At its most simplistic, stamps are sourced through dealers, but purchasing can be achieved through a number of methods. Here are a few to consider:-

• Many thematic dealers advertise their services in the trade press and you might think about contacting them to see what they have to offer. Some may have to be written to, but increasingly many have on-line services. Where possible, choose a dealer who is a member of the Philatelic Traders Association (PTA) as they operate within a strict code of practice.

• You can join packet schemes. The BSS operates its own packet scheme within the UK and if you take up this option available to you as a member, you will receive a packet of ten books with bird stamps roughly every quarter. The packets operate on a circuit. When received you select those issues you want, pay the packet secretary and then pass the packet on to the next member. There is also an e-packet service (Non-BSS) that is open internationally that enables you to select stamps on-line.

• Similarly, some dealers offer approval arrangements where selections of stamps that cover your collecting interests are sent to you on a regular basis. Unfortunately most tend to be geared for collecting countries rather than thematics, but the BSS can advise on a number who do specialise or hold stamps that might be of interest.

• You could attend a stamp fair if there is one nearby. Some parts of the country have major fairs lasting several days, while smaller ones are just for one day. The advantage is that you can actually meet the dealers, discuss your collecting needs and hopefully establish links for future purchases. They can also be a useful venue for acquiring philatelic supplies. The downside is that not every area of the UK is covered. The south of England for example tends to have a plethora of fairs while this is less the case the further north or west you go. Fairs in Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland are much rarer.
• And lastly, there are privately run auctions where you can view a catalogue of available issues and competitively bid for items you want. In the past, the Bird Stamp Society used to run its own auction, but this is currently not operating. However, also check-out local and national philatelic societies as many will run auctions from time to time which can often be affordable.

Generally, we would advise you to shop around. Over time you will begin to develop a small list of dealers or businesses who hold what you want and have issues that meet your needs and your purchasing budgets.

The short answer? It’s up to you. Stamps can be mounted in albums on gridded sheets and neatly labelled, although many choose stockbooks or use Prinz or Hagner pages which are more flexible. Mounting may involve the use of hinges, but increasingly Prinz or Hawid type mounts have become popular as they do not damage the stamp, particularly the Gard version.

The arrangement of collections will largely be determined by your collecting interests and/or specialism. Collections might be arranged by country and in date of issue order. Some bird stamps are part of larger sets that include non-bird issues, perhaps a general wildlife or nature set. Some collectors will mount the complete set, others might want to only use the bird elements. Generally, we would advise against breaking sets up.

Sometimes it is a pick-and-mix arrangement. Mini-sheets tend to be large and are better kept in Prinz or Hagner sheets rather than mounted along with the rest of your collection, but they can be mounted if need be.

Covers can be either kept in separate plastic slips (dealers tend to sell them in this form) or placed in special cover binders, often called First Day Cover or FDC albums. If you become interested in postal history you might want a flexible arrangement so you can study the covers over time.

But there is one don’t. Don’t store your collection in shoes boxes or biscuit tins. Do something with them! They deserve to be accessible and seen. It should be a collection, not an accumulation.

The number of bird stamps that have been issued over time has been estimated to be as many as perhaps forty thousand. That’s a huge and probably impractical number to collect! Some, indeed perhaps many bird stamp enthusiasts find that as they develop their collections they will begin to specialise. Like any other form of philately bird thematics have plenty of areas of specialism. A specialism might be to collect the species of one country or one continent or even one part of a continent. Others might want to specialise on a particular species – popular ones include Penguins, Owls, Birds of Prey or Parrots. But there are also members who collect only flightless birds, or seabirds or wildfowl. And some might collect just one particular species – Puffins, Capercaillie, Hoopoes or Quetzals are examples. But there are others forms of specialism. Some collect covers – perhaps first day of issue covers or normal, postally used items of stationery that have bird stamps. Some might have a specific interest in cachets on covers or perhaps on postmarks or even meter marks with bird designs. Some might only seek the bird stamps of a particular illustrator or engraver of which there are many. And some might choose to focus on the unusual – locals, Cinderella’s or forgeries. There is not a defined list and anyone can choose to focus on an aspects that others have not thought to specialise in previously. Pioneers are welcome!

The simple answer is that the choice is up to you. There are really no “rules,” no do’s and don’ts with thematic collecting. You will quickly discover for yourself what interests you most and what you want to collect. It is probable that over time you will develop your own specific areas of interest. For example, many members are also keen ornithologists and will only collect identifiable bird species. However, some might also include domestic birds in their collections; others might include symbolic birds such as Doves of peace or coats-of-arms. Some only collect used stamps, others only mint. Some might collect covers, and others seek out mini-sheets. There are no hard lines and it is really up to you to decide what aspect of bird stamps you want to build your collection on. Our advice: Go with what interests you.