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 May 23, 2025

	Species		n		N		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
Herring Gull	1	7132
Canada Goose	2	7079
American Robin	3	7003
Mallard	4	6867
American Black Duck	5	6855
Black-capped Chickadee	6	6716
Great Black-backed Gull	7	6645
American Crow	8	6643
Song Sparrow	9	6615
Northern Mockingbird	10	6433
Northern Cardinal	11	6116
European Starling	12	5978
Blue Jay	13	5962
Mourning Dove	14	5873
Northern Harrier	15	5690
Gadwall	16	5682
American Goldfinch	17	5421
Ring-billed Gull	18	5330
Green-winged Teal	19	5065
Double-crested Cormorant	20	5018
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
House Sparrow	21	4966
Common Loon	22	4922
Great Egret	23	4676
Greater Yellowlegs	24	4658
Rock Pigeon	25	4592
Gray Catbird	26	4467
Great Blue Heron	27	4418
Downy Woodpecker	28	4407
Common Eider	29	4402
Mute Swan	30	4388
White-winged Scoter	31	4284
Red-winged Blackbird	32	4275
House Finch	33	4154
Eastern Towhee	34	4054
Tree Swallow	35	3802
Killdeer	36	3787
Snowy Egret	37	3782
Red-breasted Merganser	38	3767
Common Grackle	39	3735
Osprey	40	3652
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Black-bellied Plover	41	3596
Cedar Waxwing	42	3549
White-throated Sparrow	43	3444
Northern Pintail	44	3425
Long-tailed Duck	45	3386
Sanderling	46	3272
Black Scoter	47	3262
Brown Thrasher	48	3241
Savannah Sparrow	49	3223
Bufflehead	50	3171
Dunlin	51	3166
Semipalmated Plover	52	3085
Semipalmated Sandpiper	53	3075
Marsh Wren	54	3061
Purple Finch	55	3047
Common Yellowthroat	56	2958
Red-tailed Hawk	57	2904
Yellow-rumped Warbler	58	2900
Peregrine Falcon	59	2875
Lesser Yellowlegs	60	2845
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Tree Sparrow	61	2820
Barn Swallow	62	2805
Red-throated Loon	63	2759
Northern Flicker	64	2724
Eastern Kingbird	65	2687
Horned Grebe	66	2654
Yellow Warbler	67	2615
Northern Gannet	68	2590
Common Tern	69	2539
Wild Turkey	70	2486
Turkey Vulture	71	2483
Least Sandpiper	72	2462
Common Goldeneye	73	2448
Swamp Sparrow	74	2414
Willet	75	2411
Red-breasted Nuthatch	76	2407
Bobolink	77	2403
Brown-headed Cowbird	78	2364
Purple Martin	79	2347
Merlin	80	2332
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Field Sparrow	81	2317
Hooded Merganser	82	2312
Dark-eyed Junco	83	2306
Short-billed Dowitcher	84	2305
Piping Plover	85	2301
Least Tern	86	2253
Bald Eagle	87	2217
Baltimore Oriole	88	2202
Eastern Phoebe	89	2166
Saltmarsh Sparrow	90	2159
White-rumped Sandpiper	91	2151
American Redstart	92	2090
Surf Scoter	93	2075
American Wigeon	94	2027
Cooper's Hawk	95	2024
Hermit Thrush	96	1856
Black-crowned Night-Heron	97	1827
Red-eyed Vireo	98	1823
Horned Lark	99	1728
Bonaparte's Gull	100	1680
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Spotted Sandpiper	101	1657
Willow Flycatcher	101	1657
Golden-crowned Kinglet	103	1639
Red-necked Grebe	104	1614
Carolina Wren	105	1532
Snowy Owl	106	1524
Rough-legged Hawk	107	1511
Northern Shoveler	108	1464
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	109	1446
Bank Swallow	110	1389
Chipping Sparrow	111	1321
Blue-winged Teal	112	1316
Snow Bunting	113	1313
Great Crested Flycatcher	114	1262
Brant	115	1258
Greater Scaup	116	1218
Sharp-shinned Hawk	117	1142
Common Raven	118	1141
Black-and-white Warbler	119	1137
Razorbill	120	1114
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
American Kestrel	121	1095
Glossy Ibis	122	1087
Stilt Sandpiper	123	1050
Belted Kingfisher	123	1050
Pectoral Sandpiper	125	1019
Orchard Oriole	126	990
Blackpoll Warbler	127	987
Seaside Sparrow	128	982
Long-billed Dowitcher	129	975
Least Bittern	130	973
Ruddy Turnstone	131	970
Northern Parula	132	960
Palm Warbler	133	947
Black-throated Green Warbler	134	938
Pied-billed Grebe	135	932
White-breasted Nuthatch	136	931
Laughing Gull	137	915
American Woodcock	138	862
Magnolia Warbler	139	854
Great Cormorant	140	850
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Blue-headed Vireo	141	847
Red Knot	142	816
Virginia Rail	143	814
House Wren	144	790
American Bittern	145	786
Black-throated Blue Warbler	146	783
Northern Shrike	147	778
Lesser Scaup	148	772
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	149	770
Pine Warbler	149	770
Whimbrel	151	756
Brown Creeper	152	740
American Pipit	153	724
Short-eared Owl	154	702
Northern Waterthrush	155	696
American Golden-Plover	156	690
Hairy Woodpecker	157	679
White-crowned Sparrow	158	675
Chimney Swift	159	673
Tufted Titmouse	160	671
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	161	659
Ruddy Duck	162	637
Eastern Meadowlark	163	632
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	164	620
Wilson's Warbler	165	598
American Coot	166	597
Nashville Warbler	167	589
Ovenbird	168	582
Roseate Tern	169	579
Eastern Wood-Pewee	170	573
Snow Goose	171	551
Sora	172	525
Chestnut-sided Warbler	173	516
Red-bellied Woodpecker	174	510
Purple Sandpiper	175	491
Common Merganser	176	484
Wood Duck	177	461
Blackburnian Warbler	178	460
Swainson's Thrush	179	459
Wilson's Snipe	180	451
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Canada Warbler	181	421
Least Flycatcher	182	417
Green Heron	183	415
Alder Flycatcher	184	411
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	185	410
Veery	186	407
Black-legged Kittiwake	187	405
Scarlet Tanager	188	403
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	189	399
Hudsonian Godwit	190	395
Great Horned Owl	191	386
Pine Siskin	191	386
Ring-necked Duck	193	385
Baird's Sandpiper	194	384
Lapland Longspur	195	380
Black-billed Cuckoo	196	373
Warbling Vireo	197	370
Western Sandpiper	198	363
Eastern Whip-poor-will	199	361
Prairie Warbler	199	361
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bay-breasted Warbler	201	355
Common Redpoll	202	353
Forster's Tern	203	316
Fox Sparrow	204	312
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	205	294
Cape May Warbler	206	292
Barred Owl	207	286
Eurasian Wigeon	208	284
Fish Crow	209	276
Lincoln's Sparrow	210	275
Solitary Sandpiper	211	270
Tricolored Heron	212	269
Philadelphia Vireo	212	269
Lesser Black-backed Gull	214	257
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	215	253
Wilson's Phalarope	216	249
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	221
Red Crossbill	222	218
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	223	215
Wood Thrush	224	204
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	225	202
Tennessee Warbler	226	192
Caspian Tern	227	187
King Rail	228	182
Common Gallinule	229	176
Mourning Warbler	230	170
Indigo Bunting	231	165
Cliff Swallow	232	163
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	233	162
Iceland Gull	234	157
Redhead	235	153
Black Tern	235	153
Dickcissel	235	153
White-winged Crossbill	238	148
Nelson's Sparrow	238	148
Orange-crowned Warbler	240	131
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Clapper Rail	241	130
White-eyed Vireo	242	126
Little Gull	243	124
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	93/23
Olive-sided Flycatcher	250	93/23
Cory's Shearwater	252	86/13
Ring-necked Pheasant	253	85/13
Black Skimmer	254	83/14
Broad-winged Hawk	255	78/20
Red-shouldered Hawk	256	77/19
Lark Sparrow	257	76/20
American Oystercatcher	258	74/21
Western Grebe	259	71/7
Manx Shearwater	259	71/22
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Eastern Bluebird	261	67/21
Connecticut Warbler	261	67/24
Hooded Warbler	263	61/20
Parasitic Jaeger	264	60/20
Harlequin Duck	265	59/13
Great Shearwater	266	58/15
Vesper Sparrow	267	57/19
Dovekie	268	54/17
Glaucous Gull	269	51/16
Gray-cheeked Thrush	269	51/20
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	281	34/15
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
Grasshopper Sparrow	289	25/9
Sooty Shearwater	290	24/15
White-faced Ibis	291	22/7
Canvasback	292	21/8
Kentucky Warbler	292	21/10
Upland Sandpiper	294	20/11
Common Murre	295	19/11
Black Rail	296	18/1
Ruff	296	18/10
Bohemian Waxwing	296	18/11
Pacific Loon	299	17/8
Pine Grosbeak	299	17/5
			Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prothonotary Warbler	299	17/10
Acadian Flycatcher	302	16/12
Evening Grosbeak	302	16/6
Hoary Redpoll	302	16/7
Blue Grosbeak	302	16/6
Ross's Goose	306	14/4
Ash-throated Flycatcher	307	13/3
Pomarine Jaeger	308	12/8
Eastern Screech-Owl	308	12/8
Green-tailed Towhee	308	12/1
Black-tailed Godwit	311	11/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel	311	11/7
Swainson's Hawk	311	11/3
Cave Swallow	311	11/7
Yellow-throated Warbler	311	11/6
Black-necked Stilt	316	10/2
Louisiana Waterthrush	316	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