We here at The Audubon Shop in Madison have a good bit of information about the most effective baffles, and how/where to mount them here: http://www.theaudubonshop.com/products/bird_feeders1/squirrel_baffles The important info to note is the equation on that page (read there): 5, 7, 9. You also have to buy a pole tall enough to allow you to hang your feeders above the top height of the baffle so squirrels cannot bypass. Our specially made (in CT) 2 piece poles telescope up to 8 ft high and are able to accommodate any pole mounted baffle, including a raccoon baffle. We have noted that many poles offered in big box stores are not tall enough, and allow feeders to hang below the baffle. Our poles are easy to install, sturdy and are able to accommodate 3+ feeders. I do not have a picture of the pole on the site, but would be happy to send one to anyone who emails. birdshop@sbcglobal.net And, while you're in town, check out the Yellow-throated Warbler that is frequenting a nearby neighbor's feeder, or take a walk at Hammo - tomorrow promises to be a great day. Janet Connolly The Audubon Shop 203-245-9056 On Jan 6, 2012, at 12:00 PM, ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org wrote: > Send CTBirds mailing list submissions to > ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > ctbirds-owner@lists.ctbirding.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of CTBirds digest..." > > > *** When replying to this message please trim off the unrelated portions *** > > Today's Topics: > > 1. more on the Pink-footed Goose (Greg Hanisek) > 2. Re: pole mounted squirrel baffle choice (Kfinnan@aol.com) > 3. Squirrel Baffles (johnson diana) > 4. Re: pole mounted squirrel baffle choice (Lynn Jones) > 5. Hanover Pond (Folsom-O'Keefe, Corrie) > 6. Thirsty morning in Fairfield (Jan Hollerbach) > 7. FW: eBird Report - Bantam Lake Outlet, Jan 5, 2012 (Dave Rosgen) > 8. BirdCallsRadio | Tom Andersen, Author, next guest > (Mardi Dickinson) > 9. FW: eBird Report - Bantam Lake - Pt. Folly, Jan 6, 2012 > (Dave Rosgen) > 10. Pink-footed Goose YES (Alex Burdo) > 11. No Pink-footed yet (Jan Collins) > 12. Madison Yellow-throated Warbler Yes (Roy Harvey) > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 07:31:10 -0500 (EST) > From: Kfinnan@aol.com > To: rayn4est@gmail.com, ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org > Subject: Re: [CT Birds] pole mounted squirrel baffle choice > Message-ID: <3f6e8.5f28d0b7.3c38438d@aol.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > > Rob & distribution - I hope you don't mind a "reply all" as I am curious > about the experience of others, too. > > In our case, squirrels have been able to defeat everything except the metal > tubular baffles, which look like long cylinders. They are installed on a > pole below the feeder. > > If you have raccoons in the area, you will need the larger, "raccoon > baffle" version. > > I have found that the top of the baffle has to be about five feet high to > prevent squirrels from simply jumping up to it from the ground (this will > need adjustment if there is a high, hard pack of snow, like there was, last > winter). Also, the pole must be away from nearby trees and structures that > allow squirrels to jump across or downward. > > Good luck! > > Kevin Finnan > Goshen > > > Hi all, > > I am planning on getting a pole system to hang at least 4 feeders and will > need a pole mount squirrel baffle. Anyone have preferences as to style? I > see plastic cones and domes (I have a plastic dome hanging over one feeder > and it doesn't work), metal cone styles, and metal tubular (or "torpedo") > styles. They are all in the same price range, so my deciding factor will > be effectiveness. What are people's experiences? (Offline replies are > fine) > > Thanks, > > Rob Ballinger > Farmington > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:07:34 -0500 > From: johnson diana <dianaajohnson@me.com> > To: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org > Subject: [CT Birds] Squirrel Baffles > Message-ID: <F562A37E-7969-423B-A099-6AAB089B4F53@me.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII > > The plastic cones, that are like an upside down pyramid, are totally effective if your squirrels are coming down on the feeders from above. They can't stay on the feeders and just slide off immediately. Preventing squirrels from launching themselves from the ground or any object nearby is another question altogether! > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 09:26:20 -0500 > From: Lynn Jones <lynnjones11@gmail.com> > To: Kfinnan@aol.com > Cc: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org > Subject: Re: [CT Birds] pole mounted squirrel baffle choice > Message-ID: > <CAHJNTwKO7v0R1xqdbU2aELEoOe4zy-oN29ZUYQq84ePgimp2bg@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > I bought one of these, Erva SB8 Wrap Around Pole Squirrel Baffle, from The > Fat Robin a couple of years ago for a Sheppard's crook that I hang my > feeders on. http://www.fatrobin.com/squirrel%20baffles.html It's been > really effective... except when I move the pole closer to the tree and they > drop down from above. Maybe my squirrels are too fat and lazy to try real > hard but my baffle is only at about 4 feet off the ground and still works. > Any lower though and the squirrels can just jump over it. > > > > > On Fri, Jan 6, 2012 at 7:31 AM, <Kfinnan@aol.com> wrote: > >> >> Rob & distribution - I hope you don't mind a "reply all" as I am curious >> about the experience of others, too. >> >> In our case, squirrels have been able to defeat everything except the metal >> tubular baffles, which look like long cylinders. They are installed on a >> pole below the feeder. >> >> If you have raccoons in the area, you will need the larger, "raccoon >> baffle" version. >> >> I have found that the top of the baffle has to be about five feet high to >> prevent squirrels from simply jumping up to it from the ground (this will >> need adjustment if there is a high, hard pack of snow, like there was, >> last >> winter). Also, the pole must be away from nearby trees and structures that >> allow squirrels to jump across or downward. >> >> Good luck! >> >> Kevin Finnan >> Goshen >> >> >> Hi all, >> >> I am planning on getting a pole system to hang at least 4 feeders and will >> need a pole mount squirrel baffle. Anyone have preferences as to style? >> I >> see plastic cones and domes (I have a plastic dome hanging over one feeder >> and it doesn't work), metal cone styles, and metal tubular (or "torpedo") >> styles. They are all in the same price range, so my deciding factor will >> be effectiveness. What are people's experiences? (Offline replies are >> fine) >> >> Thanks, >> >> Rob Ballinger >> Farmington >> >> >>