I currently live in a pretty residential area of San Francisco, Anza Vista. The topography is somewhat unique; the neighborhood sits on a large hill with very strong winds on the west side, and I am always noticing certain birds that fly out here where they might not in other places around the city (especially gulls flying overhead). I ventured out in the late afternoon/evening and was curious to see what I could identify (even though this is a thickly settled area) using my binos and the Merlin app. I scouted both my backyard and the neighborhood…link to my eBird list is attached for your viewing pleasure.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S149099774

In this inaugural Merlin Meditation, I decided to travel all the way to my backyard for some nice vibes and splendid bird calls. These five were very active in the evening…always hearing the Western Gull, American Crow, and California Towhee where I live in Anza Vista (San Francisco)…nice to put some formal names to the sounds.

“Meditation is not a matter of competence but of willingness.”