Places › Northern shore · Estuary and marsh

Los Lances beach

Tarifa · 36.02° N, 5.63° W

Beach and marshes of the Jara and Vega rivers, west of Tarifa. Waders, gulls and terns along the shore; a wooden hide and boardwalk over the marsh. A resting area: keep out of the marsh and keep dogs on the lead.

252
bird species: 1973–2026
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 2014 onwards.

September

What to watch this week

The species with the largest share of their open observations in these weeks of the year, here (week 37 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.

MigrantEuropean RollerCoracias garrulus
Photo: Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA
65% of its observations here fall in these weeks
MigrantTree PipitAnthus trivialis
Photo: Viktor, CC BY
60% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalHoopoeUpupa epops
Photo: Luiz Lapa, CC BY
56% of its observations here fall in these weeks
MigrantWillow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5
56% of its observations here fall in these weeks
MigrantWhinchatSaxicola rubetra
Photo: Mourad Harzallah, CC BY
53% of its observations here fall in these weeks
MigrantCurlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea
Photo: Nigel Voaden, CC BY
52% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalMontagu´s HarrierCircus pygargus
Photo: Вячеслав Юсупов, CC BY
51% of its observations here fall in these weeks
SeasonalBlack-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa
Photo: Christoph Moning, CC BY
51% of its observations here fall in these weeks

Where to watch today

Forecast wind at Los Lances, 10:00–16:00

7km/h from the SW

Gusts

20 km/h

Calm: crossing along the whole front

With no dominant wind, soaring birds cross at any point between Tarifa and Gibraltar as soon as the thermals rise. It is the most spread-out day and the most comfortable for watching.

Watchpoint: Any; Cazalla and Algarrobo cover both ends

Forecast for Tuesday 8 September, Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). A reading, not a prediction of passage.

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

33 %

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

Protection

Paraje Natural Playa de Los Lances
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

The colonies on Isla Verde and Isla de las Palomas are watched from a distance. Binoculars and telescope, no approach.
No drones over islands, breakwaters or docks: they flush 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. 8 September 2026.