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124 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY NATURAL AREAS SURVEY. SITE DESCRIPTION. <br /> Site name: Bald Mountain Hardwood Slopes <br /> Site number: NOI <br /> Significance: 4 - County Medium Integrity: 1 - Prime <br /> Threat Status: 5 - Negligible <br /> Location: Monadnock west of Old NC 86 (CR 1009). and Meadow <br /> Flat; halfway between Calvander Crossroads and intersection <br /> of Old NC 86 and Arthur Minnis Road (CR 1113) ; access' by Duke <br /> Forest Gate No. 35. <br /> USGS Quad: Chapel Hill <br /> Approx. acreage: 66 <br /> Jurisdiction: Duke University; Rural Buffer <br /> Reasons for significance; This is one of the most mature <br /> . chestnut oak forests in the county and the only monadnock <br /> without any sort of development on its upper slopes and <br /> summit. Large hollowed-out stumps of chestnut oak, now <br /> extremely rare due to a long history of lumbering, provide <br /> traditional nesting sites for turkey vultures (Cathartes <br /> aura) . Scenic features include both the rock formations on <br /> the summit and the unbroken ridgeline as seen from the <br /> surrounding countryside. <br /> General description: Bald Mountain is one of a series of • <br /> monadnocks that run northeast through the southwestern part <br /> of the county. The summit .rises more than two hundred feet <br /> above the surrounding terrain due to the resistant nature of <br /> the underlying bedrock. Documented rock types include <br /> rhyolite flows, slate, diorite, and tonalite (Gibbon, 1966) . <br /> The large outcrops of igneous rocks are an interesting scenic <br /> feature of this monadnock, particularly a series of boulders <br /> shaped like dolphin fins located on the northwest slope. <br /> The forest cover on the crown is composed almost <br /> completely of chestnut oak (Ouercus prinus) , with scattered <br /> presence of other upland oaks such as scarlet oak (Q. <br /> coccinea) , black oak (Q. velutina) , and white oak (Q. alba) . <br /> The low heath cover here is sparse but the viburnum thickets <br /> are well-developed, especially on the slopes below the crown <br /> of the hill. Due to the relatively dry nature of the <br /> ridgetop, several species of open-forest birds nest there, <br /> including the flicker (Colaptes auratus) , great-crested <br /> flycatcher (Myarchis crinitus) , white-breasted nuthatch <br /> (Sitta carolensis) , and summer tanager (piranaa rubra) . <br /> Other noteworthy breeding species include the pileated <br /> woodpecker (Drvocoous oileatus) and hairy woodpecker <br /> (picoides villosus) , both of which are characteristic of <br /> large tracts of mature hardwoods, and the hooded warbler <br /> (Wilsonia citrina) , which in upland situations is strongly <br /> associated with viburnum thickets. <br /> Protection Status: Duke Forest multiple use lands; private <br /> 145 <br />