You can always try hanging the feeders independent of the trees. A post set into the ground with hooks for the feeders or the shepherd's crooks they sell specifically for this purpose would prevent any damage hanging feeding appliances directly to a tree might incur. As to the pros and cons of feeding birds.......I agree with Dan on this one. Expanding development has restricted/removed many of the natural habitats and food sources and encouraging birds to the garden is overall a very good thing - they are the best natural insect control available! Plus, they are infinitely entertaining. Planting to encourage habitat and to supplement food sources is desirable, but nothing wrong with feeders either. They can bring the birds up close and personal :-)) If you want songbirds, try a "no-waste" mix. Even if it gets scattered on the ground, it gets eaten too fast to hang around to attract rodents. And sapsucker damage to trees is generally more cosmetic than particularly harmful. Since they have a 'preferred' tree menu, you can always avoid attracting them by not planting the trees they like. And as they tend to limit their diet to insects and tree sap, with supplementation from fruits and berries - the seed feeders are unlikely to create additional problems.

Tonight has been the 2nd night some lil rascal scared the wits outta me! Been having something raiding my feeders too. Lil sucker came up on my 2nd story deck and running across it! Knew it was a coon or possum as I could hear their claws as they ran past me as I sat in the dark smoking. I took off so fast, I still had the cigarette in my hand as I jumped through the door. Had to open the door quick to throw it out as I don't smoke in the house. Lordy lordy - almost broke my legs n back. I'll be sure to turn the corner light on next time. I had researched what could be the culprit b4 and thought it was woodpeckers. NOT!!!!! WOW! Think I'll bring them in now.

Pretty birds. I see downy woodpeckers fairly often but hardly ever see the bigger woodpeckers. Our little Chloe is still jumping up in the air trying to catch every bird or airplane that she sees. I was hoping she would outgrow that. I don't think she's ever caught anything but I get tired of hearing her bark at them. I moved my bird feeder out of the back yard away from the dogs. I liked it better where it WAS because I could see the feeder and birds through my bay window from the kitchen. Now it's more out of the way but the birds will have some peace. I still need to hang my finch feeder.

We have been noticing this year our feeders are not emptying as fast as previous years. I did see a lot of birds when it was snowing. A group of about 10-15 juncos, a half dozen mourning doves, the usual cardinals, chickadees, tufted titmice and a few finches along with an occasional woodpecker. The last couple of days it has been quiet out there. I asked my husband to check to see if the feeders were empty in the back. I could see there is still sunflower seed in one feeder and one was empty. He said the back feeders weren't empty but he filled them all, so we will see. I just ordered a heated pet bowl to use as a bird bath for them and I'm excited to see if they take to it. I have seen black crows in the yard this year for the first time in 30 years. I have no idea why. We do see an occasional hawk but none of late. There have been a group of 4-6 crows roosting in a neighbor's silver maple trees on some days. They would fly off and circle and land again in the trees repeatedly. Then one day I looked out the window and three of them had landed in our yard on the ground for a bit. That's a first. I keep hearing them in the neighborhood every once in awhile. I wonder what has suddenly attracted them to our neighborhood. I also wonder if they have any effect on small bird populations?