Chris is correct (as usual!) - it is Daphne laureola, a common introduced weedy/invasive shrub in this area. It looks a bit like euphorbia, hence the common name but it is an evergreen shrub that can get to a pretty good size. No scent, pale green flowers that are barely noticeable and berries that are spread readily by birds. It is a class B noxious weed in WA state. Removal is suggested.

Jane, if you only have one feeder out, you might try a good mixture with black oil sunflower seeds stirred into it. Don't get the cheapie kind with those little reddish-brown "BB's" in it. I have never seen ANYTHING actually eat those. I get mine at PetSmart, and I really love the Stokes mixture that has no hulls in it. I feed it, black oiler sunflowers and safflower seed. Safflower seed goes into a feeder that doesn't have squirrel protection, because they don't really like it, but cardinals and titmice do. HOWEVER, no matter what you are feeding, there will be times when birds are not around for various reasons. I have hardly any right now, mostly due to a pair of hawks hanging about our neighborhood. And even without the hawks, birds often disappear for a few weeks now and then. One more thing...don't forget that WATER is probably even more important than seed in luring birds to your yard. You'll notice that most of Maureen's pictures feature her great birdbath. Be sure to provide several "baths" around the yard. They can be anything from decorative features to trashcan lids on the ground with 2" of water in them. I often turn clay pots upside down and put a clay saucer on top for water. Keep the water CLEAN and shallow, maybe even adding a rock in the center for birds to stand on. Good luck! Marcia

Thanks dtd....I'm happy to hear that it has not been a problem for your lilacs. It's interesting that you are in one zone warmer than I am. I imagine your winters might usually be a little slower to arrive then mine here in zone 6 and maybe your shrubs normally deal with this warm fall weather, yes? We have broken the record here in my area, for the latest first hard freeze, which hasn't arrived yet! I usually expect that by mid October or late October at the latest, we would have had a hard freeze. We have really enjoyed it though and managed to get a couple of projects done that I thought I would have to wait until spring to finish. Amazing! I wonder if we will come to expect this every year.

I agree that Kevin has the most perfect approach. However in my case I can see myself getting arrested if I even tried to cut down or back any invasives on public property. The Nature Preserve that I was talking about has a big sign prohibiting digging, cutting, or otherwise tampering with any plants on the preserve. Even if they didn't the amount of Porcelian Berry is staggering. While the Preserve is mostly deep woods with nice wide hiking trails there is one section were it opens up into a large sunny clearing. I mean about a half acre. And what do you think is 90% of that clearing? Yes, its all Porcelian Berry. That was all here before I moved into my house and the Porcelian Berry has always sprouted in any disturbed ground around the yard and the neighborhood. So I have no guilt over planting my less vigorious Varigated Porcelian Berry in my yard. As far as cutting down the Japanese Honeysuckle that grows around some of the shrubs in the park, anyone trying to cut them would have the police called on them for defacing public property. I have never seen berries on them, just flowers but who knows. I didn't even know what to do with my mistakenly bought invasive Adult English Ivey until I found a nice grove of it climing trees in the very same park accross the street. It seems to be in that area, on those trees but not elsewhere. So I planted my little shrub.