I've noticed rank results and other on page elements change based on:
- location
- method acquired (manually, bot, script)
- ip address
- frequency checked
- ... etc.
Google and other engines use a large number of techniques to randomize data presented. I recently had a script coded to harvest index volume of keywords and Google, Yahoo, and Bing alter the number that I see when using my script and when I look at it in my regular browser.
... Google is especially efficient at detecting human vs. machine behavior. I've used a large number of techniques for various data mining purposes and sometimes have been captcha'd for just a few (approx. 3) bot automated searches before! ... They realize unnatural query volumes based on frequency and I assume historical data.