The metal pole deters squirrels
Oh how naive you are
Not even if the pole had a disc around it, with barbed wire and a sealed glass container, Squirrels are designed by nature to raid birdhouses. They are the armed robbers of bird feeding tables.
If you didnt see it, theres a YT vid on page one showing how well adapted they are to raiding feeder tables. Really are far cleverer than many people give them credit for. But then they have to be, like all, squirrels have to eat too.
Some nice designs on show, keep them coming.
my own design thinking was of something akin to a multi segmented sphere. Look like a chocolate orange segments, spaced out with just enough room for small birds to fit between the segments.
The idea is being identical segments, it can be easily reporduced using a template and router, then arranged in a circle on a circular base, with a cone shaped roof, a long threaded rod connects the cone to the base, with maybe something like a split pin to hold together and easily removed for refilling.