Places › Northern shore · Cove

Getares cove

Algeciras · 36.09° N, 5.44° W

Beach and mouth of the Pícaro river, south of Algeciras, between Punta de San García and Punta Carnero. Gulls and waders on the shore; dolphins are frequent off the cove. Urban access.

180
bird species: 1984–2025
first and last open record

See the place in the explorer

within about 2 km · Natural Earth cartography, public domain

90 % of the records are from 2018 onwards.

October

What to watch this week

The species with the largest share of their open observations in these weeks of the year, here (week 43 and its two neighbours). A likelihood, not a promise: observations measure effort as well as presence.

Open records within about 2 km of the point by ISO week, all years added up. The current week is outlined.

SeasonalCommon StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Photo: Shiva Shenoy, CC BY
26% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalSong ThrushTurdus philomelos
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
24% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentHawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
Photo: egorbirder, CC BY
20% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentCommon LinnetCarduelis cannabina
Photo: Дмитрий Кошелев, CC BY
13% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentCommon MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Photo: Alexis Lours, CC BY
12% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentGrey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
Photo: Juan Emilio, CC BY-SA
12% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentEurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
Photo: 游鎮遠, CC0
11% of its observations here fall in these weeks
ResidentEuropean RobinErithacus rubecula
Photo: Arjan Haverkamp, CC BY
11% of its observations here fall in these weeks

Where to watch today

Forecast wind at Getares, 10:00–16:00

11km/h from the W

Gusts

31 km/h

Light poniente: crossing in the east

A westerly shifts the passage east. Soaring birds approach the sea between Algeciras, Punta Carnero and Gibraltar, and cross towards Ceuta and Jbel Musa.

Watchpoint: Algarrobo and Punta Carnero

Forecast for Friday 23 October, Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). A reading, not a prediction of passage.

Seen these days

No open observations within 2 km in the last 14 days.

iNaturalist, research grade and CC0 or CC BY licence; the date is that of the observation, not the upload.

The ones that define the place

Species more concentrated here than in the rest of the Strait: their share of observations at the place divided by their share across the whole area. An index of 3 means three times more frequent here than expected.

Most observed birds

Birds with 30 or more open records within the site radius. It measures observation effort as well as presence.

Each species' line is its weekly distribution here; the vertical tick is the current week.

The place's calendar

16 %

Monthly distribution of the open observations within about 2 km of the point.

Protection

Parque Natural del Estrecho
Reserva de la Biosfera Intercontinental del Mediterráneo

Important Bird Area (IBA)

Estrecho de Gibraltarmarine · 263,125 ha · ES404

Inventory kept by SEO/BirdLife within BirdLife International's IBA programme. It is not a legal protection status, but it carries weight in impact assessments and in court.

Natura 2000 network

EstrechoLIC / ZEC y ZEPA · ES0000337

How to watch

Beach and mouth of the Pícaro river, south of Algeciras, between Punta de San García and Punta Carnero. Gulls and waders on the shore; dolphins are frequent off the cove. Urban access.

The colonies of Isla Verde and the Isla de las Palomas are watched from a distance. Binoculars and telescope, no approach.
No drones over islands, breakwaters or docks: they scare the birds and are forbidden in the port domain without authorisation.

Other places

CC0 and CC BY records from GBIF and OBIS in the own database, deduplicated, within about 2 km of the point. Natura 2000 sites from the European Environment Agency. Protection designations as currently in force; no legal value. 9 September 2026.