RAZOR SHARP

The beach is a real mixture at the moment. Cliff slides are common and the normally clean sand is covered in storm debris and sea-coal, washed into this area from further up the NE Coast - a remnant of a time past.

Amongst the debris life still goes on and this wonderful empty Razor Shell (ensis arcuatus) caught my eye. Three species can be found on UK beaches.

Their name derives from the old-fashioned 'cut-throat' razors used by Barbers.
A long and narrow clam shell they grow up to 20cm long. Razor Shells live buried upright in soft sand around the low tide mark and beyond, with their mouths just at the surface, filter feeding on plankton.
They can burrow faster than a man can dig - but this one was obviously caught out. Perhaps too much activity after a recent party . . .