Mountain Ash aka Rowanberry (Sorbus sitchensis)
Technically a tree, this seems more like a shrub at higher elevations. Its red berries (or sometimes yellow, as shown below) are a favorite of the varied thrush.
Stehekin River, North Cascades N.P., WA, 8/2012.
The Rowan (from the Nordic rune meaning ‘magic’) tree and its berries were thought by the Celts to be magical and used to ward off evil spirits.
Tara, we had a mountain ash in our back yard in Okemos – do you remember it ? It was loaded with beautiful red berries in the fall – seems like certain birds liked those berries. It was a colorful tree. We don’t see these trees in Indiana.
August 5, 2012 at 2:31 pm