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Or, something more mundane, but you could check with local animal rescues about photographing their animals for adoption advertisements. Doubt it would pay anything, but could be a change in an otherwise dreary week!

I've considered wildlife photography, but I can't afford the equipment to take professional quality images. In order to get professional level images with my equipment I'd have to be at a zoo or rescue, and I legally can't sell images from either place.

Sadly, I'm not in a position to volunteer anywhere. Most places need their volunteers to commit a certain amount of hours per week or month, and I have to work too much just to survive. And shelters around here don't have photographers come in for their animals; they just use their current workers and phone cameras.

And while I would love nothing more than to work at a zoo, every zoo and aquarium in my state require a BA to do anything more than work in customer services.

Rainbow lorikeets are native to Australia, where they can be found along the east coast in rainforest, woodlands, and coastal bush. In the wild their diet is primarily made up of nectar, which they can access from flowers using the brush-like adaptation on their tongues. There are actual six species that were formally lumped under the title of rainbow lorikeet; three from Australia and three in New Guinea. They have only recently been recognized as distinct species; rainbow, coconut, and red-collared lorikeets in Australlia and scarlet-breasted, Flores, and Marigold in New Guinea and parts of Indonesia. Unfortunately, the birds, while native to Australia, have been introduced into parts of the country where they had not previously been and are driving native birds out of their territories, becoming an invasive species in its own country. They have been introduced to Tasmania, New Zealand, and Hong Kong, but I do not believe that wild populations in those countries have actually gotten a foothold yet.

Rainbow lorikeets are generally monogamous, keeping a single partner for several breeding seasons, if not for life. A female can generally lay three broods a year of two eggs, though the range of eggs is actually one to three. They reach sexually maturity at one year of age. Their lifespan can range between 10-25 years, with the lower numbers estimates for wild lorikeets while the higher numbers are known for captive birds. However, captive lorikeets have been known to live longer.

Fun fact time: I live in Colorado, and at the Denver Zoo they have an area known as Lorikeet adventures. They mostly have rainbow lorikeets, and you actually walk through a good sized exhibit so the birds fly around you. I've gotten to feed several of them, and their favorite game is to rip the nectar cup from your fingers, flip it so they get doused by nectar, and wear the cup as a hat. If you manage to hold on to the cup they are very happy to have a drink, and will even perch on you to get every last drop. The exhibit also has other birds, including a Blue-streaked red lorry named Captain America. He is insanely grumpy, but I've gone so many times he seems to remember me and will often come over if I have nectar. He also developed a crush on a rainbow lorikeet and was heartbroken when she took a different mate, so when she has eggs he stays nearby and guards her and the nest. I have pictures of him and several of the rainbows that I used in my professional portfolio, but I don't know how to attach pictures here in forum, so I can't share them.

Just an idea. One of my best friends started working at a vet clinic several years ago, since she wanted to be a vet. She started at the very bottom, mowing the lawn, cleaning, pretty much doing anything and everything. Slowly she worked her way up to doing more with animals. She wanted to get her Vet tech degree, before going to college for the vet school. So she found an accredited on line school, the only thing was it needed videos to prove she was doing the labs. The clinic is helping her do all of the mandatory vet tech labs, and hands on experience for her classes. They are also Paying for her schooling. So she works for them gets paid, and they pay for the degree she wants. They may even pay for her Vet schooling.

Sometimes you have to think outside of the box, to get where you want.

Also, consider a trade. Gardening, perhaps. See if a nursery or garden center is hiring. Being around plants can be soothing.