Becky, thanks, it was the little dish that intrigued me. That was a great idea. We often adapt feeders too but that idea is most clever.
I spent big bucks on the feeder pole and baffle from Wild Birds Unlimited and it is the best $ we spent. Since we put the first one up 10 years ago we have not had a squirrel or raccoon- not one! - get to it. I do not understand what the difference is from a less expensive set up but this one works. Prior to that I was losing money on seed as the critters were getting it all before the birds. You can put different arms on it and we generally have 3 or 4 feeders on it.
While walking my dog this morning I stopped t to look at a pure white daffodil in my neighbor's front yard. The daff was next to a large tree and I didn't realize a pileated woodpecker was feeding there, down low on the trunk. He flew off within inches of my face and I don't know who was more startled, my dog or me.
