WHEN farmer David White passed the reins of Manor Farm to his son Edward, his interest in wildlife and photography had a chance to blossom.

In fact, this new passion has proved such a success, David, now 70, had one of his photographs - a shot of a highland cow silhouetted by a huge moon - published on the front page of the Times in January, an extraordinary achievement for the self-taught photographer from Berwick Bassett.

“I sent the photo to an agency,” he said. “It took some setting up. We have 150 acres of downland managed for birds of prey and for that we have a small herd of highland cattle.

“We use them to graze, as they are the right breed to create habitat for voles and mice. The downs are usually grazed short but if it’s quite clumpy it’s better,” he said.

David chose the opportune moment for the moonrise, put some food out to make sure the cows would be in a good place, used the right lens and had the good fortune to take a perfect shot. The Times snapped it up.

“I was pleased with that,” he said, with some understatement.

His love of wildlife photography and developing interest in cultivating wildlife habitats on the farm have gone hand in hand over the last ten years, one feeding into the other.

The downland managed for birds of prey attracts red kites and buzzards, as well as tawny owls, short-eared owls, hobby falcons and kestrels, all tempted by the mice and voles flourishing in the longer grass.

The farm has a total of 60 acres of land sown with plants whose only purpose is to feed birds. The five species of seed-bearing plants and flowers are grown in strips and not harvested, but left to provide food.

A dew pond has been created on the dry heights of the downs, and a habitat left for ground-nesting birds such as lapwings and stone curlews.

On top of this, literally dozens of huge bird feeders and hundreds of nesting boxes are spread around the farm, providing food for birds all year round. Ten years ago only a pair of two of endangered tree sparrows nested on the farm. Now there are over 500.

As well as birds, the farm is home to numerous hares and roe deer, which David also enjoys photographing.

He has also built a hide so he can get the best possible shots of birds of prey.

“I’ve always been interested in photography but started taking it seriously about ten years ago, when I got some decent kit. I bought some big lenses. I bought a second-hand 500mm lens, and found it totally magical to see wildlife so close.

“Before I caught a fleeting glimpse, but with the right lens you can really see the intimate behaviour of these wonderful creatures.”

He added: “Since then I have travelled extensively, and been to a lot of countries in eastern Europe for photography.

“It’s not farmed so intensively and they have more wildlife - such as golden eagles.”

David has travelled to the Arctic and Antarctic to take photographs - but he has also taken superb photographs of birds through his living room window.

This year David has visited Poland and Hungary, and later in the year he is heading for the foothills of Mount Everest in Nepal, where he was invited by the World Pheasant Association, to take pictures of galliformes - which are species of pheasant.

You can find his wonderful pictures on Facebook, and his website, davidwhitephotos.com.