That is a very nice project oldcrafty! I admit I too feed the squirrels though not from their own feeder. Yesterday morning I was standing watching the bird feeding stations outside my sliding glass doors, laughing at the four squirrels hanging upside down and every which way from my latest 'squirrel proof' feeder. I spend all winter pretending I don't feed them even though I dearly love watching them and the birds sort things out. Just wanted to say howdy to everyone on another frigid winter day. I enjoy this forum though seldom post.

Here I am, Kate! Been missing in action due to a hip injury that kept me sidelined for a couple of weeks, but I'm back now! I have been feeding birds for about 50 years and have tried every product on the market, and then some. Many work for awhile, many are just a joke. Spring loaded feeders that close when a heavy bird or squirrel gets on them will work until the squirrels figure out they can hang from the roof of it by their back legs and reach down to scoop out the seed without activating the lever that closes the feeder. Feeders enclosed in cages with openings only big enough for small birds to pass through will work for awhile...until you find (as I did) a dead squirrel hanging from one of the holes, where it got its head stuck trying to get in. It's very unpleasant to clean up. Also, caged feeders usually don't allow any of the larger birds in...not even cardinals. Safflower seeds are a good idea for feeders that you want completely accessible, as squirrels don't particularly like them. BUT...they WILL eat them when they are really hungry and if they can't find any other seed around. I usually keep one or two feeders with safflower in them because cardinals and titmice love them so much, but now and then, a really hungry squirrel will empty them. Personally, I think the very best way is to find a baffle that works for you. All of my main feeders hang from "shepherd's hook" type poles. About 4 or 4 1/2 feet off the ground, I mount a baffle on the pole, just under the hanging feeder. It completely stops the squirrels from climbing UP the pole...they run up, get stuck under the baffle, and run back down again. And if you get the height right, they can't jump OVER it, either. You have to locate the pole where they can't jump to the feeder from a nearby tree, of course, but other than that they are very effective. No squirrels are getting to any of my feeders now, and I probably have at least 20 that live in my trees and yard. There are several kinds of baffles. I use the cone shaped ones I get from PetSmart. They are relatively inexpensive (I think less than $20) and last forever. IF an industrious squirrel manages to jump high enough to grab at the baffle, it tilts and dumps him off. There is another type that my friend uses, which is also quite good. It is a cylinder about 6" wide that fastens to the pole. If they run up the pole, they are stuck inside. And if they jump up and grab the cylinder, it's too wide for them to hold onto and they drop right off. BTW, my squirrels have no trouble climbing up PVC pipe at all, no matter the diameter...it gets scratched and roughened quickly, and they can hold on to it with their sharp little claws. And in the same vein, forget about greasing the pole with Vaseline and the like...it melts in summer, runs down all over the ground, and they are soon running right up the pole. Not to mention, dirt and debris stick to it and the pole soon looks pretty bad. The link below will take you to one place online that sells several types of baffles. You can see samples of both the cylindrical type and the cone shaped ones on this page. And if you have hanging feeders, there are samples of the domed baffles here, too. Hope this helps. Good luck! Marcia (ps...I have 2 squirrel chasers, as well, but the trouble with them is, they are just as happy chasing the birds as they are the squirrels! *grin* ) Here is a link that might be useful: Baffle Samples

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! :)

Some birds like the ground or a platform to eat from. Some like Blue Jays will eat anything. Most of the fights the squirrels will not hurt each other except during the breeding season. You will notice that when you have a winter type storm or very deep freeze they will all eat without fighting. If you want to be mean put out two more saucers and place in a triangle. The piggie squirrels will run from one to the other trying to get the best food. After a while they will just sit there looking like they are lost. I don't worry about what the squirrels eat any more I just put food out first come first served. The wildlife I get other than the deer seem to know when others need food and let them eat in peace. You will see less fights as the stored food is depleted. When the number of squirrels reach a certain level they tend to pass diseases to each other. This is natures way of preventing over population. This year we have very few squirrels in this area but last year it seemed like every tree was full. Try to keep feeders for squirrels clean. It will not help prevent passing of diseases but at least you will have not caused it. Hubby was very upset this spring when the squirrels disappeared and thought he had done something.