Visitors to the beloved coastal park on SF's western edge have been treated to the sight of crows gleefully playing in the wind — riding gusts, dive-bombing wind socks, and generally behaving like they've figured out something about life that the rest of us haven't. No permits required. No community input meetings. No environmental impact reports. Just pure, unadulterated joy.
As one SF resident put it: "There's always that one friend." You know the one — the crow hanging sideways off a wind sock while the others watch from a safe distance, judging.
Another local suggested the city "put up more wind socks for them to enjoy," which might be the most wholesome infrastructure request San Francisco has ever received — and honestly, probably the most cost-effective. A few wind socks versus, say, a $1.7 million public toilet? The crows are getting better ROI on their entertainment budget than most city departments.
There's something quietly profound about watching animals that owe nothing to anyone simply enjoy a public space. No entry fee, no app to download, no waitlist. Fort Funston remains one of the last truly free spaces in a city that seems determined to regulate, tax, or monetize every square foot of existence.
The crows don't care about your politics, your startup, or your opinion on housing density. They found a wind sock. They're having a blast. And they'll be back tomorrow to do it again.
Maybe the lesson here isn't complicated: sometimes the best use of public land is just letting creatures — feathered or otherwise — enjoy it without a committee getting involved.
Get out to Fort Funston this weekend. Watch the crows. Touch grass. It's free, and unlike most things in San Francisco, nobody's trying to change that yet.
