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 October 16, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7278
Canada Goose	2	7221
American Robin	3	7149
Mallard	4	7013
American Black Duck	5	6989
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6858
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6788
Song Sparrow	8	6761
American Crow	9	6747
Northern Mockingbird	10	6578
Northern Cardinal	11	6260
European Starling	12	6121
Blue Jay	13	6096
Mourning Dove	14	6017
Gadwall	15	5827
Northern Harrier	16	5779
American Goldfinch	17	5563
Ring-billed Gull	18	5468
Green-winged Teal	19	5187
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5164
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	5100
Common Loon	22	5028
Great Egret	23	4822
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4797
Rock Pigeon	25	4683
Gray Catbird	26	4612
Great Blue Heron	27	4552
Common Eider	28	4531
Downy Woodpecker	29	4509
Mute Swan	30	4485
Red-winged Blackbird	31	4405
White-winged Scoter	32	4321
House Finch	33	4291
Eastern Towhee	34	4200
Tree Swallow	35	3935
Snowy Egret	36	3928
Killdeer	37	3905
Common Grackle	38	3853
Red-breasted Merganser	39	3787
Osprey	40	3780
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3701
Cedar Waxwing	42	3693
White-throated Sparrow	43	3476
Northern Pintail	44	3461
Long-tailed Duck	45	3405
Brown Thrasher	46	3374
Sanderling	47	3360
Black Scoter	48	3326
Savannah Sparrow	49	3272
Dunlin	50	3231
Semipalmated Plover	51	3214
Semipalmated Sandpiper	52	3211
Marsh Wren	53	3191
Bufflehead	54	3171
Purple Finch	55	3149
Common Yellowthroat	56	3092
Lesser Yellowlegs	57	2957
Peregrine Falcon	58	2955
Yellow-rumped Warbler	59	2936
Red-tailed Hawk	60	2930
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Barn Swallow	61	2920
Northern Flicker	62	2839
American Tree Sparrow	63	2820
Eastern Kingbird	64	2798
Red-throated Loon	65	2777
Yellow Warbler	66	2730
Horned Grebe	67	2657
Common Tern	68	2652
Northern Gannet	69	2630
Wild Turkey	70	2603
Least Sandpiper	71	2574
Turkey Vulture	72	2569
Willet	73	2516
Swamp Sparrow	74	2511
Bobolink	75	2499
Red-breasted Nuthatch	76	2465
Common Goldeneye	77	2448
Purple Martin	78	2440
Brown-headed Cowbird	79	2423
Short-billed Dowitcher	80	2412
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Piping Plover	81	2393
Merlin	81	2393
Field Sparrow	83	2381
Least Tern	84	2350
Dark-eyed Junco	85	2332
Baltimore Oriole	86	2314
Hooded Merganser	87	2313
Saltmarsh Sparrow	88	2283
White-rumped Sandpiper	89	2248
Bald Eagle	90	2245
Eastern Phoebe	91	2233
American Redstart	92	2207
Surf Scoter	93	2103
Cooper's Hawk	94	2067
American Wigeon	95	2050
Red-eyed Vireo	96	1934
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1923
Hermit Thrush	98	1866
Willow Flycatcher	99	1739
Spotted Sandpiper	100	1732
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1732
Horned Lark	100	1732
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1663
Carolina Wren	104	1620
Red-necked Grebe	105	1616
Snowy Owl	106	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1511
Northern Shoveler	108	1468
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1463
Bank Swallow	110	1433
Chipping Sparrow	111	1376
Great Crested Flycatcher	112	1351
Blue-winged Teal	113	1343
Snow Bunting	114	1313
Brant	115	1266
Greater Scaup	116	1219
Common Raven	117	1191
Black-and-white Warbler	118	1173
Sharp-shinned Hawk	119	1151
Glossy Ibis	120	1140
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stilt Sandpiper	121	1116
Razorbill	122	1114
American Kestrel	123	1098
Belted Kingfisher	124	1088
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1066
Orchard Oriole	126	1051
Seaside Sparrow	127	1040
Least Bittern	128	1039
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	1028
Blackpoll Warbler	130	1025
Ruddy Turnstone	131	1006
Laughing Gull	132	996
Northern Parula	133	994
Black-throated Green Warbler	134	967
White-breasted Nuthatch	135	964
Palm Warbler	135	964
Pied-billed Grebe	137	955
Magnolia Warbler	138	896
American Woodcock	139	880
Blue-headed Vireo	140	867
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Great Cormorant	141	852
Red Knot	142	846
House Wren	143	837
Virginia Rail	144	819
Black-throated Blue Warbler	145	806
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	146	803
Whimbrel	147	792
American Bittern	148	790
Northern Shrike	149	778
Lesser Scaup	150	776
Pine Warbler	151	774
Brown Creeper	152	765
American Pipit	153	744
American Golden-Plover	154	728
Chimney Swift	155	710
Northern Waterthrush	156	709
Short-eared Owl	157	702
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	158	699
Tufted Titmouse	159	698
Hairy Woodpecker	160	694
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
White-crowned Sparrow	161	690
Ruddy Duck	162	645
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	163	638
Eastern Meadowlark	164	635
Eastern Wood-Pewee	165	631
Ovenbird	166	627
Roseate Tern	167	625
Wilson's Warbler	168	616
Nashville Warbler	169	607
American Coot	170	599
Snow Goose	171	551
Chestnut-sided Warbler	172	536
Red-bellied Woodpecker	173	529
Sora	174	528
Purple Sandpiper	175	491
Common Merganser	176	484
Swainson's Thrush	177	478
Blackburnian Warbler	178	475
Wood Duck	179	471
Wilson's Snipe	180	451
			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
Black-legged Kittiwake	189	405
Hudsonian Godwit	190	403
Baird's Sandpiper	191	391
Pine Siskin	192	390
Black-billed Cuckoo	193	389
Great Horned Owl	194	386
Ring-necked Duck	195	385
Eastern Whip-poor-will	195	385
Warbling Vireo	197	384
Lapland Longspur	198	382
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	353
Forster's Tern	203	325
Fox Sparrow	204	312
Cape May Warbler	205	310
Fish Crow	206	303
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	207	302
Eurasian Wigeon	208	301
Tricolored Heron	209	297
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	294
Barred Owl	211	286
Philadelphia Vireo	212	285
Lesser Black-backed Gull	213	284
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	219	251
Black Guillemot	220	244
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Little Blue Heron	221	230
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	168
Nelson's Sparrow	234	167
Cliff Swallow	235	166
Iceland Gull	236	159
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	134
White-eyed Vireo	242	127
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	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	80/19
Broad-winged Hawk	257	78/20
Manx Shearwater	258	76/22
Lark Sparrow	258	76/20
Connecticut Warbler	260	73/25
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Western Grebe	261	71/7
Eastern Bluebird	262	69/21
Parasitic Jaeger	263	62/21
Hooded Warbler	263	62/21
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	266	58/19
Dovekie	268	54/17
Glaucous Gull	269	52/17
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	52/20
Summer Tanager	271	48/15
Red-necked Phalarope	272	45/15
Thick-billed Murre	272	45/20
Gull-billed Tern	274	44/8
Northern Goshawk	274	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
Prothonotary Warbler	294	21/11
Kentucky Warbler	294	21/10
Blue Grosbeak	298	20/7
Common Murre	299	19/11
Black Rail	300	18/1
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bohemian Waxwing	300	18/11
Pacific Loon	302	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	302	17/5
Acadian Flycatcher	304	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	304	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	304	16/7
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