If you enjoy feeding the Gray Squirrels, then that’s fine. But if you’re tired of those neighborhood “tree rats” stealing your expensive wild bird feed, this may be for you. This feeder pole is cheap to build and is guaranteed to be squirrel proof. It consists simply of a 4-inch diameter by 10-foot-long piece of PVC storm drain pipe (less than $12, available in white or turquoise) with a cap on the top end.
Drill two 1” holes near the top end opposite each other so that a piece of 1” PVC water pipe can be inserted all the way through. Now drill another pair of holes 90 degree from the first holes and 6” or 8” lower. Insert 1” by 28” pipes through the holes and glue caps on each end. Now drill holes in the 1” pipes on each side of the 4” pipe so you can insert either pop-rivets or stainless-steel screws so the pipes will stay centered in the larger pipe. NOTE: I added a lower crosspiece so I could lift the pole out of the base, but the squirrels used it to jump up to the top, so omit that crosspiece.
Dig a 16-18-inch-deep hole at least 8 feet from anything the squirrels can climb on and put your new feeder pole in it. Tamp the dirt around it well so that it is plumb (vertical).
Hang whatever type of bird feeder you may have from the small cross-arms and watch those frustrated tree rats head for your neighbor’s house. Hint: If you make two feeder poles maybe you can sell the other one to your neighbor.
You know how you can never get that last little bit of peanut butter out of the jar? Why not give it to the birds? Just come up with some way to hang the jar horizontally and the woodpeckers and wrens will love it.