Flyways - Ancient Aerial Songlines
A conversation with Randall Wood, Director and Filmmaker of the Film, Flyways
Listen to the Introduction
An Australian Aboriginal legend tells of the moment birds arrived amongst us.
The breaking of a rainbow scattered shards of colours.
As these shards fell to earth, they became
glowing jewel like birds.
I walk a sacred ecosystem, on Quandamooka Country, in what is now known as Brisbane (originally Meanjin), Queensland, Australia. An area of profound stillness, of vast interwoven tidal lagoons, fringed by mangroves and carpeted by lush seagrass meadows.
Along the way, I encounter stingrays, schools of fish, mud crabs, sea hares. And everwhere are the birds! Resting, feeding. Listening, every cell within their bodies a pulsing field of attenuated presence.
Unless, that is, the dogs aren’t running. Terrifying them into flight. Ripping up the seagrass and trampling the crustaceans, annelids, molluscs on which they feed, and then running amok in the nursery of fishes.
This site is part of a sacred International Treaty; it is a recognised Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. I am privileged to walk there.
I’ve walked this area on and off for over twenty years, more so, in the last three and a half years. Sometimes daily. The being I most fell in love with, was Seagrass. You can read about that journey here.
But as I watched the migratory shorebirds declining, and I learned about the film, Flyways, I knew immediately that I wanted to speak with Randall Wood, the Director of the film. I wanted to hear about his journey with these birds. I wanted to learn about this ‘neural net’ (as Randall calls it), and these ancient aerial songlines (my referent), and
I wanted to hear about Randall’s experience of the ways that birds are Guides. I wanted to hear about what the birds told him, as he lay emerging from a coma following an accident that near took his life. And I wanted to speak about the interwoven intersentient interbeing that we are.
All.
Of.
Us.
Please enjoy our conversation here:
Or you can listen to it on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts (or wherever you like); on The Saltwater Songlines Podcast
Show Notes:
Four years in the making, Flyways explores the phenomenal journey of migratory shorebirds from their summer feeding grounds in the Southern Hemisphere to their Northern Arctic breeding grounds on their established flyways. Filmed in Australia, Africa, China, Chile, Alaska and Siberia, we witness the extreme challenges these critically endangered birds encounter along their ancient migratory pathways.
flywaysfilm.com
The film follows three critically endangered migratory shorebird species, as they travel their ancient migration routes around the planet. Using nanotechnology and global tracking from the International Space Station, the project uncovered the paths of the world’s greatest, feathered endurance athletes and shone a light on the scientists and international lawyers who are collaborating to save them.
The shorebirds in this film, fly thousands of miles each year along ancient and largely unknown migratory routes called flyways. Species travel from feeding grounds in the southern hemisphere to breeding grounds in the Arctic regions and back again, flying up to nine days non-stop without food or water. Their navigational skills on these marathon migrations are extraordinary and mysterious. However, these shorebird numbers are crashing.
Director of the film, Randall Wood, has 25 years experience writing, directing and shooting compelling documentaries. His films on music, science, natural history and humanitarian issues have won more than 30 filmmaking awards including: The Grand Jury Award - Slamdance International Film Festival, The Grand Prix - World of Knowledge, Dendy Award - Sydney Film Festival, International Wildlife Film Festival, Scinema, AFI, China Dragon Awards, Australian Film Critics Circle, Jackson Hole Jury and Science Media Award, ACS Judges Award and an AWGIE Award for writing.
We’d love for you to share this conversation with your community. Thank you!