Catching snakes is a little trickier than catching gophers. Snakes have reach. That dangerous head needs to be dealt with as soon as possible but in the case above, mobbing blackbirds are diverting her attention. This is an adult female Red-tailed Hawk that mated for several seasons with a resident male at Sutro Heights Park. He was over 13 years old when I checked his band number and if he's still around that would make him over 15. Incredible.
Head for the sea and the Blackbirds eventually give up.
While aloft, she administers a fatal bite to the back of the head and can fly on without the snake writhing and attempting to bite her back.