Bird invasion causes travel chaos at Brighton station

A bird caused chaos for an hour and a half during rush hour when it intruded onto the tracks at Brighton station.

Thameslink was forced to close three stations at around 7pm while power was turned off and herring gulls removed.

Affected services include brighton Disruptions will last until around 8.20pm for express flights to London and Gatwick.

The railway operator posted on X that passengers should leave 20 minutes in advance to complete their journey and check departure information regularly.

Several people responded to the Times-Union, asking whether the news was an April Fool’s Day joke and questioning whether the herring gull was actually endangered.

One traveler complained that “many trains” were canceled and operators left them “stuck in the rain”.

Thameslink later said it apologized for any inconvenience the incident had caused passengers, adding that the bird had been safely removed from the railway.

“We’re delighted this has a happy ending,” it said, sharing a photo of the young seagull.

Although herring gulls are common in seaside resorts, the species has been on the Birds for Conservation of Nature (BCC) Red List since 2009 due to continued population declines.

Red status means the species has been identified by the BCC as “of increasing conservation concern”.

The list is compiled by major bird conservation organizations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and identifies conservation priorities for the birds.