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 June 13, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7153
Canada Goose	2	7100
American Robin	3	7024
Mallard	4	6888
American Black Duck	5	6870
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6737
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6666
American Crow	8	6662
Song Sparrow	9	6636
Northern Mockingbird	10	6454
Northern Cardinal	11	6137
European Starling	12	5999
Blue Jay	13	5982
Mourning Dove	14	5894
Gadwall	15	5703
Northern Harrier	16	5699
American Goldfinch	17	5442
Ring-billed Gull	18	5347
Green-winged Teal	19	5078
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5039
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4987
Common Loon	22	4940
Great Egret	23	4697
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4677
Rock Pigeon	25	4603
Gray Catbird	26	4488
Great Blue Heron	27	4432
Downy Woodpecker	28	4422
Common Eider	29	4418
Mute Swan	30	4409
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4296
White-winged Scoter	32	4291
House Finch	33	4175
Eastern Towhee	34	4075
Tree Swallow	35	3822
Killdeer	36	3808
Snowy Egret	37	3803
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3772
Common Grackle	39	3756
Osprey	40	3673
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3615
Cedar Waxwing	42	3570
White-throated Sparrow	43	3447
Northern Pintail	44	3428
Long-tailed Duck	45	3397
Sanderling	46	3279
Black Scoter	46	3279
Brown Thrasher	48	3262
Savannah Sparrow	49	3230
Dunlin	50	3178
Bufflehead	51	3171
Semipalmated Plover	52	3102
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	3092
Marsh Wren	54	3082
Purple Finch	55	3068
Common Yellowthroat	56	2979
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2907
Yellow-rumped Warbler	58	2904
Peregrine Falcon	59	2877
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2849
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2826
American Tree Sparrow	62	2820
Red-throated Loon	63	2766
Northern Flicker	64	2742
Eastern Kingbird	65	2708
Horned Grebe	66	2654
Yellow Warbler	67	2636
Northern Gannet	68	2592
Common Tern	69	2560
Turkey Vulture	70	2500
Wild Turkey	71	2496
Least Sandpiper	72	2474
Common Goldeneye	73	2448
Swamp Sparrow	74	2435
Willet	75	2432
Bobolink	76	2424
Red-breasted Nuthatch	77	2409
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2385
Purple Martin	79	2368
Merlin	80	2337
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	2331
Piping Plover	82	2317
Short-billed Dowitcher	83	2316
Hooded Merganser	84	2313
Dark-eyed Junco	85	2306
Least Tern	86	2274
Bald Eagle	87	2225
Baltimore Oriole	88	2223
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2180
Eastern Phoebe	90	2174
White-rumped Sandpiper	91	2161
American Redstart	92	2111
Surf Scoter	93	2082
American Wigeon	94	2027
Cooper's Hawk	95	2025
Hermit Thrush	96	1858
Red-eyed Vireo	97	1844
Black-crowned Night-Heron	98	1831
Horned Lark	99	1728
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1690
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Willow Flycatcher	101	1677
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1666
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1639
Red-necked Grebe	104	1615
Carolina Wren	105	1543
Snowy Owl	106	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1511
Northern Shoveler	108	1465
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1447
Bank Swallow	110	1397
Chipping Sparrow	111	1336
Blue-winged Teal	112	1318
Snow Bunting	113	1313
Great Crested Flycatcher	114	1283
Brant	115	1262
Greater Scaup	116	1218
Common Raven	117	1156
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1146
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1143
Razorbill	120	1114
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Kestrel	121	1096
Glossy Ibis	122	1094
Belted Kingfisher	123	1055
Stilt Sandpiper	124	1050
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1019
Orchard Oriole	126	1011
Blackpoll Warbler	127	1004
Seaside Sparrow	128	1000
Least Bittern	129	989
Ruddy Turnstone	130	975
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	975
Northern Parula	132	969
Palm Warbler	133	947
Black-throated Green Warbler	134	946
Pied-billed Grebe	135	934
White-breasted Nuthatch	136	933
Laughing Gull	137	917
American Woodcock	138	869
Magnolia Warbler	139	868
Great Cormorant	140	850
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	140	850
Red Knot	142	819
Virginia Rail	143	814
House Wren	144	806
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	788
American Bittern	146	786
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	781
Northern Shrike	148	778
Lesser Scaup	149	776
Pine Warbler	150	770
Whimbrel	151	756
Brown Creeper	152	741
American Pipit	153	724
Northern Waterthrush	154	703
Short-eared Owl	155	702
American Golden-Plover	156	690
Chimney Swift	157	687
Hairy Woodpecker	158	682
Tufted Titmouse	158	682
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	160	679
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	676
Ruddy Duck	162	637
Eastern Meadowlark	163	632
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	620
Wilson's Warbler	165	604
Ovenbird	166	603
American Coot	167	599
Nashville Warbler	168	591
Eastern Wood-Pewee	168	591
Roseate Tern	170	587
Snow Goose	171	551
Sora	172	526
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	526
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	512
Purple Sandpiper	175	491
Common Merganser	176	484
Swainson's Thrush	177	471
Blackburnian Warbler	178	469
Wood Duck	179	464
Wilson's Snipe	180	451
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	431
Alder Flycatcher	182	429
Least Flycatcher	183	424
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	417
Green Heron	185	416
Veery	186	413
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	187	409
Scarlet Tanager	187	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	189	405
Hudsonian Godwit	190	396
Great Horned Owl	191	386
Pine Siskin	191	386
Ring-necked Duck	193	385
Black-billed Cuckoo	193	385
Baird's Sandpiper	195	384
Lapland Longspur	196	380
Warbling Vireo	197	375
Eastern Whip-poor-will	198	368
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	364
Western Sandpiper	200	363
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	201	362
Common Redpoll	202	353
Forster's Tern	203	316
Fox Sparrow	204	312
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	300
Fish Crow	206	294
Cape May Warbler	207	292
Barred Owl	208	286
Eurasian Wigeon	208	286
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	278
Solitary Sandpiper	211	270
Tricolored Heron	211	270
Philadelphia Vireo	213	269
Lesser Black-backed Gull	214	258
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	215	256
Wilson's Phalarope	216	252
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	222
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	215
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	208
Wood Thrush	225	205
Tennessee Warbler	226	196
Caspian Tern	227	187
King Rail	228	182
Common Gallinule	229	181
Mourning Warbler	230	180
Indigo Bunting	231	170
Cliff Swallow	232	165
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	162
Iceland Gull	234	158
Nelson's Sparrow	235	157
Black Tern	236	154
Redhead	237	153
Dickcissel	237	153
White-winged Crossbill	239	148
Clapper Rail	240	144
			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	121
Blue-winged Warbler	245	120
Rusty Blackbird	246	115
Yellow-throated Vireo	247	110
Marbled Godwit	248	100
Yellow-breasted Chat	249	98/17
Common Nighthawk	250	95/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	95/23
Cory's Shearwater	252	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	253	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	83/14
Broad-winged Hawk	255	79/20
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	78/19
American Oystercatcher	257	77/21
Lark Sparrow	258	76/20
Manx Shearwater	259	72/22
Western Grebe	260	71/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Bluebird	261	67/21
Connecticut Warbler	261	67/24
Parasitic Jaeger	263	61/21
Hooded Warbler	263	61/20
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
Gull-billed Tern	273	44/8
Northern Goshawk	273	44/17
Northern Saw-whet Owl	275	43/14
Red-necked Phalarope	276	41/14
Black-headed Gull	277	40/13
Royal Tern	277	40/13
Western Kingbird	277	40/10
Barrow's Goldeneye	280	35/7
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Arctic Tern	280	35/16
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
Curlew Sandpiper	286	26/6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	286	26/3
Sooty Shearwater	289	25/15
Grasshopper Sparrow	289	25/9
White-faced Ibis	291	22/7
Canvasback	292	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	292	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	20/11
Black-necked Stilt	294	20/3
Common Murre	296	19/11
Black Rail	297	18/1
Ruff	297	18/10
Bohemian Waxwing	297	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