Covering over 250 hectares, the colony is 15 km south of the Vasraji Solani island in the Little Rann, said senior forest officer H S Singh, who is also director of the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation.

Singh said the flamingoes were nesting late, probably because of the cyclone that struck the region some five months ago. ``This is why they are being seen in such large numbers in the Little Rann of Kutch,'' he said.

Earlier such a huge nesting by the Lesser Flamingo was reported in the Great Rann of Kutch, on this side of the Indo-Pak border. The Little Runn of Kutch, according to Singh, is the ideal place to nest for the Lesser Flamingo, as the area remains filled with knee-deep water around this time of the year. He says the bird lays eggs on the mounds surrounded by water, which not only keeps the eggs safe from predatorsbut also ensures the bird gets enough sea worms to feed on.

Native to the Caspian Sea region in Central Asia, the flamingo migrates to Indian shores during summer, especially in June and July. ``But by now, the bird has made India its second home, and can be sighted in India throughout the year,'' said Singh.