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.

Thanks to the above turkey hen, I've learned that the red 'skin tags' are called caruncles, L.caruncula, meaning little piece of flesh. Looks like maybe her feathers are in red curlers. Anyway, the red wing blackbirds arrived yesterday - first I've seen this year despite 'the winter that wasn't'. Jane

BOSS = Black oil sunflower seed I don't feed nyjer, just BOSS, home-made suet and raw suet. There seems to be something for everyone this way. The Goldfinches and other finches don't care for suet, but like the BOSS just fine. Last week's ProjectFeederwatch count was 18 Goldfinches, 18 Pine Siskins, and 6 House Finches. Last year, I let some of the BOSS sprout and grow, also grew enormous Mammoth Grey stripe Sunflowers. I observed Goldfinches, Warblers, and Chickadees on the BOSS seedheads, and many different types of birds and squirrels/chipmunks loved the Mammoth grey stripe. It is a lot cheaper to grow these, vs. purchase the seed. Btw, Niger/Nyjer or whatever it's called is NOT thistle (Cirsium species). It is Guizotia abyssinica, an herb grown in Africa and India and imported to the US from these countries. Goldfinches do love the actual Thistle, but care should be taken if growing these plants - they are very prickly and quite a few are classified as noxious weeds.

Thanks for the responses and compliments on the squirrel baffle!!! I am quite pleased to say that the squirrels have tried their darnedest, but still have not managed to get up onto it. It's funny to watch them run up the post, stop when they realize they can't go any further and jump off...then they just scrounge around on the ground for dropped seeds. I almost feel guilty!! (but not too guilty because I do have a squirrel feeder out for them) And the greatest part is, I am saving so much money in bird food..especially the woodpecker cakes!!!! The birds really enjoy the big "platform", and one thing I've noticed is that the fishing line that supports the corners is helping to keep the larger birds off of the platform. The blue jays have tried to land on there, but they always change their minds. chickadeemelrose ~ I'll have to try the milk jug idea...I have a couple of feeders that have no "roofs"...I'd like to make something to keep them dry. james_m_clark~ The upside down tray is actually pretty thick and self supporting..the reasoning behind supporting the corners is the possibility of snow/ice weighing it down and cracking it around the center. I thought this would help distribute the weight. terrene~ I do have a feeder pole that somehow the squirrels manage to run up, I'll have to try the stove pipe style squirrel baffle for that. I'll post back in a couple of weeks and let you know if the squirrels have managed to outsmart us!