If you do start them indoors, not too early (directions usually on the seed packet) as they need good light (maybe can start indoors and put outside during nice early may days?). Also, they don't like being transplanted, so if you start them in peat pots this works best. You just sink the entire peat pot in the ground, thus no transplant shock to the plant. Usually the melons we grow (here at least) are short season ones and they do produce an acceptable crop even if directly sown outdoors around the May long weekend.

Although I have a different feeder, ours is clamped to the deck rail, just outside the patio door. Even in the deepest snow, I can open the door and reach around to fill the feeder without even getting my feet wet. And I can see right through the window whether it is empty or not. The most important thing, though, is the safety of the birds. The deck is high enough off the ground, and cannot be climbed by predators. We do not offer seed feeders which are known to attract opportunistic hawks, etc. And we only offer a handful of mealworms 2 or 3 times a day to minimize "traffic". The bluebirds come and eat the mealworms and then move on, and no other birds are even aware of the offerings (no competition). I've given up on the photography though. Some of the folks here have posted such beautiful pics! They have more time, talent, and equipment than I could ever hope for. And I enjoy them so much! Now you be careful on that ice! It can be treacherous, and it can even be deadly. BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful:

I'm a bad bird Mom. I got up this morning to 29F and went outside to check feeders, found the sugar solution liquid (my experience has been it takes about 2F colder before it begins to get slushy), came back in and started my morning. About 7:45, I noticed birds were landing, not eating, flying off so put on shoes again and went back out. Last evenings rain, then freeze, had formed ice blocks in the feeding ports and the birds couldn't access the food. A mad scramble followed with the first kitchen utensil I could find that would penetrate the ports on three saucer style feeders, followed by my blow dryer for good measure. Boy, did I ever feel guilty for not paying closer attention :( These little birds are DH's project. He isn't working this week and slept in this morning.

Yes, the Anna's are the permanent residents here. We get migrating vistors during the summer months but it is just the Anna's that are here all through winter. There are scads of hummers here. I see and hear them all over and darn near every household has feeders out. I think many claim their own territory/household and it's the same couple (maybe a mated pair) I see everyday and even they do not always show up together. But I'm sure you are correct in that an interloper to the garden caused all that ruckus. Has been quiet out there since I first posted so he was obviously chased off and has gone back to wherever he came from :-) I love listening to them!! All the clicks and trills and chattering!! And sometimes they just perch in the ancient plum tree by my patio and sing their little hearts out :-) ETA: My containerized grevillea has just started to bloom and while I know they will find it where it is currently, I think I will move it so that it is more visible to me and raise the pot so that it is more accessible to the birds.