Ben Knowles

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@LNER
Please pass on my compliments to the guard of 1A32 this evening, an absolute role model team member.

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@Se_Railway @SteveWhiteRail
Please could the guard of 1G67 be thanked for updating a whole platform of passengers at Hither Green this morning from the middle cab about the disruption. Above and beyond!

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@Hull_Trains Can you give ticket acceptance onto LNER for us at Doncaster wishing to travel to Kings Cross as the 1804 has made no progress. Thanks

[Skokholm Island @SkokholmIsland]

Manx Shearwater chick EM82816 was last seen on 26th August, its wing about 10mm short of fledging length. It was found exhausted on a Brazilian beach on 8th October, 43 days later. So 216km a day and in reality a lot more than that

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

An Owl-tastic weekend. Little and Tawny handled for the first time yesterday, the smallest and largest we have in the UK.
@WOXFarmBirds

[Graham Deacon @GrahamDeacon12]

Salisbury Plain does it again. 1st bird today was a late Grasshopper Warbler followed by a fabulous Firecrest. Bulk of catch = 73 Chiffchaff & 68 Blackcap. The last bird was a Yellow-browed Warbler, a 1st for the site & the 17th warbler species ringed here #birdringing #migration

[Graham Deacon @GrahamDeacon12]

Busy Salisbury Plain morning with 282 birds processed. The catch was dominated by 67 Chiffchaff & 191 Blackcap with this species now passing 30,000 on my rings. Also some variety with Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Whitethroat, 2 Garden & 5 Sedge Warbler #birdringing #migration

[Graham Deacon @GrahamDeacon12]

North Wilts RG on Salisbury Plain today joined by Emmanuel Jatta who would normally be ringing at the Kartong Bird Observatory in The Gambia. Emmanuel has spent 4 months ringing at Skokholm BO, Suffolk, Wales & Scotland. He goes home with a fantastic scarred arm from by a Gannet!

[Graham Deacon @GrahamDeacon12]

Huge migrant day on Salisbury Plain with our best ever August catch of 335 birds. Day record for Sedge (102), Reed (55) & Willow (53). Also 2 Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechat, 7 Whinchat, 24 Garden. Best bird, a Marsh Warbler the 15th warbler species for the site

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@GrahamDeacon12 @BTO_Wilts @WiltsBirdClub A wonderful morning.

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@fbuner @BirdLifeEurope @ArielBrunner @vogelnieuws @vogelwarte_ch @GrahamDenny9 @stuttonsparrows @Gameandwildlife @OakbankGame @_EBCC Had similar experience in France last week, no despondent desire to "tidy" everything. As a result had Black Redstart, Hoopoe, Cuckoo's, Turtle Doves, Red Back Shrike, amoungst many others from the garden...

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@ReadingCouncil Just out of interest, why is 13 weeks required for this? It's an excessively long time for something that arguably isn't even required.

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@BusAndTrainUser The barriers to the left of bay 1 don't look ideal. I can see rear overhangs clouting that as they swing around after reversing out...

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@Coastway_Will All of SWR is full of platform agency staff with no real understanding. Quite an off putting experience travelling with SWR nowadays.

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@mattthesparrow @WiltsBirdClub @NE_Wessex @TonyJuniper @MeganRural @NWessexDowns @NaturalEngland @_BTO @robmhowe65 @RichBond11 Do we know what the insect make up is of the diet of juveniles? Could the wet winter of increased numbers of specific food species?

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@Sherriffs_UK @_BTO Very nice!.

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@NetworkRailSE Out of interest what is your procedure for risk and benefit here? A flat crossing is accessible to all and perfectly safe if used properly. A new footbridge is expensive, less accessible and arguably more of a hazard having steps etc?

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@GarethDennis Under the various PSVAR/DDA acts bus operators are legally obliged to show the route and destination at all time on buses or face action by the relevant authorites. How exactly does this differ for the railways that can just seemingly display whatever they want?

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@thomasbowell Yes agreed there, in Reading a retail part adjacent to the station has just been reallocated for 1,000 flats. That's good. It's the collosal, proliferating, poorly built, car dependant, nature destroying, flood enducing estates that are problematic.

[Ben Knowles @_Gellico]

@thomasbowell They both have the same effect ultimately. I believe much of the opposition to housing would be quelled if there was clear defined end points of growth/proliferation. In 20yrs the situation is going to be v different anyways as the market is flooded with boomer houses