Regarding placing feeders of any kind near the ground or on a table,
it doesn't matter what the temperature is, there are domestic cats
around which WILL lay in wait - I've chased many away both
intentionally and when I didn't know they were there, hidden as they
were by their natural camo clothing... One solution I use for the
part of my feeding area that is atop a picnic table is to fence the
table top using 3 foot high 2x4inch wire mesh fencing, and then
topping it with boards to keep (most of) the snow off. Of course
bungies help to keep the whole mess from blowing away, or being
knocked over the obnoxious White-tailed deer that own our town. Even
so, birds (ESPECIALLY siskins) throw seed all about that other birds
(siskin and all alike) then consume. There are a host of great online
sites for heated bird baths and mats, bestnest dot com being one from
which I purchased a bath which I have on a make-shift shelf on our
"deck" [no $$ interest in the company], and there are ranch and feed
stores that carry similar -- heated water dishes for dogs usually run
half the price of a bird bath and serve the same purpose, especially
if one places a rock in the middle for perching, or a couple twigs
across it... Covering any water source (or bringing it inside) at
night keeps heated water vapor from blowing away, and lessens
electrical consumption -- funny how we so-called "enviromentalists"
waste energy feeding and heating birds for our enjoyment, but then we
hear from those who can't stand it if someone goes a-huntin' for food
or trophy of different kinds (another debate, not intended here, but
just by way of an observation)... Consumables, of whatever kind, come
at a cost to us, and our native species' habitats... -- Jim Greaves,
Thompson Falls MT