The big 'surprise' was seeing the huge black fish crows coming to the feeder! I had put some older strawberries on the platform and apparently the crows really like that. I was aiming for attracking the mockingbirds, but got crows instead! My hawks hunt daily in my yard. I have two - a sharpie and a red tail. I call them both "Hannibal Lector" for obvious reasons. Neither is scared or phased by me in the slightest and will perch a few feet away from me -- watching me - while I'm working in the yard. One literally buzzed my 68 year old mother on the patio -- literally, came inches from her face - while it was aiming for it's target, a dove. I'm trying to move away from hanging feeders on my trees. Unfortunately, between the fruit rats and the squirrels, none of the birds are getting any of the food and I don't want to encourage the rats! I witnessed a fruit rat fail at an attempt to climb the platform feeder (hooray!). I don't mind the squirresl, but, do mind the rats! I have the platform feeder in the only open area in my yard, but, it's not too far from trees and shrubs. But, too far for a squirrel to leap on it from a tree. Is that the recommended set up? Btw...good to see you posting again, MaNature! :)

I use some of those feeders from Walmart also that are bottle type with a screw on bowl that are easy to clean. I pop off the yellow flowers and chunk them. Fred's dollar store also has a feeder I like that is simular, but has a glass bottle and a bowl bottom and easy to clean. I have to paint the yellow painted flowers red with model airplane paint. I also chunk the package of red dyed nectar mix. If you don't have a ton of birds, I really like a clear saucier with a red top. I currently have 4 of the above feeders up from Fred's and 4 from Walmart. Racoons kept knocking my saucier feeder down, so I don't have either of the 2 of them up. I probably have 25 of those feeders from Fred's (some bleached out by the sun) and probably 15 or so from Walmart. Just make sure they are easy to clean.

You might have better luck over in the Bird Watching forum, rather than in the hummingbird forum. But, having said that, I had one of those feeders (but I opted for no cage), and for the life of me, don't recall where I purchased it. The only place I can think that I ordered it may have been Duncraft, and you've probably already checked there... Here is a link that might be useful: Bird Watching Forum

i get both hummingbirds and orioles here and they both share the same feeders. so i get feeders that the orioles can perch on. i use the plain sugar and water mix without the red dye, 4 cups water to 1 cup sugar. one oriole feeder is orange and green and the other red base and clear glass. i prefer the glass over plastic cause its so much easier to clean and sanatize I soak a feeder in a pail of water with a few drops of bleach overnight to kill any bacteria. and then rinse them. since the hummingbirds are so small and my eyesight so poor i have the feeders close to the kitchen window.