I mix sunflower seeds and wild bird feed into a large feeder hanging from a low tree. The birds kick the seed out onto the ground and I'm constantly weeding this spot to remove thousands of sprouts. Is there some nifty way to keep the ground cleared under a bird feeder?

You can buy non growing bird seed, it looks like dried sweetcorn. I have had to move my bird table as I had the same problem, so I moved it to a concreted area. The found that the food was always gobbled up by the pigeons and starlings before any other could get a look in. So now they are only on bread and water, and that has resolved all problems!

My method is to not plant that area. It is kept green with all the sprouts and squirrel and birds keep it picked up. I do not know who eats the young shoots--maybe quail--but they don't last long. I also built my own platform bird feeder that has 2" sides around a 12"X18" platform. That way the birds don't kick much out when they search for their favorite or jump around chasing others away. With this type of platform you need to accept other feeders. Though the platform is 10' off the ground I have seen foxes and raccoons as well as squirrels.
Its mounted on a 4X4 post that is attached to an old tree stump. I built a small ladder for me to reach it.