There's not much that will stop them, I'm afraid. Squirrel-proof feeders are only squirrel- proof until they figure out how to get into them! And they almost always do.

I have same problem! They eat bird food, make patches in lawn, dig halls in flower bed and eat bulbs. Headache!

I put bird feeder near window and every time they come to it I scare them. I haven't seen them near bird feeders these days but I am sure if I am away from home for a while they will come back:( But as long as they don't come to scare little birds I am happy. I use wire feeders so they can't eat it anyway. If you use bird feeder they can't get food they may give up!?

put some chicken wire round the feeder that the birds can get threw the holes .

A friend has his feeders on top of a metal pole. He keeps the pole greased and has the top half of a large plastic container fixed to the pole in the manner of an up-side down funnel.

cheers to all

I put up a squirrel feed box full of nuts, so he has his own food supply, did the trick, he leaves the bird feeders alone plus it fun watching him through the window.

your welcome dave and taz thats another good idea .

If there are enough nuts on the hazel.....squirrel quite happy. Tried to pinch sunflower seeds and nibbled the feeder. So I hung it out of his reach and he didn't do anymore damage. They are pretty creatures but a bloomin pest in the garden. Some of the 'squirrel proof' gizmos are so pricey too. If they didn't work you would rather miffed.