Every spring, the Chippewa Valley transforms. Most people miss it entirely.
Local experts Steve Betchkal, a seasoned bird expert and author; Mari Jackson, an award-winning Master Gardener; and Anne Geraghty a retired biology teacher National Park Service ranger; will lead you through the valley’s most beautiful seasonal secrets.
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Every spring, the Chippewa Valley transforms. Most people miss it entirely.
For just a few weeks each year, the forest floor erupts with some of the most exquisite wildflowers you’ve never noticed: Bloodroot pushes through the leaf litter, Dutchman’s Breeches dangle like ghostly pantaloons, Trout Lily carpets the woodland floor in mottled green and gold. These are spring ephemerals: here for days, then gone until next year before most people even notice they were here.
At the same time, the skies are in motion with the greatest natural spectacle on Planet Earth. Bird migration takes place on every continent and most people don’t even realize that while they work, sleep, and play that billions of birds are passing overhead and through their neighborhoods. The Chippewa Valley’s river corridors and wetlands act as a natural migration highway, funneling massive waves of birds northward including more than 30 species of warbler alone, plus raptors, shorebirds, waterfowl, flycatchers, and more. They pause just long enough to be spotted if you know where to look.
That’s where local experts Steve Betchkal and Mari Jackson come in. These two know where to look, what to listen for, and how to unlock a natural world that most people drive right past. Steve, a seasoned bird expert and author, and Mari, an award-winning Master Gardener, have spent years learning the hidden rhythms of a Chippewa Valley spring.
On this trolley tour, you’ll visit the Jim Falls Wildflower Walking Trail, the Irvine Park Native Wildflower Sanctuary (with a bathroom break), and Kemper Woods in Lake Hallie where they’ll share all of it with you: how to spot migrating birds before they move on, where the ephemerals hide, how to attract more birds to your own yard, how to protect the birds passing through our community, and so much more. Together they’ll lead you through the valley’s most beautiful seasonal secrets, teaching you to see what’s always been there.
BYOB - Bring Your Own Binoculars and bird guides. Bring your curiosity. But do NOT wait to register! With only three tour dates this spring and nature running on its own strict schedule, this is one experience that genuinely cannot be rescheduled. Once these blooms fade and the birds move north, the moment is gone.
WEATHER: Depending on weather, be prepared for the trolley to be set up enclosed with sliding windows, or open-air with brass railings (and roll down curtains in case of rain). Appropriate clothing layers for heat/humidity or cool breezes is a good idea. There will be some walking in flat fields. This tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
Steve Betchkal is a broadcast journalist, experienced birder, author of birding guides, and leader of birding travel groups. His book titles include All of This and Robins Too: A Guide to the 50 or So Best Places to Find Birds in Wisconsin and Make Birds Not War (available at The Local Store).
Mari Jackson is the 2025 winner of the Sustainable Eau Claire Award for Outstanding Individual. She has given talks and led tours through native gardens to show how people can add pollinators into their own gardens. Mari is an advocate for environmental stewardship through her community work, involvement as a Master Gardener, and active membership in the Chippewa Valley Biodiversity Partnership.
Anne Geraghty is a retired biology teacher who began birding 25 years ago during her service as a National Park Service ranger. She is involved with many birding activities in the Chippewa Valley, from leading birding trips to collecting bird data for a variety of citizen science projects.
