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 July 31, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7201
Canada Goose	2	7147
American Robin	3	7072
Mallard	4	6936
American Black Duck	5	6914
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6782
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6712
American Crow	8	6691
Song Sparrow	9	6684
Northern Mockingbird	10	6502
Northern Cardinal	11	6185
European Starling	12	6047
Blue Jay	13	6024
Mourning Dove	14	5942
Gadwall	15	5751
Northern Harrier	16	5712
American Goldfinch	17	5490
Ring-billed Gull	18	5391
Green-winged Teal	19	5113
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5087
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5035
Common Loon	22	4977
Great Egret	23	4745
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4720
Rock Pigeon	25	4632
Gray Catbird	26	4536
Great Blue Heron	27	4476
Common Eider	28	4464
Mute Swan	29	4456
Downy Woodpecker	30	4446
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4344
White-winged Scoter	32	4291
House Finch	33	4222
Eastern Towhee	34	4123
Tree Swallow	35	3870
Killdeer	36	3856
Snowy Egret	37	3851
Common Grackle	38	3804
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3779
Osprey	40	3721
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3629
Cedar Waxwing	42	3618
White-throated Sparrow	43	3447
Northern Pintail	44	3428
Long-tailed Duck	45	3401
Black Scoter	46	3313
Brown Thrasher	47	3308
Sanderling	48	3301
Savannah Sparrow	49	3237
Dunlin	50	3183
Bufflehead	51	3171
Semipalmated Plover	52	3138
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	3134
Marsh Wren	54	3130
Purple Finch	55	3107
Common Yellowthroat	56	3027
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2911
Yellow-rumped Warbler	58	2905
Peregrine Falcon	59	2889
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2885
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2873
American Tree Sparrow	62	2820
Northern Flicker	63	2779
Red-throated Loon	64	2768
Eastern Kingbird	65	2756
Yellow Warbler	66	2684
Horned Grebe	67	2654
Common Tern	68	2608
Northern Gannet	69	2593
Wild Turkey	70	2536
Turkey Vulture	71	2513
Least Sandpiper	72	2508
Willet	73	2480
Swamp Sparrow	74	2478
Bobolink	75	2467
Common Goldeneye	76	2448
Brown-headed Cowbird	77	2420
Red-breasted Nuthatch	78	2416
Purple Martin	78	2416
Piping Plover	80	2359
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	2357
Short-billed Dowitcher	82	2351
Merlin	83	2341
Least Tern	84	2322
Hooded Merganser	85	2313
Dark-eyed Junco	86	2307
Baltimore Oriole	87	2267
Bald Eagle	88	2228
Saltmarsh Sparrow	89	2227
White-rumped Sandpiper	90	2176
Eastern Phoebe	91	2175
American Redstart	92	2158
Surf Scoter	93	2083
Cooper's Hawk	94	2029
American Wigeon	95	2028
Red-eyed Vireo	96	1878
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1876
Hermit Thrush	98	1858
Horned Lark	99	1728
Willow Flycatcher	100	1724
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bonaparte's Gull	101	1716
Spotted Sandpiper	102	1692
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1639
Red-necked Grebe	104	1615
Carolina Wren	105	1558
Snowy Owl	106	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1511
Northern Shoveler	108	1465
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1447
Bank Swallow	110	1419
Chipping Sparrow	111	1355
Blue-winged Teal	112	1331
Great Crested Flycatcher	113	1324
Snow Bunting	114	1313
Brant	115	1262
Greater Scaup	116	1218
Common Raven	117	1163
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1148
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1143
Glossy Ibis	120	1129
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Razorbill	121	1114
American Kestrel	122	1097
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1071
Belted Kingfisher	124	1058
Orchard Oriole	125	1048
Least Bittern	126	1032
Seaside Sparrow	126	1032
Pectoral Sandpiper	128	1029
Blackpoll Warbler	129	1006
Ruddy Turnstone	130	979
Long-billed Dowitcher	130	979
Northern Parula	132	970
Palm Warbler	133	947
Black-throated Green Warbler	134	946
Laughing Gull	135	944
White-breasted Nuthatch	136	940
Pied-billed Grebe	137	935
American Woodcock	138	874
Magnolia Warbler	139	869
Great Cormorant	140	850
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	140	850
Red Knot	142	822
House Wren	143	820
Virginia Rail	144	814
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	788
American Bittern	146	787
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	147	782
Northern Shrike	148	778
Lesser Scaup	149	776
Pine Warbler	150	771
Whimbrel	151	764
Brown Creeper	152	741
American Pipit	153	724
Northern Waterthrush	154	703
Short-eared Owl	155	702
Chimney Swift	156	701
American Golden-Plover	157	691
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	158	690
Tufted Titmouse	159	689
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	632
Ovenbird	164	623
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	165	620
Roseate Tern	166	619
Eastern Wood-Pewee	167	615
Wilson's Warbler	168	604
American Coot	169	599
Nashville Warbler	170	591
Snow Goose	171	551
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	528
Sora	173	526
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	513
Purple Sandpiper	175	491
Common Merganser	176	484
Swainson's Thrush	177	471
Blackburnian Warbler	178	469
Wood Duck	179	467
Wilson's Snipe	180	451
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Alder Flycatcher	181	445
Canada Warbler	182	431
Least Flycatcher	183	425
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	184	419
Green Heron	185	417
Veery	186	413
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	187	410
Scarlet Tanager	188	409
Black-legged Kittiwake	189	405
Hudsonian Godwit	190	397
Black-billed Cuckoo	191	389
Great Horned Owl	192	386
Pine Siskin	192	386
Ring-necked Duck	194	385
Baird's Sandpiper	195	384
Lapland Longspur	196	380
Eastern Whip-poor-will	197	379
Warbling Vireo	198	377
Bay-breasted Warbler	199	364
Western Sandpiper	200	363
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prairie Warbler	200	363
Common Redpoll	202	353
Forster's Tern	203	316
Fox Sparrow	204	312
Fish Crow	205	302
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	206	301
Eurasian Wigeon	207	296
Cape May Warbler	208	292
Barred Owl	209	286
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	278
Tricolored Heron	211	276
Solitary Sandpiper	212	270
Philadelphia Vireo	213	269
Lesser Black-backed Gull	214	262
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	215	257
Wilson's Phalarope	216	253
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	223
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	215
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	224	208
Wood Thrush	225	206
Tennessee Warbler	226	196
King Rail	227	188
Caspian Tern	228	187
Common Gallinule	229	181
Mourning Warbler	230	180
Indigo Bunting	231	170
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	232	167
Cliff Swallow	233	166
Nelson's Sparrow	234	161
Iceland Gull	235	158
Black Tern	236	155
Redhead	237	153
Dickcissel	237	153
White-winged Crossbill	239	148
Clapper Rail	240	147
			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	95/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	95/23
Cory's Shearwater	252	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	253	85/13
Black Skimmer	253	85/15
American Oystercatcher	255	79/21
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	78/19
Broad-winged Hawk	256	78/20
Lark Sparrow	258	76/20
Manx Shearwater	259	73/22
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
Arctic Tern	277	40/16
Royal Tern	277	40/13
Western Kingbird	277	40/10
			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
Canvasback	293	21/8
Black-necked Stilt	293	21/3
Kentucky Warbler	293	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	296	20/11
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