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well and chirp directions to their babies. They are the motivational speakers of the bird kingdom.

By the next day, they are all gone, and I am relieved, but sad. I utter a silent prayer for these lovely, mesmerizing creatures.

I met a man a few months ago who folks refer to as, “The Bluebird Guy,” because he has helped hatch over 2,100 bluebirds in a 112-acre park just north of Atlanta. His real name is Jim Bearden. He monitors over two dozen bluebird boxes and fills up nearby feeding stations with dried mealworms. He reports the data to Nest-Watch (nestwatch.org), a nationwide monitoring program designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds.

“Researchers say we’ve lost nearly three billion birds in the last 50 years, so it’s important for us to do all we can to help protect and strengthen bird populations,” Bearden mentioned as we hiked together.

Even in my lifetime, I have noticed the dramatic drop in bird populations. They are disappearing in droves. Somehow, we have upset the delicate balance of nature, and that’s a problem.

As for me and my husband, we’ll continue to do our part. We feed our birds and provide a sanctuary for all species. We keep bluebird boxes as if we are booking Airbnbs for travelers.

We will continue to watch Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird build their nest and raise their young until they all fly away — it’s part of our springtime ritual. It’s a wonderful sound — the music of the birds in the trees. We have to do all we can to make sure future generations hear that sound, too.