GardmanBA01131 Premium Bird Feeding Station Kit, 21" Wide x 90" High (73" above ground height),Black

Living in an apartment complex, one is somewhat limited in terms of a bird feeding apparatus. I needed a of pole system I could zip tie to balcony railing in limited space with a wide array of feeder hanging option. While the appearance and soldering job on this pole system is mediocre compared to more expensive pole systems you will find at birding stores, it sure holds together and beats the competition in terms of value for the price. To construct this same system using more high-grade metal and with perfect joint soldering would have cost me at least three times as much as this system.One of the things I really like about this system is the inclusion of the tray feeder. This is just perfect for putting out odds and ends for the birds to feed on such as fruits or crumbled up stale bread.I can't attest to the stability of this system in the ground, however, so my rating is given strictly for using it as a zip-tied-to-the-balcony pole system. It looks like that you stake the single prong at least a foot into the ground though, so I imagine it wouldn't be a problem in most soil types or wind conditions. If you're looking for a good, inexpensive feeder for your apartment balcony you can't beat this pole system!EDIT: I wrote this original review in 2008, and I thought I would revisit it in 2011. I still have this pole system, and it still works great on my apartment balcony. There is only one thing that has broken: the plastic water dish. The plastic quality wasn't high enough to stand up to wear and tear, even though I did not leave it out during the winter season. It is no big loss; the birds didn't use it much for its intended purpose and it became dirty very quickly due to its proximity to my tube feeders. Now the empty metal ring where the plastic dish would sit serves as a bird perch for the hoards of winged ones waiting for their turn.

Sadly, nothing lasts these days - and more they claim, the less they do, the more quality they claim for outdoor use, the shortest amount of time they last. NOT THIS PRODUCT! I bought this in Aug of 2010 and have moved it 3 times. It's been through 4 months of daily rain and some 40mph winds for several months in 2011 in the summer, one freeze last winter, scorching heat in the 80's and 90's for months on end at times, and rampant daily humidity - no matter the season. It is just now getting the first tiny spot of "rust" at one of the connections but is still as stable and strong as the first day.Meanwhile, I've had to replace the bird feeders twice since I bought it and am about to replace again. Metal, Wood, Plastic feeders, from $8 to $36. All have come and gone.My only minor complaint when it first came was that you have to BURY this thing at least 3 inches deeper than it indicates in order for it to hold up to any wind at all or the probability of some feeders being heavier on one side or the other. Once it is sufficiently deep, circle the bottom with big rocks or clay pots full of soil for about a week or two, it will settle in the ground very sturdy and straight. After that, it will seemingly last forever. I've had up to 16 birds on this at once (a flock of parrots that come every summer) and they are big, they swing on the bird feeders and jump all over the place making a racket but this pole and it's hooks have no damage as a result. when the parrots aren't in town, we get huge crows, songbirds, bluejays, tiny birds of all sorts, redwing blackbirds, more birds than I have ever had from any individual feeder. Having a multitude of feeders in one location brings all sorts of birds around and the doves come at dusk and clean up around the bottom. Last year, I even added bungie cords around the "water ring" with small bird feeders dangling down and no matter how many feeders I add, it doesn't move.I'm glad I didn't review when I first got it because it seemed flimsy - it required burying so deep to keep it from wobbling or leaning I thought it would never last. But it outlasted 3 rounds of bird feeders and every weather band type except for snow, year after year. Now that I'm planting and checking my outdoor stuff to see what needs to go in the trash and be replace for summer, I find once again this is the item in my yard in the best condition and at this point is the oldest item. It even outlasted 2 lawn chairs of really decent quality (supposedly).I am pleasantly surprised and hope to have to for a longtime into the future.

This bird feeding pole went together pretty easily. The instructions weren't a lot of help, but I figured it out.Note, the feeders pictured are not included. I failed to notice that when ordering, but luckily I have my own.The feeder is tall, which I like. The spike end that goes into the ground is just a single spike, there's no additional part to add to the stability, wouldn't advise for use in soft ground, but we have clay in our dirt and it will hold just fine.

I love this feeder! When I got it home and pulled it out of the box I was thinking it looked a little rinky dink, and that it may be a little wobbly - but I tell you, THE BIRDS LOVE IT!I use both of the feeders that came with it, and added a small hanging suet feeder on the 3rd hook (which cost about 3 bucks at a local hardware store)I have had to learn what seed works best, and had a problem with a gang of blackbirds for a while, but I changed out the seed and found a more 'boring' suet and it has made a huge difference. I can look out there any time of the day and see at least one or two birds (and sometimes its way more) I've even had a few woodpeckers come to the suet feeder - and the water dish is one of their favorite things. I was thinking that was a little silly - but it isn't - the birds really love the water - I end up filling it usually twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening - because they all come to drink. (if you think about it - everyone puts out bird feeders, how many also put out water for the birds?)You will not regret buying this feeder - I use a nice woodpecker or nut and fruit blend in the open weave feeder, and then safflower seeds in the clear tube feeder - and each morning I'll put a scoop of fruit and nut blend on the shelf - and I get all day enjoyment watching the many jays, cardinals, and finches come and eat.The pole itself is a little wobbly, but not because of the joints in it - I found it wobbly because it was just stuck in the ground and didn't have any support - so I put a few rocks around the base of it, and that did the trick.I hope you will enjoy yours as much as I've enjoyed mine.