Rare Harrier deaths

We stayed at Sandringham in autumn, 2014 and again in 2015. So what I hear you say? In both years we used the road that leads past the Royal Stud. This is a long tree lined road running for about a mile or so. In 2014 the road was inundated with Woodpigeons feeding on the edge. Masses of them, a true bane of caravanning life at the Sandringham site. In 2015 there was hardly a one. Hundreds went missing. There was no drop off of numvers on the CC site just on the Sandringham estate itself. Now I do understand that these birds are not protected and they are not my favourite bird but somebody is getting rid of them and who is likely to confront our privelged few? No copper who values his pension thats for sure.

Could it be that the harriers have an urge to commit suicide?

I am a keen pigeon shooter. I consider pigeon shooting the most skilful of all the shooting disciplines. These birds are a plague on some farms, especially those growing OSR, peas, beans etc. They can devastate a field of crops. Don't worry though, they estimate 30 million of these destructive pests are resident in this country- if I shoot 2 dozen I consider I've done well! They are good eating too. Restaurants will seek them. 

Whilst I could never support killing for sport or 'pleasure', killing rare harriers goes another step beyond the defnition of anything that can be condoned.