Someone dropped food outside my apartment. A half-eaten banana and a third of a  slice of pizza. I watched to see which of our wildlife would be first to bite. To my surprise, it wasn’t the ducks who found this treasure trove but a lone ibis. He high stepped around these unfamiliar foods and then right at the banana in a stabbing attack.

Raising his head, he found a soft chunk stuck to his bill and this fellow’s body language reflected both astonishment and outrage. He’d tried a new taste sensation and somehow ended up with this mess on his face. While he attempted to shake off the persistent fruit, five of his feathered compatriots appeared and made short work of the pizza crust.

After three twitches of his long neck, the bit of banana flew off and he stalked over to join in the feast of Italy. But the pizza had vanished, leaving only a grease smear on the sidewalk, and the others were marching off to the next outdoor buffet section. He stood for a moment and then fell into line, head bobbing with each step.

His little culinary quest proved two things: Sometimes when you get adventurous and try new things, you end up with an unpleasant surprise.

And in both the bird and human realms, when you snooze, you lose.