpecker	28	4629
Great Blue Heron	29	4590
Mute Swan	30	4534
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4437
White-winged Scoter	32	4432
House Finch	33	4408
Eastern Towhee	34	4253
Tree Swallow	35	3945
Snowy Egret	36	3937
Killdeer	37	3912
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3898
Common Grackle	39	3864
Cedar Waxwing	40	3781
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Osprey	41	3780
Black-bellied Plover	42	3742
White-throated Sparrow	43	3603
Northern Pintail	44	3551
Long-tailed Duck	45	3513
Sanderling	46	3447
Black Scoter	47	3434
Brown Thrasher	48	3374
Dunlin	49	3320
Savannah Sparrow	50	3310
Bufflehead	51	3275
Semipalmated Plover	52	3246
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	3239
Purple Finch	54	3216
Marsh Wren	55	3200
Common Yellowthroat	56	3096
Yellow-rumped Warbler	57	3067
Peregrine Falcon	58	2987
Red-tailed Hawk	59	2970
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2962
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2936
Barn Swallow	62	2924
Northern Flicker	63	2895
Red-throated Loon	64	2857
Eastern Kingbird	65	2798
Horned Grebe	66	2753
Yellow Warbler	67	2730
Northern Gannet	68	2675
Common Tern	69	2652
Wild Turkey	70	2635
Turkey Vulture	71	2587
Red-breasted Nuthatch	72	2575
Least Sandpiper	73	2574
Common Goldeneye	74	2543
Swamp Sparrow	75	2541
Willet	76	2516
Bobolink	77	2499
Dark-eyed Junco	78	2447
Purple Martin	79	2440
Brown-headed Cowbird	80	2425
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Merlin	81	2417
Short-billed Dowitcher	82	2412
Piping Plover	83	2397
Field Sparrow	84	2394
Hooded Merganser	85	2375
Least Tern	86	2350
Bald Eagle	87	2326
Baltimore Oriole	88	2314
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2283
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2278
Eastern Phoebe	91	2241
American Redstart	92	2207
Surf Scoter	93	2186
Cooper's Hawk	94	2131
American Wigeon	95	2093
Red-eyed Vireo	96	1935
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1923
Hermit Thrush	98	1915
Horned Lark	99	1815
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1743
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1739
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1732
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1689
Red-necked Grebe	104	1671
Carolina Wren	105	1663
Snowy Owl	106	1558
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1532
Northern Shoveler	108	1503
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1470
Bank Swallow	110	1433
Chipping Sparrow	111	1392
Snow Bunting	112	1369
Great Crested Flycatcher	113	1351
Blue-winged Teal	114	1343
Brant	115	1292
Common Raven	116	1289
Greater Scaup	117	1272
Sharp-shinned Hawk	118	1175
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1173
Razorbill	120	1150
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Glossy Ibis	121	1141
Stilt Sandpiper	122	1117
American Kestrel	123	1098
Belted Kingfisher	124	1092
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1069
Orchard Oriole	126	1051
Seaside Sparrow	127	1041
Least Bittern	128	1039
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1036
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1025
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1006
Laughing Gull	132	997
Northern Parula	133	994
White-breasted Nuthatch	134	980
Palm Warbler	135	968
Black-throated Green Warbler	136	967
Pied-billed Grebe	137	956
Magnolia Warbler	138	896
American Woodcock	139	884
Blue-headed Vireo	140	873
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	868
Red Knot	142	849
House Wren	143	837
Virginia Rail	144	819
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	806
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	803
Lesser Scaup	147	797
American Bittern	148	793
Whimbrel	149	792
Brown Creeper	150	779
Northern Shrike	151	778
Pine Warbler	152	775
American Pipit	153	769
Hairy Woodpecker	154	754
Short-eared Owl	155	744
American Golden-Plover	156	730
Tufted Titmouse	157	722
Chimney Swift	158	710
Northern Waterthrush	159	709
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	699
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	695
Ruddy Duck	162	645
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	163	643
Eastern Meadowlark	164	637
Eastern Wood-Pewee	165	631
Ovenbird	166	627
Roseate Tern	167	625
American Coot	168	620
Wilson's Warbler	169	616
Nashville Warbler	170	610
Snow Goose	171	554
Red-bellied Woodpecker	172	539
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	536
Sora	174	528
Common Merganser	175	501
Purple Sandpiper	175	501
Swainson's Thrush	177	479
Wood Duck	178	478
Blackburnian Warbler	179	475
Wilson's Snipe	180	466
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	446
Least Flycatcher	182	433
Canada Warbler	182	433
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	429
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	185	420
Green Heron	186	418
Veery	187	416
Scarlet Tanager	188	415
Pine Siskin	189	407
Black-legged Kittiwake	190	406
Hudsonian Godwit	191	405
Lapland Longspur	192	398
Great Horned Owl	193	393
Baird's Sandpiper	194	391
Black-billed Cuckoo	195	389
Ring-necked Duck	196	387
Eastern Whip-poor-will	197	385
Warbling Vireo	198	384
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	379
Western Sandpiper	200	368
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	366
Common Redpoll	202	354
Forster's Tern	203	325
Eurasian Wigeon	204	317
Fox Sparrow	205	315
Cape May Warbler	206	310
Fish Crow	207	306
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	208	302
Tricolored Heron	209	297
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	295
Barred Owl	211	287
Lesser Black-backed Gull	212	286
Philadelphia Vireo	213	285
Solitary Sandpiper	214	276
Wilson's Phalarope	215	260
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	216	258
Clay-colored Sparrow	217	253
American Avocet	218	252
Winter Wren	218	252
Black Guillemot	220	244
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	233
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	217
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	211
Wood Thrush	225	207
Tennessee Warbler	226	205
Caspian Tern	227	195
King Rail	228	188
Mourning Warbler	229	182
Common Gallinule	230	181
Indigo Bunting	231	174
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	172
Dickcissel	233	170
Nelson's Sparrow	234	168
Cliff Swallow	235	166
Iceland Gull	236	165
Black Tern	237	155
Redhead	238	153
Clapper Rail	239	151
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	127
Little Gull	243	125
King Eider	244	122
Blue-winged Warbler	245	120
Rusty Blackbird	246	116
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	110
Yellow-breasted Chat	247	110
Marbled Godwit	249	100
Common Nighthawk	250	96/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	96/23
American Oystercatcher	252	92/21
Cory's Shearwater	253	87/14
Ring-necked Pheasant	254	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	85/15
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	81/20
Broad-winged Hawk	257	78/20
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
Western Grebe	261	71/7
Eastern Bluebird	261	71/22
Harlequin Duck	263	63/14
Parasitic Jaeger	264	62/21
Hooded Warbler	264	62/21
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	266	58/19
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	33/14
Worm-eating Warbler	283	32/14
Red Phalarope	284	30/9
Bohemian Waxwing	285	29/12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	28/4
Ross's Goose	287	27/5
Cattle Egret	287	27/9
Greater White-fronted Goose	289	26/2
Ruff	289	26/11
Curlew Sandpiper	289	26/6
Sooty Shearwater	292	25/15
Grasshopper Sparrow	292	25/9
White-faced Ibis	294	23/8
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	300	20/7
			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
Yellow-throated Warbler	312	11/6
Black Vulture	317	10/8
Louisiana Waterthrush	317	10/10
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
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