Squirrel proof bird feeders

[pakaba]

hi
My son has volunteered me to get a new bird feeder for the wildlife area at his school.   They have a problem with squirrels, and it seems pointless getting one just for it to be destroyed.  Do any of you have any suggestions for a bird feeder that stands up against squirrels ???

I was also thinking of suggesting they put in a squirrel feeder, then they might stay away from the nuts and/or suggesting they put seed out instead of nuts as the squirrels seem to go for the nuts more ???   but thats probably just my occasional squirrel visitor.

thanks in advance :)
P.

[pakaba]

[Hyacinth]

Bitter experience tells me that the greedy b***ers don't accept the logic of 'their' food and birds food. >:( >:( >:(

All the garden centres,etc. sell the more expensive 'squirrel-proof feeders' had one given me one christmas - think it was around £20.....don't know if the squirrels ever got into it - all I know is that they gnawed through the apple tree branch it was attached to & hauled the lot away - never to be seen again >:( >:( >:(

So you can understand why I'm so delighted to be shown Pauline & Lorna's feeders.... :)

[Juliet]

I read somewhere that the best feeders for squirrel resistance are the ones with a globe-shaped cage round them.  They're not cheap though, & I can't say if they work from experience as we don't have squirrels here.  If you think it might be worth it (or are not sure what I'm talking about) have a look at this site:  http://www.gardenbird.com/index.htm and search for globe seed feeder (I've seen them on several other sites too but am giving link for this one because they're offering people a free pair of binoculars on their first order if over £25, which seems like a good deal!)

[Doris_Pinks]

Oh nuts! Pardon the pun!! The house we are buying has the dreaded Squirrels!! :( And I do love to feed me birds!!!

[Hyacinth]

Doris, look at Pauline & Lorna's feeders - way to go! I'm going to check out the garden centres, etc. and then, at long last, I'll be able to enjoy all the birds again. :)

[moonbells]

I don't rate the cage feeders - birds here hate mine, won't go near it.

The Gardman squirrel resistant ones are great though - just got a seed feeder and I've had more birds in a fortnight than in the previous 6 months with the caged one.

Got it on a long metal pole, too. Squirrels can't climb it easily!

Here's the pickiest eater in town - coal tit that picks out and throws away all the seeds it doesn't like till it finds one it does! (Squirrel and pigeons hoover up the bits)


moonbells

[beejay]

Squirrels can climb a long metal pole quite easily - unless you oil it!!!

Just saw a video the other day of a wonderful bird feeder. Instead of pirches at the bottom there is a metal ring that the birds can sit on. If a squirrel gets on it the weight activates a motor which then turns the ring round with squirrel attached! Squirrel hangs on for dear life then gets flung off! (Fairly gently). Hilarious. Trouble is they were about £80!

[moonbells]

They can eh? Hmmm, must get some vaseline...

(Though hopefully they can't get in it, even if they could get to the top!)

Had a robin on one of the perches, helping himself this morning. Course he'd vanished by the time I had grabbed the camera...  I am very glad that all small birds seem to be able to feed, and the larger ones can get the leftovers!

moonbells

[Rosa_Mundi]

There's another type I've seen recently where the squirrel's weight jumping on to the feeder brings down a shutter. Result is one frustrated squirrel  ;D ;D ;D

[Svengali]

I bought one from a garden centre a few years back. It is square in cross section, made from a heavy duty expanded metal, with ceramic top & bottom. They try - Oh how they try - but go off chittering their annoyance!
JeremyB

[lorna]

Alishka I have visions of squirrels carrying out a trapeze act on the bars of mine ;D Luckily we don't get squirrels don't get finches, blue tits either ::) ::)

[sweet-pea]

We have a squirrel that frequents our garden.  I used to have cheap plastic feeders but it had no trouble destroying those, so in the end I bought the following:

1) A peanut feeder consisting of a traditional wire tube, with another wire mesh tube outside it with holes big enough for birds heads to fit through. The top and bottom is made of glazed ceramic, the top being dome shaped.  (similar to the ceramic feeders here http://www.thebirdtable.co.uk/shop/nick/afbirdfeeders.htm, but with the wire mesh instead of plastic)

2) A seed feeder consisting of a metal tube with a couple of see through plastic windows, a metal top and bottom.  The bottom has some metal perches attached to it. (similar to the seed silo in the metal feeders on the above website).

I have them hanging by string under a roof shelter.  I have seen the squirrel climbing up under the roof to have a go at getting at the food, but so far it hasn't had any luck.

[pakaba]

Thanks everyone

Some great ideas, and a beautiful picture of a coaltit. 
Please can you guide me to paulines feeder, i have checked out Lorna new one... fantasic.   
I will definately tell the school about the vasaline.   ,
Thanks for the links for feeders, i have to buy it ::)  I don't mind but i think i will get ben to do a few chores to earn some ££ for it so he might think twice before volunteering my purse again ;D


Paula

[Hyacinth]

Pakaba,

Look on P2, here,  by Lorna "who was this?"..P2 of the thread, WIZZ found Pauline's pix & re-posted them there...

Haven't a clue how she did it tho, so hope that you can follow this trail.

WIZZ WHERE ARE YOU? ;D