ummm... the species of Mountain Ash usually available at
your garden center is non-native (those who want to argue
should check their _Sunset Western Garden Book_ first) and
the birds eating its fruit are also dispersing the seeds
to other places where the shrubs may actually compete with
local plants.

My recommendation is to plant native species like Black
Twinberry, Pacific Crabapple, Red Elder or Black Hawthorn.

variedthrush at attbi.com wrote:
>
> plant a mountain ash or put out food for them
> in the winter, particularly if you use leaf mulch.
>


--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

A child who becomes acquainted with the birds about him
hears every sound and puzzles out its meaning with a cleverness
that amazes those with ears who hear not.

-Neltje Blanchan

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html