Pat- I think this is simply a lighting effect where the sheen off the feathers is reflecting back at you and making them look lighter. I think some post-processing has lightened the feathers up as well as evidenced by the noise in the dark feathers. Having said this, the light primary and secondary feathers seen here are quite normal I think. Sibley calls the flight feathers "silvery". Looks like you have a juvenile bird here with the gray head rather than reddish.
thank you yes it was late day golden light and also fall a time for juvenilles.. I never thought it was a juvenille but I did get so close as I only had a 300 mm lens at this time..and it was twenty feet away so I saw with my eyes the light blonde color.... but I think two would have been with the parents now that you explain it..thanks again I wondered about this for a couple of years
Well I have wondered about this one for a while... It was from Quinte Island at Prince Edward Point.. the island next to Amherst island.. Ontario
Blonde turkey vulture..
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