I have the opportunity to work in an area where I get a great view of many ponds on an almost daily basis. The ponds are all within five miles of each other and pretty much could be classed as either brackish and muddy or fresh and with much vegetation. As I see the migration reach us, it's interesting to see how I'll see hundreds of ducks on a couple ponds, but none on the others. A few days later, the previously empty ponds will have birds and the previously full ponds will be empty. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how these birds are choosing the ponds. Food availability seems to be equal, so I wonder what makes the birds move from pond to pond. Human activity is zero near these areas. Any thoughts?

Wind direction in relation from roost. Maybe. Or birds moving out and new birds moving in.

That'd be my guess.

differnt lunch speacials that day??

maybe the lead duck in the first flight got lost. the rest of the flights just decoyed to the action.

Stupid no navigatin sons of beaches!

It's from the first ducks choice of ponds when they get there early in the morning. thats why decoys are so popular istead of just setting up in a really good looking spot.By having the decoys there is the same way they fly naturally because they trust your decoys that there is food there already and they dont have to find it. They also feel more secure going to the spot that there are already ducks at.

They're pond hopping like we bar hop.

Bingo. Ducks vary their diets quite regularly. When its really cold they need a lot of "hot foods"/carbs for energy. They tend to go to spots with high invertebrate concentrations for protein to build fat reserves.

Or you can just say.......why.....because they can.

Just paint this on the roof of your pit

If you ate at McDonald's every day, 3 meals a day and always with the same people, it would get old pretty quick.

Variety is the spice of life. Besides, what else does a duck have to do during the day? Eat, crap, fly.

Looks like you got a carp grubbin above the T