Matthews Forecast Service
This forecast is prepared by a nonprofessional weather observer. The forecast is designed to give you a general idea of conditions in the Fort Myers Florida area. Individuals are reminded to stay tuned to commercial TV and radio stations for the latest updates on severe weather in our area.

Sports Page
MLB Boston Red Sox Baseball

Boston Red Sox 10
Washington Nationals 3
Next game in progress.

Mighty Muscles Baseball Florida State League Single A Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins

Bradenton Marauders 5
Fort Myers mighty Muscles 3
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Almanac

Date Sunday July 6, 2025
Average high temperature 91F
Average low temperature 75
Record high temperature 101
Record low temperature 69
Pollen count 1.7 low

Sunrise 6:39 sunset 8:23
Moon phase Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 84%

Air quality good Air Quality Index (AQI)

Forecast

Saturday July 5 National Graham Cracker Day
High temperature high 80s
Low temperature high 70s
The day will be partly cloudy with showers likely.

Sunday July 6 National Fried Chicken Day
High temperature High 80s
low temperature High 70s
The day will be partly cloudy with a chance of showers in the afternoon.

Monday July 7 National Father Daughter Take a Walk Day
High temperature High 80s
low temperature high 70s
The day will be partly cloudy with a chance of showers in the afternoon.

Bird of the Week photo by John McDonald

About this Bird

Identification
Size: 16–19 inches (40–49 cm) long, wingspan around 26–30 inches (66–75 cm).

Appearance:

Jet-black body with white stripes on the face and neck.

A bright red crest on the head, which gives it a prehistoric or “pterodactyl-like” look.

Males have a red stripe on their cheek (females have a black one).

Call: A loud, resonant, laughing “cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk,” often heard echoing through forests.

🌲 Habitat
Found in mature forests with large, dead trees for nesting and foraging.

Range includes much of eastern North America, parts of the Pacific Northwest, and even some southern areas of Canada.

🍴 Diet
Primarily eats insects, especially carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae.

Also consumes fruits, nuts, and berries.

Excels at chiseling into dead or dying trees to extract prey, leaving behind rectangular holes that are a signature of their feeding.

🪺 Nesting
Nests are excavated in dead trees or snags.

The same tree may be used by different birds in different years, but usually they excavate a new cavity each season.

Clutch size: Typically 3–5 eggs.

Both parents incubate and feed the young.

🔍 Interesting Facts
Their loud drumming on trees is not only for feeding but also for communication and territorial display.

The pileated woodpecker inspired the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker.

They play an important role in forest ecology by creating nesting cavities used by other species (like owls, ducks, and bats).

📉 Conservation Status
Currently not threatened. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

However, they depend on large tracts of undisturbed forest, so habitat loss is a concern in some regions.

Site updated Sunday July 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM.

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Useful links
NBC2

Area webcams

Spirit of independence A Key West sailing adventure aboard Spirit of Independence

Mike’s Weather Page Here you will find all sorts of weather information

National Hurricane Center